Trillium Montessori

Elementary

Nature Journaling with Elementary Students

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Nature journaling isn’t just a drawing activity. It’s an opportunity to foster observation, patience, curiosity, and gratitude. It supports the work of Cosmic Education by placing children in relationship with their environment, helping them see that they are part of a much larger, interconnected whole. Even a single fallen leaf or an ant carrying food […]

Guiding Spelling in the Montessori Elementary Classroom

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Spelling is one of those areas of the Montessori elementary environment that often raises questions for educators. Unlike more defined aspects of the curriculum—such as math or geometry—spelling can feel ambiguous. Some schools implement explicit spelling programs with weekly lists and assessments, while others leave the approach entirely up to the classroom guide. Even among […]

Montessori Elementary Language Curriculum

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Language is a remarkable human invention that allows us to share ideas, build community, and make sense of the world. In the Montessori elementary curriculum, language is seen as more than just a way to communicate. It’s also a powerful tool for personal growth and connecting with others. Maria Montessori understood that language plays a […]

Guiding a Classroom with Fewer Older Students

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Whether you are teaching a lower elementary class, an upper elementary class, or the full span that includes both lower and upper elementary, it can often be the case that there is only a small group (or even maybe just one or two!) of older children in your class.  Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast Parents […]

Montessori Elementary: Planning and Record Keeping Overview

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In a Montessori Elementary classroom, planning and record-keeping form the backbone of a personalized and dynamic educational experience. Effective planning provides a structured yet flexible framework that honors the principles of freedom and choice. Planning and record keeping are among the most important yet elusive tasks you will tackle as a Montessori Elementary teacher throughout […]

The Montessori Elementary Science Curriculum

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Maria Montessori’s innovative approach to teaching Elementary Science emphasizes hands-on learning and self-directed exploration. By providing children with a carefully designed learning environment, Montessori educators aim to foster curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning. Fundamentals of Montessori Elementary Science One of the key features of the Montessori Elementary Science curriculum is its focus […]

The Montessori Elementary Classroom

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The Montessori elementary classroom is a carefully orchestrated blend of resources, spaces, and educational philosophy. It fosters collaborative, imaginative, and inquiry-based learning, extending beyond traditional methods to celebrate each child’s path to knowledge and self-discovery. These environments are more than classrooms; they are intricately designed environments that connect with the potential of each young learner. […]

From Dyslexia to Dyscalculia: Insights on Learning Disabilities

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Serving our students with learning disabilities can seem intimidating – but it doesn’t need to be.  The Montessori method’s inherent adaptability is perfectly suited for working with children of varying ranges of abilities. This week’s podcast episode focuses on disabilities like dyslexia and dyscalculia, and how Montessori educators can meet the needs of the diverse […]

Montessori Elementary Math

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Math in Montessori Elementary classrooms utilizes a unique hands-on approach to mathematical education and discovery. Rather than simply memorizing facts, formulas, and procedures, Montessori students are encouraged to explore math through games and activities that allow children to develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts, and to learn to make connections and to see patterns.  […]

Practical Life in Montessori Elementary

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The Practical Life curriculum in Montessori Elementary encompasses a wide range of activities that help students connect with the larger world around them. During the Elementary years, Practical Life extends beyond the groundwork established in Early Childhood with a focus on executive function skills, building responsibility, and becoming a contributing part of the community.  Foundations […]

Executive Functioning Skills in Elementary

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As Montessori guides, we know that executive functioning skills like planning, focus, and emotional regulation don’t just happen automatically. In fact, they need thoughtful nurturing to fully develop. When we speak of executive functioning skills, we’re talking about the set of abilities that help us manage our thoughts, emotions, and actions effectively.  This episode explores […]

Montessori Literacy and the Science of Reading: Insights from Zil Jaeger

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There is a whole world of research available to educators about the science of reading, and ideas on how to apply it to Montessori literacy principles. This week on the podcast, we are talking about ways to reframe our thinking when it comes to literacy, how to help our students who don’t have a strong […]

Why Planning and Record Keeping are Essential for Montessori Schools

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In this week’s podcast episode, Letty is talking to Elizabeth Slade of Public Montessori in Action, which aims to ensure fully-implemented Montessori education for children, families, and educators of the global majority. They are discussing how planning and record keeping tools help increase a program’s fidelity to high quality Montessori implementation.  Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast […]

