By Margaret Whitley Our elementary children’s imagination is immense. So too is their adaptability and resilience when honored. Today’s unusual pandemic reality calls on adults to be and talk to our children directly, both parents and teacher, balancing any possible fear in our elementary age children with understanding. One place we can turn which could […]
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Ten Little Rocks
By Sara Bloomberg How many times have you casually cleaned out your child’s pockets or lunch bags and found a vast collection of rocks which your children have meticulously hunted? For most 3-6-year-old children, rocks are the stuff of dreams. To children, rocks are often more valuable than the most precious metals. Each rock holds […]
Learning About Germs and Hygiene
Talking to young children about the concept of “germs” can be quite challenging! Preschoolers have a hard time conceptualizing things that they cannot experience through their senses. However, in this era when lives have been turned topsy turvy because of a global pandemic, the conversation about germs is difficult to put off! The Germs […]
Distance Learning in Times of Disaster
By Letty Rising and Elizabeth Slade A downloadable PDF of this article is available in the Trillium Resource Library. Sign up for the free Elementary Newsletter to access. Read part 2 here: Distance Learning in Times of Disaster: Restoration and Renewal Without warning, children across the country have experienced a dramatic shift in how they […]
Mr. Rogers and the Montessori Prepared Environment
By Letty Rising There’s a world of difference between insisting on someone’s doing something and establishing an atmosphere in which that person can grow into wanting to do it.” –Mr. Rogers I’ve come across this quote a few times in recent weeks, and it makes me smile every time. Mr. Rogers is one of my […]
Simple Snack Setup for Home
By Sara Bloomberg Creating opportunities for your 3-6-year-old (and maybe even your older children too) to help you with the preparation of their daily snack can be incredibly rewarding for your child. Successful snack prep can help grow your child’s self-esteem as well as help develop and strengthen their hand-eye coordination, the muscles in their […]
You Still Need to Set Boundaries During the Quarantine
By Sara Bloomberg “The liberty of the child ought to have as its limits the collective interest of the community in which s/he moves ….” Maria Montessori, Discovery of the Child By now, I am sure that everyone you know (possibly even you) has either mentioned, created or tweaked their family schedule a million times. […]
What Makes the Montessori Method Different?
I have been teaching about Montessori classrooms to early childhood educators for the past 5 years. Nearly every semester, I get teachers asking me about the difference between Montessori and other alternative early childhood methods like the Reggio Emilia and Waldorf-Steiner approaches. There is much more that unites these approaches than divides them. Perhaps […]
Work at Home Montessori Parent
The Work-at-Home Parent Conundrum For so many of you, working from home while caring for your children will undoubtedly bring challenges. While I cannot promise it will always be comfortable, I can say that if we focus on modifying some key points, you can manage. One up- one down If there are two of you […]
Montessori in the Kitchen
Space, the first frontier… in your home Ok, so first things first. We need to help you set up space in your house. There are so many ways we will work on modifying rooms in your home, and the most accessible place to start is the kitchen. Because you are in […]
Consistency and Routine for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners at Home During Coronavirus
Some schools have already been out for a while, but for much of the US, this week has seen the start of a lot of extended school closures. If you are faced with having your children at home for an extended school closure, consistent routines will help you settle into patterns of existing in this […]
Pearls of Wisdom: Working with elementary aged children
I recently returned from the AMI Elementary Refresher Course, and I enjoyed it so much that over the course of the two days I took 25 pages of notes! Alison Awes, the presenter and a Montessori trainer, was a very inspiring and engaging speaker, breathing fresh life into some familiar concepts, lessons, and theories, while […]
Why are we afraid of big numbers?
A second-grade teacher in a public school environment is well aware that, by the end of the school year, their students should be able to add and subtract fluently with numbers less than 100. However, in a Montessori environment, children begin to learn place-value into the thousands beginning in the 3-6 children’s house. At the […]
Choice in the Elementary Classroom
Understanding how to facilitate, organize, and prepare an environment that fosters student choice is one of the most challenging aspects of being a Montessori elementary teacher. But it can be done and done well. Students can have choices in their work and still develop the skills needed to master standards. Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast […]
How to Guide the Young Elementary Child
The youngest elementary children…the beginning of a new cycle. When the 6 or 7-year-old child enters into the elementary classroom, teachers sometimes struggle with understanding this newly emerging second plane child. When I was teaching and had the benefit of observing my students in their primary classroom environment before they transitioned into elementary, it was […]
Is it a Request for Help or a Bid for Connection?
