Voices in Montessori Podcast

Reconnecting Our Students with Humanity’s First Prepared Environment: The Natural World

Linda Englehart joins the podcast to talk about supporting children's connection to nature. She talks about how the child's experience of nature has changed over time. Today’s children are “containerized” (examples: playpens, bouncy seats, car seats, strollers, spending more time indoors in general) and cut off from the natural contact that generations past had. Yet physicians, educators, psychologists, sociologists, and others have all discovered many benefits in nature immersion, as well as detriments to health and well-being from nature-deficit disorder.
Linda reminds us that humankind’s first prepared environment was the natural world. Montessori materials--in our second prepared environment, the classroom--were designed with the assumption that children had hands-on experiences in the first prepared environment. So what can educators do to help mitigate this deficit that many children are experiencing?
Linda gives practical suggestions for things to do in the classroom and ways to partner with parents to support children in developing biophilia, a love of nature. Our host, Tamara Sheesley Balis, also shares ways we can support our staff in developing their own connection to nature.

Deconstructing Montessori to Increase Access

Tatenda Blessing Muchiriri joins the podcast to tell the story of how his non-profit organization, Rungano Montessori on Wheels was born. Tatenda's goal is to move education liberation forward by co-creating Montessori-based learning environments within Black and Brown communities, ensuring that children and families can learn, play, and dream together. Tatenda chose to put the classroom on a bus, because as he explains it, "Equity is bringing a service to the families, who otherwise would not have access."
MoW offers parent-partnership programs, small group Montessori experiences, and small group tutoring with trained Montessori guides. Tatenda describes how important it is to demystify the term "Montessori," instead emphasizing the aspects of hands-on materials, individualized learning, and storytelling. Tatenda explains that by exposing families to Montessori, even in small doses, parents are able to see their children as learners, see themselves as educators, and become empowered to advocate for their children's education. 

Setting and Maintaining Limits in the Montessori Classroom

Chip DeLorenzo joins the podcast to discuss setting and maintaining limits in the Montessori classroom. First Chip distinguishes between setting and maintaining limits, and then share guiding principles for these practices. Chip also describes some roadblocks that teachers encounter when attempting to maintain limits with children, and most importantly, a few effective and respectful tools that help encourage and develop cooperation and follow-through.
One tool that Chip discusses in depth is "the power of silence." So many times, teachers overexplain when maintaining limits. Instead, Chip recommends giving nonverbal prompts (or at least limiting our words) and then stepping back, remaining present, warm, and silent. Chip delves into how and why this technique works so well, and what to do when it doesn't. 
 

Starting a Dual Language Montessori Program

Gabrielle Kotkov joins the podcast to discuss starting a dual language Montessori program. She explains the different models of bilingual education and why the enrichment model is her recommended program structure. Gabrielle describes things to consider when starting a dual language Montessori program, and how to transition an existing monolingual Montessori environment into a dual language environment. Tamara describes Greenspring's journey in creating its own dual language program.

Simple Ways to Optimize the Nervous System for Learning Success: Polyvagal Theory 101

Dr. Debra Em Wilson joins the Voices in Montessori podcast to discuss Polyvagal Theory and how we can apply it to the work we do with our students. Debra is a teacher and the author of The Polyvagal Path to Joyful Learning: Transforming Classrooms One Nervous System at a Time. She explains the three main nervous system states - ventral vagal, sympathetic, and dorsal vagal - and how each state provides valuable information about learning readiness.
Dr. Wilson explains that dysregulation is caused by disconnection from regulating resources. So what are the regulating resources for the nervous system, and how do we teach ourselves and others to access those resources when needed? She provides a formula for safety, connection, and retuning the nervous system. Dr. Wilson explains how these skills can be utilized by teachers and taught to our students, resulting in more joy - both in and out of the classroom.
 

Exploring the Essence of Montessori

Dr. Philip Snow Gang joins the podcast to revisit the essence of Dr. Montessori's work. In what ways was the discovery of the normalization process revelatory? How was the concept of cosmic education formed, and what impact did it have on her life's work? In what ways has her vision expanded over time?
Dr. Gang poses the question: What is the legacy of Maria Montessori? He highlights the scientific theories and hypotheses that evolved after Dr. Montessori's passing that build upon the great insights she had into the development of humanity. 
 

Forced Independence vs Independence as an Invitation

Letty Rising joins the podcast to discuss fostering independence in children – and specifically, the difference between inviting a child to be independent as opposed to forcing it on them. She describes the negative repercussions of mandating independence rather than reframing these moments as opportunities. Letty describes what this looks like at each stage of development – physical independence in the first plane, intellectual independence in the second plane, and social/emotional independence in the third plane. Letty talks about how to collaborate with children to invite them toward independence in a way that respects their needs and development. She also discusses how we can use this approach with other adults!

Overcoming the Three Most Common Pitfalls of School Leadership

A Montessori leader is invested in growing, developing, and reaching her full potential.  While some leaders correspond with others on a transactional level, Montessori leaders transform themselves and others by inviting trust, managing effectively, building teams, and empowering others.
Shawn Edwards joins the podcast to discuss what it means to lead a school with transformational intention. She shares commom pitfalls she has seen that prevent leaders from cultivating the school cultures they are looking for. Then she shares key strategies for overcoming these challenges, so that all members of the school community feel capable, valuable, and powerful.

The Real Deal: Understanding and Meeting the Need of Toddlers and Their Parents

Simone Davies joins the podcast to discuss the realities Toddler Guides face after training when they are working with “real” toddlers in the classroom. What does concentration in toddlers actually look like? How do we know whether to observe or give a presentation? How do we meet toddlers’ needs rather than merely redirect their behavior? How do we use the prepared environment to help us set limits? Simone answers these questions and more in a jam-packed conversation with useful tools and techniques for Toddler Guides.

Democracy, Naturally! Creating Structures for Classroom Governance

John Fowler joins the Voices in Montessori podcast to discuss classroom governance at the Elementary level. In the context of Cosmic Education, John shares a framework for classroom governance that involves students creating their own shared agreements for the classroom, taking on leadership roles (such as president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer), and running their own weekly classroom meetings, during which important discussions are held and collective decisions are made. John makes the case that experiencing democratic governance as a healthy and vital part of Cosmic Education that serves students in both individual and collective ways.