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When we talk about Montessori classrooms as prepared environments, many people see only a classroom with shelves containing various materials. Period. Montessori materials—that’s all there is to a prepared environment. And that would be an incomplete view. A prepared environment is not about materials—it’s about intentional design. A properly prepared environment requires thoughtful planning, along […]
As we work to prepare places for optimum learning and living with purpose and meaning, one idea that needs to be added to a prepared environment—consisting of people, ideas, tools, objects and the natural world—is how we help others obtain independence. Stephen Covey called these steps 7 levels of initiative or self-empowerment. In Montessori terms […]
Self-Construction: The Foundation of Learning As we explore ideas for creating optimal learning environments, one central concept emerges: from birth, each of us is engaged in the process of self-construction— building ourselves through our experiences and interactions with the world. We are born into an environment of people, ideas, tools, objects, and the natural world. As […]
There is an enduring quote about learning: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn”. Attributed to Benjamin Franklin and to Chinese Confucian philosopher Xun Kuang, the idea that active engagement is key to powerful learning has survived for over 2000 years. When I was in junior […]
As I’ve come to a different stage of my life–as a grandparent–and I observe my grandchildren and their peers, I’ve seen the skills of practical life as key to living a happy life. These articles came out of my realization, too, that among my peers–fellow grandparents–the ones that were the healthiest and happiest practiced practical […]
As we look at education as a help to life, safety comes first in my mind. If we don’t feel safe, we can’t learn. When we are in the edginess of fear, it’s hard to enjoy our lives. How do we create places where safety comes first? Let’s begin by defining safety: Safety is the […]
What should our children learn? Over the past posts I’ve tried to show that children need to learn, as a life-long foundation, the practical life skills that include care of the self, care of the environment, care of others, and care of community. The skills of practical life offer the child a way to build […]
Over the past few posts, we’ve been looking at the foundational lessons of practical life skills that are offered in a Montessori classroom for three-to-six-year-olds, but in reality these lessons should be offered in all classrooms and homes. The practical life skills of caring for oneself, caring for one’s environment, caring for others and caring […]
As we consider the different areas of practical life exercises, we might see that care of others follows a natural expansion from the child’s activities in care for the self and care of the environment. Before we can truly take care of others, we need to know how to take care of ourselves, and at […]
One of the many universal learning and teaching principles used in Montessori education is the idea of the prepared environment. Created and maintained by the adults in that space, a prepared environment consists of four components: people, tools and objects, ideas and nature. What does a prepared environment look like? Let’s start with an example […]