Identifying the True Need Under the Request Throughout my years of teaching and leading schools, I have witnessed certain personality characteristics surface and resurface again. There’s a particular one that I want to address and that has cropped up a few times during my career in education. Though the children are different, the script is […]
7 Ways to Enhance Your Storytelling Skills
Telling a Story vs. Giving a Lecture in the Elementary Classroom Environment Have you ever been spellbound by a captivating storyteller spinning a thrilling tale that had you propped at the edge of your seat, eagerly awaiting the next piece of colorful imagery to pique your curiosity and tantalize your imagination? If so, you likely […]
Cosmic Education and its Role in the Elementary Classroom
I am pleased to welcome Sharmeen Niazi of MOM_tessori_Guide to Trillium! Sharmeen is a Montessori Elementary guide at the Archgate Montessori Academy in Dallas, TX. Today she is sharing with us some insights about the role of cosmic education in the Elementary classroom. Keeping into consideration the inquisitive minds during the second plane of development, […]
The 6 Year Old: The Age Of Tattling
If you have taught elementary, you surely have noticed that your youngest community members have a tendency to tell on one another, otherwise known as “tattling.” I remember when I was a teacher, I always had at least a couple of 6-year-olds who tattled frequently, and I also clearly recall feeling some annoyance with this […]
Montessori Professional Development Plan
Tammy Oesting speaks to Daneen Goncalves of Nido Marketing about how and why to create a professional development plan for your staff. For affordable monthly staff development, please join Montessori Principles to Practice. You can find a variety of online workshops for your Montessori professional development needs on the Trillium Montessori Courses site.
Ramadan Activities for Preschool
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. The Muslim calendar is a lunar calendar, which means that the months follow the cycles of the moon. This also means that the months do not correspond to the western calendar months. Each year, Ramadan is approximately 11 days earlier than the year before. As the […]
Cosmic Nesting Dolls
“Let us give the children a vision of the universe.” Maria Montessori in To Educate the Human Potential. Update: The Cosmic Nesting Dolls in the video were originally available from Where Am I? but sadly it seems they are no longer making them. If you would like to try your hand at DIYing the […]
A Tour of Erin’s Montessori Classroom
I recently had the opportunity to visit my friend Erin Roberts in Asheville, NC. I’ve known Erin for about 14 years. We worked together at the Montessori School of Syracuse and she is one of the small handful of people I’ve met who seem to have been born with an intuitive understanding of Montessori. A […]
10 Ways to Encourage Your Child to Do Chores
by Gabrielle Nussbaumer Did you grow up with Saturday morning or afternoon chores? Maybe you had Saturday all day chores!? Did that question make you groan as you remembered the list of things you had to accomplish and the consequences if you didn’t? Fast forward to the present moment and think of your own children. […]
What We Want For Our Children
By Virginia Lozuke A couple of years ago I started approaching parent teacher conferences a little differently. Before I compiled all my observations, notes, recordkeeping, and pictures, I went back to my files and pulled out the original application that parents filled out prior to enrolling at our school. The answers to those questions are […]
Rocks Observation and Discussion
Walkin’ N Rockin’ A beginning-of-the-year lesson plan by Claudia Mann If my Facebook “teacher” groups are any indication, this is a pretty exciting time of year for most of you who are called to this profession. Photo posts of prepared classrooms almost shout the anticipation of teachers who are ready to get those little ones […]
Handwork in the Montessori Environment
In Montessori environments, we pride ourselves on having a culture of self-lead work. We inspire children to be mathematicians, writers, discoverers and researchers. We also teach children the value of the ability to work with our hands. How to Create a Culture of Handwork in Your Montessori Environment By Carol Palmer Handwork, the creative, constructive […]
Filtering Out Hiring Bias
I am dripping with bias. So are you. From affinity bias to confirmation bias, we are all prone to filtering our decisions through the lens of our personal biases. It is normal…and it is not okay in a hiring process. In the United States, hiring bias is significant. The rates of several measures of hiring […]
Montessori Resources for Learning About Birds
We always enjoy learning about birds! From eggs, to feathers, to nests, there is a lot to explore. One of our readers, Dagmar Brumovska shared this fantastic bird egg activity with us… including a free printable! You can find this printable in Dagmar’s brand new TpT store HERE. (While Dagmar’s egg printable makes a fun […]
