As an assistant editor in the Photography department at the New York Times, the author manages a team of seven visual editors who assign photographers to stories all over the globe. Recently, one of her team members approached her to let her know that the amount of violence he was subjected to was having an effect on his mental state. It made the…

Childhood adversity and trauma are pervasive and have powerful, far-reaching consequences for health and well-being. Recent years have seen increased recognition of the need for trauma-informed practice, which aims to promote understanding, healing, and the prevention of retraumatization. Historical data show that the early Montessori schools were…

The aim of this article is to understand how Montessori education, according to Maria Montessori, will enable 6--12-year-olds to meet future challenges and to care for and contribute to the wellbeing of society and the planet as a whole. This article reports on a qualitative content analysis of four books written by Maria Montessori. The analysis…

"Children have the potential to create a world we cannot imagine. This is our hope." In choosing Montessori, O'Shaughnessy says that we are choosing the road less traveled. We are choosing education as an aid to life. We are choosing an approach that respects the innate and unique potential of each child and that calls upon us to serve…

This article vividly describes the indoor and outdoor components of what Montessori calls Home Sweet Home. Her vision of a domestic Children's House contains many facets: rooms of varied space, beautiful flooring, gardens that educate and evoke collaboration, and places for year-round exercise. This is a definitive yet rare Montessori article that…

Polli Soholt writes about advanced practical life and demonstrates that adding more challenge and complexity for older children leads to more social cooperation. Activities such as washing dishes, polishing, sewing, and food preparation take the child beyond the need to refine basic skills. The older primary children find more reality in tasks…

The children and staff at Council Oak Montessori enjoy a unique opportunity to experience Dr. Montessori's theory of Cosmic Education through all of its stages--from the 3-year-old who first comes to the school to the 15-year-old who completes its Middle School program. And it makes the author thinks much more actively about how the faculty and…

Recognizing Maria and Mario Montessori's reverence for the hand, Pat Ludick takes the reader into the wonder of the human body, mind, and spirit and across the planes of education, into the making of a whole personality and grounded intelligence that is ready for the adult world. Putting the hand front and center, she lyrically evolves an overview…

Getting to know one's child's teachers will help parents know where they are coming from and why they are teaching. It might also give parents insight into the relationship they have with their child or children. This article illustrates what the author means through a story. The author suggests that parents need talk to their child's teachers.…

This article discusses the results of a survey conducted at the Princeton Montessori School (PMS) in New Jersey, a school serving age levels from infants through middle school. The author designed a series of five to six questions about memories of activities, teachers, and friends for all current K-8 students with a minimum of 1 year of…

Maria Montessori understood that, innately, children feel connected to humanity, and recognized that children appreciate opportunities to serve others. This is an important connection that parents and teachers need to continue to nourish in students, providing opportunities for those meaningful connections. But what if, in addition to feeling good…

One of the major components of Dr. Montessori's plan for peace education is a curriculum that de-emphasizes nationalism. The "big picture" of the cultural curriculum encourages the perspective that people are citizens of Earth first, and only secondarily American, Japanese, Polish, or other nationalities. Through the fundamental needs…

Differentiates chronological time and the Greek concept of "Kairos" (a quality of time without measure) as they relate to Montessori philosophy. Argues that the child's need for "Kairos" time conflicts with the adult "Chronos" world of schedules, and that the Montessori classroom environment is successful due to its…

Addresses the issue of whether the child must be presented with a lesson before choosing it, or should be allowed to choose any work desired. Presents arguments for each philosophy, and the pros and cons of each choice. Asserts that the free choice option is most consistent with Montessori philosophy. (SD)

Presents guidelines for referral and test evaluation of students with suspected learning or behavioral challenges for Montessori schools and staff. Includes an observation checklist in the areas of classroom behavior, classroom performance, and social behavior for teachers to use when a student is experiencing difficulties. Concludes with…