Developing and Supporting Your Child’s Independence

Developing your child’s independence and self-reliance is one of the most important things we can do for our children.   While academic learning is important, it does not, and can not, take the place of the value of self-confidence, self-sufficiency, and the ability to make things happen for oneself.   Independence and self-reliance form the…

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Helping Your Child to Play Nice!

3 kids slides

It is fascinating and rewarding to watch your child grow and develop into the marvelous person they are meant to be.  During development it is very normal for a child to explore the themes of good and bad.   Most children like to be the good guys.  They act out being brave, being powerful and doing…

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What is Process Art and Why Is It Important?

Young children love to draw and create, but often get frustrated by their inability to produce something that resembles the vision in their head.  Their art becomes representational – a line stands in for an animal, a winding trail across the page reflects the movements of their subject, as though the artwork is a story…

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How Montessori Education Encourages Independent Thinking

Learning to think is not the same thing as learning to memorize.  Thinking requires infinitely more effort and involves much more brain activity than reciting something back.  Thinking involves inquiry, innovation, creativity, analysis, synthesis, problem solving, persistence, self-confidence, self-motivation, independence and even courage.  That is why the emphasis in a Montessori classroom is on children…

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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…

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