Learning About Frogs and Amphibians
Did you know that amphibians are the only vertebrates capable of breathing through their skin? It’s true! In this blog post, we’ll share a variety of engaging resources for a lesson or unit study focused on frogs and amphibians. We’ve pulled together a range of books, crafts, printables, and hands-on activities perfect for students interested […]
Montessori Resources for Learning About Europe
Learning About Europe | Trillium Montessori These are some of the activities we’ve enjoyed while learning about Europe at my school. Europe Printable Packs | Trillium Montessori Shop Be sure to check out the Europe themed printables in my shop. Unit: Europe | Pinterest Find more learning ideas and resources on my Europe Pinterest Board […]
A Tour of Pine Cottage
I am delighted to feature Pine Cottage from the Montessori School of Syracuse (MSS) in our Classroom Showcase series this week! My Montessori spiritual roots lie at this school. This was the school where I first discovered Montessori. I found a job here as an assistant teacher right out of grad school. I then went for […]
Learning About the Festival of Diwali
I am delighted to welcome Amruta Ram to the Trillium Montessori blog! Amruta lives in India and is passionate about early learning. She is the mom of a toddler who she is raising using Montessori principles. In this guest post, Amruta shares some of the activities she has created for her child as they get […]
Care of Self for Montessori Teachers
If you have Montessori training for the 0-6 year old levels, then you are familiar with the section in your Practical Life Album called “Care of Self”. This section covers all kinds of exercises to help young children learn to take care of themselves such as dressing, blowing their nose, preparing a snack for themselves, […]
Pumpkin Patch Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
We will be taking a field trip to the pumpkin patch in a couple of weeks. To prepare, our classroom is starting to fill up with “pumpkiny” activities. If you haven’t already downloaded my free October Seasonal Guide for the Classroom with pictures of our seasonal activities for the month, you can get all the details in the […]
Resources for Talking to Children About Race and Racism
We are living in pivotal times. Issues of race and racism are not new. Modern day America was created after a clash of epic proportions over this issue. A world war has been fought over this. Many of us thought that we, as a species, had put the worst behind us and were headed in […]
Montessori Home Tour by Bella’s Casa
Jae Jun from Bella’s Casa gives us a tour of her Montessori home. Montessori Home Tour by Jae Jun I have used 3 simple ideas to set up our home for my daughter Emily, age 3. Here are the 3 big ideas: Love of learning Less is More Independence Let’s take a look at a […]
Learning About North America
Here are the contents of our North America unit studies box. You can read more about how we store our unit studies supplies here. Of course, it would be VERY un-Montessori of us to give the box as-is to our students! Ah, much better! Here are the materials displayed neatly on the shelves so the […]
Preschool Activities for a Camping Theme
If you’re planning to do a camping theme in your summer program this year, here are some shelf activities you can add to the classroom: Spooning little bees We had this Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game lying around and used it for a color matching and fine motor activity. A little setup for pond life Gluing little […]
Asia Preschool Printables
Do you have our Asia Preschool Pack? These printables can easily be added to your shelves during your study of Asia. Also be sure to check out our other posts about Asia! Learning About Asia: Introduction Learning About Asia: East Asia Learning About Asia: Middle East Learning About Asia: South Asia On the Art Shelf […]
Cooking in the Montessori Classroom
Food preparation and cooking are some of the most fun practical life activities in a Montessori environment! My personal preference is to create individualized food preparation activities that children can choose on their own, rather than group cooking activities that have to be done with a teacher. I want to show the children how to […]
Honey Bees: Cooking in the Montessori Children’s House
I am honored to share with you this simple food preparation activity from the Cooking in the Children’s House series by Megan Ray Durkin. Megan has a goal — to help children feel they are stewards of the earth and true citizens of the world. The projects from Cooking in the Children’s House blend her appreciation for children’s […]
Learning About Bees
Hands on activities for learning about bees in the preschool and Montessori classroom. When you’re working with preschoolers and young children, keep in mind that they need to have exposure to the real thing before working with abstract representations of it. This is particularly true for nature. Spend lots of time in nature. Get dirty, see […]
A Tour of Jennifer’s Montessori Language Shelves
