Montessori Philosophy

A child does not know why he is interested in a particular object or movement at a particular moment – the important thing is that he is interested, and that it is natural for his mind to grow just as his body does, therefore what interests him at the moment …

Recently I observed something marvelous in a primary classroom. A child of almost three years was happily concentrating on using a crumber to sweep lentils into the masking tape square on her tray. As she practiced, lentils spilled all over the table and floor. The teachers observing the child noted …

Children as young as three-years-old, after several months in a Montessori classroom, are able to choose their own work and focus on and finish their tasks. Through observation and experimentation, Montessori discovered the importance of a two-and-a-half to three-hour uninterrupted work period. The last hour of a lengthy work period …

Welcomed by European royal families, entertained in the White House, and introduced to Mahatma Gandhi, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Erik Ericson, and the world as the “great educator,” Maria Montessori transformed the education of young children. She developed her theories while working as a doctor in a hospital for …

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of Montessori Services, and we are pleased to share an interview with founder and owner, Jane Mills Campbell. Jane shares her memories about the history of the company, which is part of the fascinating story of the Montessori movement in America. …

The first few weeks of school are crucial, and set the stage for the remainder of the year. Even if you have taught for years, it’s a good time to rethink and refresh your lessons. By now, your orientation period may be over, but children can still benefit from a …

Maria Montessori herself said, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher… is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’” You have prepared the environment with the child’s inner needs foremost in your mind. Now you’re probably thinking ahead to the …

Three-year multi-age grouping is a topic that is near and dear to the hearts of Montessorians. We witness the benefits it brings to the children in our classrooms every day. Here are some words and phrases that immediately pop into mind when we think of multi-age grouping: leadership, self-esteem, reinforcement …

Continuing the Interview with Lakshmi Kripalani By Irene Baker In the first part of our interview, Ms. Kripalani, now almost 93 years old, described her life growing up in India, her early teaching experiences, and taking the primary training course with Maria and Mario Montessori in 1946 in Karachi, India. In …

An Interview with Lakshmi Kripalani By Irene Baker I first met Lakshmi Kripalani at a Montessori conference ten years ago. Listening to her first-hand accounts of being trained by Maria and Mario Montessori was thrilling. Recently I had the opportunity to visit Ms. Kripalani in her home in Montclair, New …