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Montessori classroom shelves displaying sensory materials such as color tablets and fabric swatches.

Maria Montessori: What You May Not Know

By Yelena Raskin Dr. Maria Montessori was born in the small town of Chiaravalle.  Her father was a military man, and her mother was a lady of peace.  Maria Montessori had a very close relationship with her mother.  As a child, Maria didn’t…
A child working independently with Montessori pink tower cubes to develop spatial awareness.

Tools in the Practical Life Area

By Amber Evans An essential part of the Montessori method is practical life. These activities are an increasingly challenging series of motor tasks involving real life goals. In addition to helping children master everyday tasks, the aim…
A child using Montessori binomial cubes to learn about algebraic concepts through hands-on exploration.

Let’s Take Another Look at Metal Insets

By Yelena Ostrovsky Metal insets serve a real and concrete purpose in the Children’s House. The metal inset work has 11 different stages, ranging from basic tracing to the more challenging design and embellishment work. Each stage provides…
Montessori teacher observing a student completing a pouring activity with precision.
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Preschool Math in the Montessori Environment

By Erin McFarland Math in the Montessori environment is one of the richest subject areas. Maria Montessori was a great mathematician and scientist. She became one of the first woman doctors in Italy. She used this scientific approach to study…
A child preparing a snack as part of Montessori practical life activities, fostering independence.
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Two Common Misconceptions about a Montessori Classroom

Two Common Misconceptions about a Montessori Classroom by Sheri Papke   1) The classroom is too permissive, and the children do no productive work or; 2) The classroom is too strict, and the children are not able to play or use…
Preschool children working on practical life
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Why Practical Life in a Montessori Preschool

THE ROLE OF THE PRACTICAL LIFE AREA IN A MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL AND THE IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT OF 3 YEAR OLD Practical Life exercises very simply put are the exercises of everyday living. These exercises found in a Montessori preschool are those…