Jennifer Nichols’ gave us a tour of the materials on her Montessori Language shelves in the Trillium Community Facebook group a few weeks ago and I am delighted to feature her photos on the blog today! Jennifer has a charming little Montessori school in her home, called Whole Child Montessori. Affiliate links are used in this […]
How I Started My Montessori School in Brazil
We have another Montessori startup story! This one comes from a mother and daughter team in Brazil. They opened their school, Ziriguidum, a few years ago as a music program and added Montessori classes last year. How did you discover Montessori and what made you fall in love with it? My mother worked with Montessori […]
A Tour of Audrey’s Montessori Classroom
This week’s classroom showcase comes to you from Audrey Morrison of The Walden School in Pennsylvania. Audrey shared these photos with us in the Trillium {Community} Facebook group and graciously answered lots of questions! If you’re wondering about something you see on the shelves, you can find more details in this thread. (You will need […]
Spring Ideas for the Preschool Classroom
Spring is in the air and it’s the perfect time for all sorts of nature studies with your preschoolers! Go outside and get your hands dirty as much as you can! Every week, the members of the Trillium {Community} Facebook group share photos of their shelves and activities in our weekly “Shelfie Saturday” share thread. […]
Lauren’s Montessori Classroom: Science and Geography
Thank you to Lauren Franchek for sharing her beautiful classroom with us! You can find links to explore the other areas of her classroom at the bottom of this page. This is the gorgeous special interest table aka “The Museum”. We rotate the objects to showcase various leaves, plants, animals, remains, etc. that the children find […]
Lauren’s Montessori Classroom: The Math Area
Thank you to Lauren Franchek for sharing her beautiful classroom with us! You can find links to explore the other areas of her classroom at the bottom of this page. The first math shelf with the number rods, spindle boxes and other 0-10 work. The Seguin Boards, Stamp Games, Dot Game, Hundred Board, Number Scroll […]
Lauren’s Montessori Classroom: Language Area
Thank you to Lauren Franchek for sharing her beautiful classroom with us! Let’s take a closer look at her language area here. You can find links to explore the other areas of her classroom at the bottom of this page. Sandpaper letters (lowercase, capitals and phonograms) as well as Sandpaper letter boards A large […]
Lauren’s Montessori Classroom: Sensorial Area
Thank you to Lauren Franchek for sharing her beautiful classroom with us! You can find links to explore the other areas of her classroom at the bottom of this page. The pink tower on a special stand and the brown stair color boxes and the binomial and trinomial cubes the geometric cabinet and cards. Missing on […]
Lauren’s Montessori Classroom: Practical Life
Thank you to Lauren Franchek for sharing her beautiful classroom with us! You can find links to explore the other areas of her classroom at the bottom of this page. This is the Practical Life area of her Montessori classroom. Lauren has a great eye for selecting attractive and unique materials. One corner of the […]
A Tour of Lauren’s Montessori Classroom
I am so excited to bring you an updated tour of Lauren’s classroom! A couple of years ago, Lauren shared photos of her beautiful Montessori environment as part of our Classroom Showcase Series. You can see the original post here, and see her stunning outdoor space here. Lauren was kind enough to offer us a […]
Simple Ways To Bring More Diversity Into Your Classroom Materials
If you’re reading this, I’ll assume you already care about diversity in your classroom. And that you put in a conscious effort to make sure you avoid enforcing stereotypes and cultivating an atmosphere of tolerance and respect in your classroom. “Peace” and “inclusion” are probably mainstays of your curriculum already. With that in mind, […]
An Open Door Promise
By Pamela Green I awoke this morning thinking of my Grandpa, my Mother’s father, and of a lesson he had passed on to me many years ago. It was one of the moments upon waking when I could feel myself as a child, the ground beneath my body, looking into his eyes as we sat […]
What to do About Burned Out Teachers
Burned out teachers are an unfortunate reality. Last week we discussed four common signs of teacher burnout. This week we are focusing on what to do when we have a teacher showing signs of burnout. I know a lot of leaders who put their heads in the sand when a teacher shows signs of burnout. […]
Four Common Signs of Teacher Burnout
The start of the school year is always so exciting. Classrooms are refreshed and beautiful. New ideas and plans are on the forefront. The children are as inspiring and delightful as ever. Teachers seem ready to dive in and make their magic happen. Then, sometime in October or November, some teachers hit a wall. I […]
Movement in the Montessori Music Room
