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The Puzzle-Child
Over the years of working in Montessori classrooms I've met many children who are eager to attend lessons, engage in follow-up work, and share their new knowledge. And then there are the occasional "puzzles" (as my son's Primary guide once referred to him). How do you know if you live or work with a puzzle-child? 
Puzzle-children are those for whom learning comes easily but who see most teaching as a hindrance to their own learning agenda. On a good day, they grumpily humor your agenda for a s…
Not Knowing
Feeling stressed out about answering your children's questions? My newest post on MariaMontessori.com might be the answer you're looking for!
Choosing a Montessori School: Uninterrupted work period
Imagine you arrive at work at 8am, energized and ready to work on a fun but challenging project that will require several hours of your time. You know that to really get the project on solid footing and make sense of its complexity, you need several hours of uninterrupted focus. You sit down at your desk, fire up your computer, and start organizing your thoughts. Suddenly, a reminder pops up on your computer screen:
Mandatory staff meeting @ 8:45am.
Now, answer this question truthfully: Knowi…Montessori, Quick and Simple
Here's a great article that describes what goes on in a Montessori Children's House classroom, and offers a quick overview of the history of the method. Great reading to introduce anyone to the Montessori approach!
How To Observe in a Montessori Classroom
The wonderful guys and gals at Montessori Madmen have shared this insightful guide to observation (originally provided by Little Things Montessori). A Montessori classroom can seem as odd and confusing as an exotic foreign country, so consider this article your travel guide!
When I was a teacher, I was often frustrated by how parents behaved when they came to observe the classroom. They would talk to each other, walk around the room, talk on their cell phones (yes, I'm not kidding), engage the …
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