Parenting Tips
History of the Montessori Method of Education
Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was the first woman physician in Italy. She also had a degree in biological anthropology which honed her powers of meticulous observation and formed the basis of her system of education. She was not trained as a teacher, although she did take some education classes so that she could observe the…
Read MoreIs My Child Ready for the Montessori Early Childhood (age 3-6) Classroom?
Whether you’re a 30-year old moving into a new country or a 3-year old moving from the Montessori Prep program into the Montessori Early Childhood classroom for preschool-kindergarten (ages 3-6), or simply joining the Montessori Early Childhood classroom (ages 3-6), transitions can be frightening. Montessori Toddler classrooms are specifically designed environments that cater to the…
Read MoreSensitive Periods of Human Development
The Dutch biologist Hugo de Vries was one of the first to notice “sensitive periods in development” when he referred to a species of caterpillar. The baby caterpillars have a special sensitivity to light, which when they emerge from their eggs on the trunk of the tree, causes them to be drawn to the tips of…
Read MoreThe Importance of Music in Child Development
I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning. – Plato – Ah, music! It can do so many things to us. It can inspire us, it can cause us to recall strong feelings or memories, and it can…
Read MoreHealthy Sleep Habits Make Happier Kids
As daylight savings makes sunset later and later, it is tempting to keep children up past their normal bedtimes, but doing so can have consequences. Without adequate sleep, children can quickly become cranky and irritable and concentration suffers. When overtired some children may have trouble falling asleep; others staying asleep. Sleep deprivation can result in…
Read MoreWhy Outside Playtime is Critical to Development
There seem to be more and more things competing for time in the day. With parents’ busy schedules, unpredictable weather and the temptation of television, computer games and other electronics when children arrive home after school, it is not hard to believe that, statistically, children in our country are getting a lot less unstructured outdoor…
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