by Carolyn Lucento “Okay! Time for our musical movement activity… but how do I effectively manage the children?” If you find yourself asking this question during Music circle, then check out these tips from Carolyn Lucento of the Magical Movement Company! Carolyn is a long time Montessorian and trained Orff-Schulwerk music specialist. She teaches music classes […]
A Pun for Father’s Day
Here’s an easy Father’s Day craft if you need to throw something together at the last minute! Even the preschoolers got a chuckle out of this one! “He’s cute!” “He looks nothing like my dad!” “I love his nose!” We talked about how this was a “pun”. “A pun is a kind of joke where […]
9 Keys to Writing Effective Progress Reports
I find it helpful to think of progress reports as just one of the components in my overall parent relations strategy. Building a strong connection with parents is an essential piece of running a successful classroom and school. Keeping this in mind, we can structure our progress reports in a way that meets our overall goals […]
Integrating Cosmic Education into Everything
Today’s post comes to you from Lisa of Montessori Kiwi. Lisa is a Montessori Elementary teacher from New Zealand. She shares some simple and easy ideas to help you integrate the concept of Cosmic Education into your daily classrom practice. -Seemi What Cosmic Education Isn’t What it is Since it has been … necessary to give […]
Earth Day Preschool Activities
Here are some of the activities we have on our Montessori preschool shelves while we celebrate Earth Day! On the Art Shelf Cutting Strips This is a great activity for who children who are just beginning to learn how to hold scissors properly. (Source: Earth Day Preschool Pack ) Cutting Lines Cutting on the […]
Disruptive Classroom Behavior
By Pamela Green In my years of teaching I have had opportunities to be with children who seem to bring disruption to the classroom. These are the ones who tend to be louder in body and voice, take up more space, make themselves heard before being seen, and at times leave others quaking in their wake. The parents of […]
Easter Preschool Activities
This week I’m honored to share with you some photos contributed by one of our long time readers, Dagmar Brumovska! She has a lot fun ideas that you can try on your preschool shelves for Easter. We also have photos of the printable cards included in the Trillium Montessori Easter Preschool Pack. Between the two, your […]
5 Simple Tips to Make Your Home More Montessori
by Jo Ebisujima One of the striking things about a Montessori School is the style of the classroom. One will often find beautiful objects upon the shelves, laid out in a clean and uncluttered environment. The children are able to move freely and to access what they need. The environment is designed to promote independence. Montessori […]
How Rachel Started Her Montessori School
Starting a Montessori school isn’t child’s play. You know that. It can be tough and it can challenge and change you in more ways than one. Rachel learnt that first hand when she made the transition from nannying and odd jobs to becoming the owner of a Montessori school. With a K-12 certification to teach […]
5 Crucial Steps to Firing a Teacher
Leadership is an opportunity to connect with people and help them realize their greatest potential. As leaders, we are in a position to inspire others and support them as they build their strengths and make our organizations stronger. Sometimes, we have the distinct privilege of seeing potential in someone who does not see it in […]
Free Printable: Penguin Life Cycle
We have a new free printable about the life cycle of a penguin on our subscriber page this week! Emperor penguins are one of the most fascinating and iconic birds in the world. Known for their striking black and white feathers and their incredible endurance, these penguins live in one of the harshest environments […]
How Lindsey Started Her Montessori School
A full-time job as a statistician. A thriving business creating and selling organic and natural creations such as soaps, massage bars, bath salts and children’s aprons. And… starting a Montessori school, too. Yes, Lindsay Rymerson blew us away with her focus, dedication and passion for the Montessori methodology and her story about how to start […]
Social Stories
I was introduced to the concept of Social Stories about 10 years ago by Pat Getz, the support services coordinator at the Montessori School of Syracuse. The Social Stories technique, in my experience, works very well with Montessori Grace & Courtesy lessons. What are Montessori Grace & Courtesy Lessons? “Grace and Courtesy” is the term […]
Pamela’s Story: Growing a Montessori School
It was the year 1979 and Pamela Green was in college with a major in elementary education. Her Educational Theory course professor took the class to a small Montessori school to learn about and observe this philosophy of education. From the moment Pamela walked into that space, she was transformed. In her words, “This was […]
Chinese New Year Preschool Activities
Here are some of the activities we have on our Montessori preschool shelves in preparation for the Chinese New Year! On the Fine Motor Shelf We kept our fine motor shelf pretty simple. We just have a red theme with some rice and dishes from China. Pouring red water Pouring 3 Tonging 1 Tonging […]