Co-Teaching in a Large Upper Elementary Classroom

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In this interview, we learn from a pair of insightful Montessori educators who skillfully manage co-teaching in their sizable classroom. Contrary to the widespread belief that co-teaching can be as demanding as a marriage, these teachers have successfully honed their approach to foster collaboration and prioritize student-focused instruction. by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks […]

A Journey to Virtual Montessori Homeschooling

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The future of education is constantly shifting. Hybrid models that split the students’ time between the Montessori classroom and homeschooling are giving way to entirely virtual homeschooling models utilizing the Montessori method. Christine Sithichai, a veteran Montessori guide with 20 years of classroom experience, is sharing all about her journey from a brick-and-mortar school to […]

Creating Confident and Competent Writers

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast Writing opportunities present themselves in the elementary classroom in a variety of ways. Some students are naturally inclined writers, and others might lack the confidence to write. In our newest podcast episode, Letty Rising is chatting with Madeline Walk, Elementary Content Editor at Trillium Montessori.  We’re […]

The Fundamental Needs of Humans: Ideas for Deeper Exploration

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The Fundamental Needs of Humans lesson sparks great interest in children because, even though many of the other elementary lessons and materials may seem unfamiliar to a child who has never been exposed to them, we can all relate to and identify our own personal and individual needs. The Fundamental Needs of Humans chart provides […]

Handling Classroom Transitions

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Anyone who has been a teacher knows that classroom transitions can be tough. Children often find it challenging to transition between physical places, activities, and objects of attention. Having to stop one thing and start another can lead to the manifestation of unwanted behaviors. by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast Thanks to […]

ChatGPT for Teachers in Montessori Elementary Classrooms

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ChatGPT for Teachers – Montessori elementary teachers can use ChatGPT as a resource for their classrooms to support student learning and development. From generating sentences and paragraphs to creating word problems and lists of procedures, ChatGPT offers a wide range of possibilities, making it a valuable assistant teacher. With some practice, teachers can learn to […]

Montessori and Visual Thinking Strategies

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Today we’re talking about Montessori in the public sector and Visual Thinking Strategies.  Our guest is Katie Brown, the Director of Research and Professional Development at The National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector.  by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast   Katie Brown is the Director of Research and Professional Learning […]

Fostering a Connected Community: Helping Your Students Branch Out from their Preferred Work Partners

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast Once when I was a school administrator, there was an elementary classroom that I observed as being slightly “off.” A new teacher had taken over the class, and the energy in the community felt different
both inside the classroom and out at recess. I noticed that there […]

Flexibility without Compromise: How to be a Responsive Teacher While Adhering to Montessori Essentials

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast The notion of flexibility without compromise seems, at first glance, contradictory. Like many terms used in Montessori circles that are joined together and also seemingly paradoxical, such as freedom and responsibility, structure and choice, and follow the child vs order and procedure, there is an endless […]

The Pencil Problem

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast There are very few topics in the elementary classroom that I hear more about than the continuous struggle about how to manage pencils.  Never mind the colored pencils, that’s a whole other topic! Today we will just stick to regular lead pencils that the children use, […]

Leadership in the Montessori Elementary Classroom with Peter Piché

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast Peter PichĂ© is MACTE-credentialed (Primary, Elementary I–II,) Montessori educator who founded and designed the Secondary I Montessori program at Montessori Community School in Durham, North Carolina, after attending Great Work’s Orientation to Montessori Adolescent program. In addition to getting his professional leadership coaching certification from the […]

An Interview with Jess Gagne on Favorite Lessons, New Students, and More!

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast Jess is an Elementary Lead Guide and poet in Brooklyn, NY. She has worked with children of almost all ages in a variety of settings to facilitate holistic growth and the building of a strong and supportive school community, and has also consulted for the WNYC […]

Scientific Exploration in the Elementary Years: An Interview with Zoe Rising

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  Affiliate links may be used in this post at no cost to you. Learn Libre (formerly known as Montessori Laboratory) is a Montessori science program designed to help educators and caregivers nurture and encourage their students’ interest in the magnificence of the universe. Learn Libre was founded by Zoe Rising and Rich Worley who […]

How to Be a Strong Elementary Guide

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by Letty Rising     Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast   The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ― William Arthur Ward I came across this quote recently, and it prompted me to think about the variety of methods we use to teach children.  Sometimes it’s […]

Time to Reflect: Questions to Ask Yourself to Improve Your Craft

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by Letty Rising     Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast When considering elevating your teaching practice, there are really two major paths towards self-improvement. One is external feedback from colleagues who can let you know if you’re on the right track or might need to make some adjustments.  The other is self-reflection. The great thing […]

Is it Ever Okay to Praise a Child?

