Having been in the Montessori community for well over 20 years now, I have seen first-hand the evolution of parent communication tools. We have come a long way from handwritten notes, long forms, unnecessary repetition, photocopying and other time-consuming low value-add activity.  Things improved some as we evolved from paper updates to email and websites. The last several years have brought further evolution in the form of education centric systems and most recently systems with deep subject matter expertise such as Montessori Compass. At the Montessori School of Silicon Valley, we began our

Techniques for Getting Preschoolers to Talk to Parents We know you are eager to know how your child’s day went.  Techniques for Getting Preschoolers to Talk to Parents What did they do?   What did they learn? The challenge is that these questions might be too vague and not “interesting” enough to a child to get them talking. You’ll be surprised what you can learn about your children when you get them to start chatting about their day. Plus, if they are having difficulty or a problem at school hopefully they’ll open up a little

Block the Sun, Not the Fun! At the Montessori School of Silicon Valley, the children love to play outside, especially in the summer time so we take summer sun safety very seriously. During the months of May through September sunscreen and sunscreen application becomes a part of our daily routine. Here are some ways we help to “block the sun, and still have fun”. What you can count of from us Summer Sun Safety Staying hydrated is important. Children are encouraged to drink the filtered, cool and refreshing water that we make available all day both indoors and

The Sequence of Early Child Development Every day during the first few years of life Montessori Guides witness the remarkable changes in a child’s development  as they begin to smile, laugh, sit, crawl, babble and talk. Children then begin to socialize and play cooperatively with other children. They next acquire important skills to get along with others such as turn-taking, sharing and following instructions, as well as skills that will help them academically such as drawing, counting, reading, and writing. Early child development usually follows a sequence, as the child needs to master one skill before

Parent Education Night February 2017 Thanks to everyone who attended the recent launch our new Parent Education Evenings.  For our first topic we focused on developig toilet independence with pre-primary age children. Since parents asked so many great questions, we are using this week’s blog to share some of the more memorable topics brought up during the Q and A session. These are actual questions from Montessori parents who are either about to begin or who are already on the journey to toilet independence with their little one: Q:   My 18-month-old suddenly showed interest in the toilet, not

The Explosion into Reading in the Kindergarten Year “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela During their three years in the Primary classroom the children move from verbal language to the written word; first by expressing their own thoughts in writing and then by reading the thoughts of others.  Dr. Montessori called this The Explosion into Reading.  Their practice includes: Verbal activities provide the foundation for writing and reading Learning the sounds and the symbols of the letters through the Sandpaper Letters (associating the sound with the symbol) Building words with the

“History should not be taught as a collection of dates and places. But rather be approached to arouse gratitude and appreciation. This gratitude should be aroused first to the law and order of the universe and the preparation of the environment into which human beings came.” ~ Dr. Maria Montessori Appreciation for the Parents of Young Children Today I had the opportunity to be with a 2 ½ year old.  Her name is Aida.  What a truly remarkable little lady, Aida. It was the end of the day, I had met Aida before but

Now Your 5 year-old is a Leader By the third year of their cycle, Montessori Kindergarten children have been waiting two years to become one the older, students in the class – they are now the “Leaders”. The Montessori Kinders naturally help the younger children do their work, even giving them lessons. Time and time again, research has shown that when one person is teaching another, the “teacher” often learns just as much, if not more, than the other student. Every day in the Montessori classroom we see it: Teaching reinforces learning. Beyond Academic Achievement Kinders

Montessori Kindergarten: The value of the 3rd year Montessori Classroom Your family has been in a Montessori school for some time now.  Your child loves her teachers, the school is warm, friendly – everyone feels secure and at home. The Montessori school is purposely designed to provide this experience. Given that many children spend as much time in our classrooms as they do at home, this is so important. …for Kindergarten? Before you know it, your little one is turning 5 and the time has come to start thinking about “school” – without the “pre-“. You are

Montessori Kindergarten & Elementary The third year of the Montessori primary program (Kindergarten) is the culmination of the child’s social, emotional and academic experiences. By solidifying all the learning and experiences from the previous two years, the third year also prepares children for the next plane of educational development: the Elementary level. As the third year progresses and consideration regarding the next steps in their child’s educational journey begin, parents are faced with concerns and questions on multiple issues. Many things to consider The cost of tuition, school location, social impact, academic curriculum… these are amongst the