How Beth Started Her Montessori School
Serving the Under-Served with Quality and Single Minded Passion Meet Beth Holley, the founder of Renaissance Montessori School. As a young 20-something, she was invited to visit a Montessori school. Instinctively, she recognized the missing elements from her own education. She was quick to notice the beauty in the environment, the freedom of movement and […]
Simple Ways to Reduce Teacher Turnover at Your School
“Susan just quit.” The news is delivered to me swiftly, and immediately a hot ball of stress forms in my stomach. This is going to be a pain to deal with. We have to replace her and we can’t just replace her with anyone, we have to replace her with someone who meets our expectations […]
How Summer Started Her Montessori School
Summer Picha and Katie Wagoner were inspired to start a year-round Montessori school after attending a conference in Chicago. They opened their doors in September 2010 with one student. Their school, Peaceful Valley Montessori Academy, is located in the Golden Valley area of the Twin Cities (Minnesota, USA). It is a year round school serving infants through […]
Montessori and Preschool Activities for Winter
Preschoolers really enjoy winter activities! The winter season is a great opportunity to introduce children to new experiences, concepts and skills. Below you’ll find some great resources from around the web to help you create a winter theme for your classroom and provide fun and engaging preschool activities for winter. Montessori Preschool Activities for Winter: […]
How Simone Started Her Montessori School in Amsterdam
Simone is an AMI qualified teacher with over ten years of experience. She opened her own Montessori program in 2008. Jacaranda Tree Montessori is Simone’s playgroup in Amsterdam (Netherlands). They have classes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers along with their parents. Simone is also the genius behind The Montessori Notebook, an online resource for parents who want to […]
A Year of Early Language Shelves
I love the early language development area of my classroom! There is a lot of foundational work that comes before children are introduced to letters. Today’s post is about the kinds of activities we have on our pre-literacy or early language Montessori shelves. The Language Area This is a photo of the Language area […]
Hanukkah
These were some of the activities we had on our Montessori shelves in honor of Hanukkah last week. On the Fine Motor Shelf We kept our fine motor shelf fairly simple with a blue and white color theme. Dry Pouring Wet Pouring Funnel Pouring Tong Transfer Tonging and Making a pattern with pom poms Spooning marbles Spooning glittery […]
Prepare a Montessori Classroom Feast
By mid-Autumn our class was ready to combine lots of practical life skills to come together and prepare a classroom feast! Here’s our step by step process for preparing food, setting the table, and enjoying our meal together! 1. Decide what you want to prepare with your class. In our 3-6 classroom, we made apple […]
My DIY Montessori Adventure
I’m delighted to introduce you to Keri today. I came across some of Keri’s work in the Montessori 101 Facebook group and thought she had some fabulous Montessori DIY ideas. I’m sure you’ll be inspired by her amazing work! -Seemi Hello! I’m Keri, mom to two boys, ages 3.5 years and nearly 7 months […]
Bat Coloring Pages: Types of Bats 3-Part Cards Free Printable
Bats are some of the most fascinating animals in the world. With their special adaptations and many different species, bats play an important role in keeping ecosystems healthy. Learning about bats can spark curiosity in children, and pairing this study with a bat coloring page or printable activity gives them a hands-on way to connect […]
Fire Safety
A Visit from the Fire Fighters Don’t be afraid of the fire fighter! Up close and personal with the fire hydrant outside We got to see the fire truck! Fire Safety Work I printed this set of Fire Safety Tips Posters from PreKinders in card size (four posters to a page) to make a […]
HR Practices that Prevent Liability
Leadership is all about relationships. When we work with others towards a common goal, there are bound to be complexities. On top of the natural challenges that exist in human relationships, leaders must also consider the potential liabilities inherent in their actions and policies. There is SO much to consider! That is why I am […]
Classroom Tour: Amy N
Today I am thrilled to feature my dear friend Amy’s room on the Classroom Showcase Series. Amy and I worked together for many years. She is one of the most peaceful, thoughtful, down to earth, and fun people I know! This is an all-day classroom for children ages 3-6 years old. The room is open from 7:30-5:30 daily. The outdoor […]
11 Things Teachers Wish Parents Knew
I am honored to welcome Maren Schmidt to the Trillium Montessori blog today! If you’ve been living under a rock and don’t already know Maren, she is the author of Building Cathedrals Not Walls and Understanding Montessori: A Guide for Parents. She also writes the very popular column Kids Talk and leads a wide […]
