Supporting Montessori teachers effectively is essential for fostering a thriving educational environment. Teachers play a critical role in shaping the minds and hearts of their students, and their well-being directly impacts their ability to perform this role effectively. However, support for teachers goes beyond merely providing resources; it encompasses emotional, logistical, and professional aspects. To […]
School Admin
The Inspiring Journey of New Montessori School Owners in Atlanta
In this episode of Montessori Talks, we discuss the inspiring story of Najee and Sesealy Owens, the new owners of Decatur Montessori School in Atlanta. They share their experience transitioning from other work to embracing the Montessori world and the challenges they faced during the pandemic. by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast […]
Embracing Bilingual Education in Montessori Schools: Challenges, Successes, and the Future
In this week’s podcast episode, we delve into bilingual Montessori education, exploring its challenges, successes, and future. Our special guest is Marikay McCabe, an educational leader and researcher from Spain working with a team on an exciting bilingual project focusing on building bilingual programs in elementary schools. by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks […]
The Journey of Dahlia Montessori and the Power of Multilingual Education
Today, we are joined by two proponents of multilingual education from The Dahlia School of San Francisco, a Wildflower School. For those unfamiliar, Wildflower is a network of small micro-schools located throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and other regions. Our guests today are Lindsey Barnes, the founder of Dahlia Montessori, and David Hernandez, the school’s […]
Interview with Rachel Kimboko, Executive Director of DC Wildflower Public Charter School
by Letty Rising Follow the Trillium Montessori Talks podcast Rachel Kimboko is the Executive Director of Stakeholder Engagement at DC Wildflower Public Charter School. She holds an AMI elementary diploma and has worked in Montessori public and private settings, both as a teacher and as a school leader. Letty: Tell me about your role at […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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”. […]
A Tour of a Montessori Toddler Classroom in Amsterdam
It is my pleasure to introduce you to Simone Davies from Jacaranda Tree Montessori. Simone runs a lovely Montessori playgroup in Amsterdam. She is treating us today with a detailed tour of her beautiful space. I am in love with her design aesthetic and gorgeous light in her room! Enjoy the tour and be sure to […]