Welcome! I’m Maren Schmidt.
At eight years old, I taught my little brother to say, “I need antiseptic for the abrasion on my epidermis.” Apparently, that was the beginning of my teaching career.
As the oldest of five children, stair-stepped over seven years, I had plenty of experience teaching my siblings all kinds of things—from putting on socks, to playing Go Fish, to reading Dr. Seuss.
When my brother began using his expanded vocabulary, I received compliments from the adults around me. I heard comments like, “I’m impressed that you taught him to say that…and he knows what it means.”
It was the first time I had received positive feedback for something I had done, and it felt wonderful.
Looking back, I can see that moment was the first glimmer of my future teaching and coaching career.
In elementary school, my teachers often asked me to listen to classmates read aloud in the hallway. Later, I realized they gave me that responsibility because I understood phonics and knew how to help my peers learn information they found challenging. Yes, sometimes we were told we were laughing too much out in the hallway!
By junior high, I was arriving early to school almost every day because my dad dropped me off on his way to work. Sitting on the school steps, three or four classmates would pull out their homework and ask for help. It never felt like a burden. For me, seeing them understand and smile was reward enough.
Over the years, I’ve spent a lifetime helping people move to the next level—sometimes while being only one step ahead myself!
After college, I went to work for a Fortune 500 company conducting initial interviews for light industrial positions. There, I discovered that more than half of the applicants could not read well enough to complete the application.
That experience led me into adult literacy work.
Later, as a Sunday School teacher, Girl Scout leader, and parent volunteer at school, I saw many children struggling with reading, writing, and math skills.
Learning how to help them set me on the path to becoming a Montessori teacher and eventually starting a Montessori school.
As I mentored new teachers and school leaders, I accepted the challenge of leading workshops. Over the years, I taught parents and educators how to teach reading, spelling, math, communication skills, classroom management, and leadership.
Today, through my Kids Talk Workshops, I’m able to support parents, teachers, and school leaders who are facing challenges in their work with children—and help them create places where children love to learn.
I’m passionate not only about helping children learn, but also about supporting the adults who guide and nurture them.
Through Kids Talk Workshops and newsletters, I hope to encourage, equip, and inspire the adults who are shaping children’s lives every day.
I’d love for you to join me on the journey.
Take a look at these Kids Talk offerings:
The Leadership Essentials Series
Free Montessori Parent Workshops
Here’s what Kids Talk Readers are saying…
Your Kids Talk Newsletter provides quick, easy-to-read and digest bits of advice and info that I look forward to. I have shared your columns with parents and teachers in my school and adult learners in the Montessori teacher education program where I am an instructor. I have also encouraged all of them to subscribe so they can receive your words of wisdom right to their own inboxes!
I am grateful for all of your many insights! I joyfully pass these along to parents to address a particular need. Our Preschool enjoys gathering in circle when they hear (your song) “I feel happy, happy, happy…” The song calls them together and sets the environment for our pledge to the flag, followed by “God Bless America” and morning prayers and more singing!! The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is the foundation of our preparation for Kindergarten!
I have been a faithful follower of your weekly newsletter for 10 years and find your style of communication really effective.
Just a little bit every week with some theory and practice included. Always so relevant to anyone dealing with little children.
Your support of new parents and young families is a great contribution to the next generation on earth. My compliments.
Here’s What Kids Talk Is All About
Take advantage of my over thirty years experience working with young children!
I think you’ll find my Kids Talk approach of working with children fun and effective.
Here’s a sample of my professional activities:
- Founded a Montessori school, acting as a teaching administrator.
- Certified Montessori teacher with the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) with a Masters in Education from Loyola College in Maryland, as well as a B.A from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in Interpersonal and Organizational Communications.
- Co-author with my daughter, Dana, a Dartmouth grad, of Understanding Montessori: A Guide for Parents.
- Author of Building Cathedrals Not Walls, a collection of ninety of my Kids Talk essays to inspire your work with children, whether you are a parent, a teacher, or other adult in the life of a child.
- Award-winning Kids Talk columnist and blogger.
- Online workshop creator focusing on parent and teacher leadership
For weekly put-it-into-action advice you can trust, sign up for my award-winning newsletter, Kids Talk today. It’s free!
Take a look at Kids Talk Workshops. We have free and for-a-fee offerings–something for everyone!