Music Resources for the Preschool Classroom
You can’t have a preschool classroom without music! But if you’re a tone deaf preschool teacher like I am, putting together a music curriculum can be a daunting task. These are some of my go-to resources for music in my classroom. Free Music Nancy Stewart has a hundreds of free songs available to download on her website. […]
Free Printable: Snakes 3 Part Cards
This week, we wanted to use these beautiful snake clipart illustrations by EduClips to create some 3-part cards to share! This set of 3-part cards includes color illustrations as well as blacklines. American Copperhead The American Copperhead is a venomous snake native to North America, known for its distinctive coppery-brown color and hourglass-shaped markings. It prefers wooded […]
Montessori at the Beach
Today, I am delighted to introduce you to my good friend Virginia Lozuke. Virginia is the head of school and lead teacher at the Montessori Farm School in Durham, NC. She was inspired to write this post as she enjoyed some time at the beach this summer. You can follow her awesome school on Facebook. […]
Three Strategies for Hiring Right the First Time
Everyone knows that making solid hires is one of the best strategies for ensuring that your school is a successful learning community that is attractive to the families in the area. We know that a terrific team member will make everyone’s experiences so much more positive. We also know that a bad hire can be […]
Classroom Tours: Beth Bitts
I’m delighted to introduce you to my friend Beth Bitts on this week’s Classroom Showcase. You can find more information about Beth on her blog, Simply Sewn. About Beth I have a BA in Social Work and an AMS Montessori Certification. I came to Montessori as a second career after working in child welfare […]
How to Set Up a Classroom in 48 Hours
This week’s Classroom Showcase post is not a tour of a classroom but the (brief) story of how I had to set up my space in under 48 hours when we moved to our current location. These pictures are from 2010. Step 1: Get Some Efficient Movers Friday Aug 20th 7pm (in the garage) […]
Stop Wasting Your Time & Start Hiring SMART
When I first became a leader at a Montessori school I was immediately tasked with the job of hiring new teachers. It was a large school with seventeen classrooms and over fifty employees working in the building each day. It was also a school in crisis and employee turnover could officially be classified as “bananas”. […]
Classroom Tours: Lauren Marques
Welcome to Part 2 of the tour of Lauren’s class at Creo Montessori in Arizona. Last week we saw pictures of her outdoor environment. Today, we get to see the inside! Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your lovely space with the rest of us. Practical Life Sensorial Language Math Cultural About Lauren Marques My name is […]
Lauren’s Montessori Classroom: The Outdoors
For this week’s Montessori Classroom Showcase Series, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Lauren from the Creo School in Arizona. I have been admiring her photographs in the Montessori teachers Facebook group for the past year and I am so happy that she has agreed to share them on our blog! Lauren has been […]
Classroom Tours: April Waxler
This is the second post in our Montessori Classroom Showcase Series. Today I’m delighted to introduce you to April Waxler from the Bloomington Montessori School in Indiana. About April I have been a Montessori teacher for twenty years and I have yet to have a boring day. Bloomington Montessori School (in Bloomington, Indiana) has been […]
Montessori Art Trays for Toddlers
Setting up art trays for your child is a fabulous way to introduce different mediums to your child, encourage creativity, build independence, and allow repetition. Let me show you the art trays we have out at the moment in our classroom for children from 16 months to 3 years. You will see that: 1. The […]
Classroom Tours: Miss Stephanie
This is the very first post is our Montessori Classroom Showcase series. I’m very excited about sharing with you Montessori classrooms from around the world! I’ve been in the classroom for over 15 years now and I still don’t get tired of looking at how Montessori teachers have arranged their shelves. I always get a […]
Strawberry Patch
We enjoyed a family field trip to go strawberry picking last weekend! The weather was perfect The berries were plentiful And we couldn’t wait to eat them! Slicing strawberries with an egg slicer (affiliate link) Strawberry Theme Activities in the Classroom We had some red and berry themed activities on our fine motor shelf Spooning little […]
Phonetic Books for Beginning Readers
Finding decodable reading books for early readers can be quite a challenge! Below are some of the books we have in our classroom. The Peacekeeper Series I absolutely love the Peacekeeper Series (unfortunately, these are no longer available). Each story is set in a Montessori classroom and shows how the children prevent or resolve a […]