
Meant to inspire and ignite the child’s imagination, the Five Great Lessons are a catalyst for the Montessori elementary curriculum. Told too quickly, the lessons become meaningless, causing the children’s imaginations to jump from one concept to another. When we imagine, we are using abstract thought to think of things that cannot be seen. The follow-up lessons that come from each of the Five Great Lessons are used to materialize these abstractions. In other words, the children prove the existence of the wonders of the universe through concrete exploration.
What’s the Rush? When Presenting the Five Great Lessons, Slow Down
The Five Great Lessons are thought to be the catalyst of the Montessori elementary cultural curriculum. From the origins of the universe t...
Montessori Practical Life and Culture: Making a Balinese Daily Offering (Canang Sari)
In the Montessori environment, children work on practical life activities to develop independence, body control and coordination of movement...
Developing Object Permanence Skills in the Montessori Environment
Have you ever played peekaboo with an infant or toddler? I love to hear that gurgle of laughter every time the person hiding appears. Why...
The Order of Presentations in the Montessori Environment
“ Scientific observation then has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously car...
Ten Things to Remember when Presenting Montessori Activities
Becoming a Montessori teacher can seem overwhelming at times. There are so many lessons and activities to give, new materials to master, da...
Upper Elementary Montessori Zoology: Advanced Classification
Even the youngest Montessori child is fascinated by nesting dolls. I love how some materials seem to follow the child throughout their...
Presenting Montessori Lessons: Show – Don't Tell
When I started my upper elementary Montessori training, I was impressed by the fluidity of the mentor teacher’s presentations. There was a...
Approaches to Presenting the Montessori Culture and Science Curriculum
The NAMC tutors are frequently asked about the best way to present the Montessori culture and science curriculum, which includes history, sc...
Meeting and Greeting New People - Montessori Grace and Courtesy in a Practical Life Activity
Following is a Montessori Practical Life activity created by NAMC Graduate, Sarah F. Our thanks to Sarah for sharing this with all of us. ...
Introducing the Montessori Movable Alphabet to the Preschool Student
I was so excited to be able to introduce Jordan to the Movable Alphabet, because he has wanted to for so long and it is wonderful to see th...
Variations on The Montessori Silence Game for Developing Skills
The Silence Game Part 2 True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refresh...
What is The Montessori Silence Game? Learning to Play and Building Attention Spans
The Silence Game Part 1 To me the Silence Game means stillness, self control, and intense concentration. It isn’t something that occurs ...
A Three Period Lesson with The Montessori Sandpaper Letters
This year long series looks at the experiences of teachers, parents, students, and Montessori education itself, as we follow a student throu...
Montessori Technique Explained: How to Present a Three Period Lesson
The Three Period Lesson is a fundamental technique used by Montessori educators to present new material to students. It is used throughout...
The Daily Greeting: A Respectful Routine for Your Montessori Classroom
Rules and Routines: The Daily Greeting The daily greeting between a Montessori preschooler and teacher is a special moment. It is a key tr...
Montessori Twos Activity and Presentation: Observing Nature Close Up
This Montessori Twos activity is an excerpt from the NAMC Twos A manual that offers a sensory exploration in the outdoor environment. We...
Earth Day Montessori Practical Life Activity: Solar Cooked Stuffed Apples
Earth Day is a favorite holiday in Montessori classrooms, and to mark the occasion, one of our recent Montessori teacher training program g...
Montessori Walk the Line Activity: Helping Reading and Writing Development
Practical life activities in the 3-6 Montessori classroom nurture concentration and self-discipline, develop and encourage motor skills, a...
The Montessori Three Period Lesson: How To Present, With An Example
One of the hardest things I had to learn as a Montessori teacher coming from a public school background was to resist asking students ques...
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