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by Letty Rising     Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast   In Montessori training, most of us have been cautioned about offering praise to children.  This flies in the face of what many of us grew up with, as it was implicitly communicated that praise was to be used as a measure of counteracting the […]

The Tired Teacher

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast At the time of this writing, it is springtime in parts of the world, which often tends to be an extra-tired time for teachers.  However, even if you are in the Southern Hemisphere and are entering into the fall months, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re […]

What Does Building Relationships with an Elementary-Aged Child Look Like?

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast Throughout the history of education, there are initiatives, movements, and even sayings that come and go. Some of them stick and become interwoven within the fabric of education, and some fizzle out after a while.  Examples of recent buzzword terms and concepts that have been all […]

Human Tendencies as Witnessed in the Elementary Child

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by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast Maria Montessori observed that human beings did not possess the same kind of instinctual behavior that other animals do.  Instead, she observed in people from various cultures throughout the world what came to be referred to as Human Tendencies.  These Human Tendencies are a driving force that […]

Balancing Freedom and Responsibility in the Elementary Classroom

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by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast   One of the hardest aspects of guiding a Montessori classroom is helping the children understand how to balance freedom with responsibility.  In fact, this very concept is often woefully misunderstood!  It often is the tendency that beginning teachers will veer in one direction or another favoring […]

How to Ensure Students are Repeating Math Materials and Concepts to Attain Proficiency

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by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast When considering both the hallmarks and benefits of the Montessori elementary classroom, one of the first things that generally comes to mind is the idea of freedom to choose work.  This is one of the aspects of a Montessori environment that sets us apart from other pedagogies […]

How to Spark Further Interest in Writing in the Montessori Elementary Classroom

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by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast   While many teacher training programs do a brilliant job at introducing the Montessori materials, it can often be the case that whatever is offered as the approach to writing with elementary children isn’t as robust or comprehensive. As a result, teachers often enter the class not […]

Going Beyond the Montessori Elementary Albums

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by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast   When fresh out of Montessori teacher training, you have at your handy disposal at least two armfuls of curriculum binders, often called “albums” which hold the entirety of the Cosmic Curriculum for you to present to your students. Whether you wrote your own albums composed of […]

Get Ready to Dust Off Those History Question Charts!

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by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast   Do you have History Question Charts on your shelf in your elementary environment? If so, are they being taken out and used regularly by students in your class? Do you not know where to begin, or how to keep the interest in this valuable tool alive? […]

How Do We Know When It’s Time to Present the Next Lesson?

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast   Most Montessori elementary training programs offer a plethora of information and resources to equip the emerging teacher with lessons to deliver, the philosophy behind “why” we do as we do.  After all, this isn’t called Cosmic Education for nothing! We are introducing our students […]

How Do We Know When Elementary Students are Ready for Abstraction?

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by Letty Rising   Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast One of the most inviting aspects of the Montessori approach is our beautiful materials.  Other than the idea of following the child, the enticing materials are one of the main reasons why people are drawn to Montessori environments. And, how could anyone refuse these beautiful, […]

Distance Learning in Times of Disaster: Restoration and Renewal

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A downloadable PDF of this article is available here. Read Part 1 here: Distance Learning in Times of Disaster: Phases of Responding to a Disaster By Elizabeth Slade Spring is making its way across the country reminding us all about the cycles of life – the earth as a great reminder of how to endure […]

Building Distance Learning around the Psychological Characteristics of the Elementary Child

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A downloadable PDF of this article is available newsletter subscribers here. by Letty Rising As Montessori education moves forward on the path of distance learning while people all over the world are navigating life through a global pandemic, there is much to consider and still so much to learn.  And it is not only the […]

Montessori Lessons in Interdependence: Greater Relevance Than Ever

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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 […]

Pearls of Wisdom: Working with elementary aged children

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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?

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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

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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 

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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 […]

Rocks Observation and Discussion

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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 

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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 […]

Integrating Cosmic Education into Everything

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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 […]

Big Nature Connections in Small Spaces

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I’m honored to have Kelly Johnson on our blog today.  Kelly is a talented Montessori teacher, artist, and author.  She is passionate about expanding children’s experiences with nature.  If you’re a Montessori professional, you may have heard her speak at a Montessori conference, attended her recent AMS webinar, or read her articles in Montessori Life […]