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… the best [educators] could do was to compromise, reducing hours in instruction to the minimum, cutting out from the curriculum grammar, geometry, and algebra, making outside play obligatory and postponing the age for entry into school. But however much free periods have been increased and children urged to play rather than study, strangely the children have remained mentally fatigued notwithstanding all these reforms. —Maria Montessori To Educate the Human Potential, p. 80. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about children needing more time to play. Studies suggest spending time playing is more beneficial than spending time in the classroom. Play is being touted as the answer to everything from low test scores to behavior challenges. But wait a minute … if that were true, wouldn’t Montessori classrooms have hours of play time built into the day? Wouldn’t the emphasis in the Montessori environment be on play and not on learning? Wouldn’t Montessori children suffer from ment...

The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences. —Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 84. On my first day as a Montessori teacher, I entered the classroom with a plan already made. I had the whole first day meticulously thought out, down to the minute. The students and I would gather in a circle and get to know one another. We would tour the room and the shelves, eat snack together, and establish our classroom rules. We would also learn proper procedures for using materials, going to the bathroom, and so on. I did not foresee any real work happening for the first few days. Imagine my surprise, when, after greeting the last pupil, I entered the classroom to see 32 lower elementary students at work! Even the students who were new to Montessori had paired up with someone, and they all had mats unrolled with materials on them. They had not waited for instruction from me before they started their learning. It w...

It should be realized that genuine interest cannot be forced. Therefore, all methods of education based on centers of interest which have been chosen by adults are wrong. —Maria Montessori University of Amsterdam Lecture, 1950. The purpose of Montessori’s Five Great Lessons is to awaken a sense of wonder within students and serve as a catalyst to learning. By giving a story that leaves students asking “What happens next?” we open the door to the imagination. What comes next are the Key Lessons, lessons that allow the child to learn more. Where the Five Great Lessons present a whole, big picture, the Key Lessons provide topical details. Montessori Today, Chapter 4: The Key Lessons That Follow the Great Lessons New Montessori teachers, especially those that come from a conventional school background, often ask why the Five Great Lessons are so sparse on details. They want to bring in charts, graphs, PowerPoints, and technology. But when introducing something to students, less is more. ...

In the beginning, there was darkness. Doesn’t that sound like a great opening to a great story? It is almost as good as “Once upon a time.” When we tell a story like Cinderella to a child, we don’t begin by saying “This is a story about the triumph of good and evil.” Or “The moral of this story is that hard work and good character will be rewarded.” We don’t discuss the dichotomy of the notion of romantic love and reality or the dangers of wearing glass slippers. We invite children to listen to a story and let the magic of the words capture their imaginations. “In the beginning, there was darkness.” With these words, the Montessori teacher begins the First Great Lesson and introduces elementary students to the universe. Immediately, students are captivated. They understand this statement. They know darkness; they don’t need anyone to explain it. They have experienced it and can imagine what occurs there. Montessori Today, Chapter 4: The Great Lessons This powerful story about the begin...