Voices in Montessori Podcast

Supporting Your Students’ Inspiration and Engagement at the Elementary Level

Jennifer Dorrell joins us to discuss the keys to inspiring students' engagement in the Elementary curriculum. Jennifer talks about the importance of the Great Lessons in creating a culture of curiosity and student-led inquiry. One key is to be inspired yourself! Jennifer gives advice on how to dig deeper into areas that you aren't naturally drawn to. She also advises that Elementary classrooms must be research-driven. When this is true, all areas of the curriculum can be hooked into a topic that a student is excited about exploring. Jennifer shares her planning for three-year cycles in the Science and Cultural areas. She also describes her record keeping system and how she tracks what follow-up work students have decided on. Jennifer shares so much practical advice and inspiration - join us!

Four Pillars of Montessori Discipline

Many of us have had the pleasure of feeling awed by an observation in a Montessori classroom. The children seem peaceful and calm, working and learning alongside their friends, demonstrating self-control and respect, moving and speaking carefully and gracefully. While it can seem miraculous to the outside observer, our guest, Wendy Fisher, explains that what we see in a well-managed Montessori classroom reflects a carefully orchestrated system and a consistent and strict adherence to a special set of values and practices. Wendy shares with us what she sees as the four pillars of Montessori discipline: respect, role modeling, Grace and Courtesy, and purposeful work. Join us for this deep dive into Montessori discipline.

Grace & Courtesy & The Power of Role Play

Montessori consultant and parent coach, Reena Vohra Morgan, joins us to talk about Grace & Courtesy lessons in the Primary classroom. As Montessorians, we offer Grace and Courtesy lessons proactively, and also in response to observations of our students’ needs. But Grace and Courtesy doesn’t end with the lesson; the children need to practice, practice, practice! Reena discusses the power of role play in practicing these essential skills. Join us to learn about the powerful social and emotional benefits of this beautiful work!

The Spiritual Work Required to be an Effective Infant/Toddler Team

Infant and Toddler educator, Uniit Carruyo, joins us to talk about the skills needed for effective team teaching, which includes the spiritual preparation of each adult member of the team. Effective team leaders scaffold learning for newer members of the team by setting the tone, normalizing feedback, stepping straight into challenges, and modeling grace. The fabric of successful team work is based on self-reflection and open communication. Uniit shares her unique perspective on the art of collaborating with other Montessori adults.

The Four Ways We Deal with Emotions: A Critical Lesson Missing in K-12 Education

Mick Scott joins us to discuss what he says is one of the most profound lessons missing in K-12 education: where our emotions come from, what they're pointing toward, and how to experience them in a healthy and empowering way. Mick describes emotions as vibrations within our body that are the dashboard indicators of what’s happening in our minds. While we think our emotions are pointing to our circumstances, they're actually pointing to our minds. There are 4 ways we deal with emotions, and only one of them is reliably healthy for us, the people we care about, and the things we're committed to.

Creating a Community of Change Makers in the Primary Classroom

In this episode Shelby Hiken discusses ways to encourage children between the ages of three to six to identify themselves as agents of change - meaning developing them as people who ask themselves, "How can I make this better?" Laying the foundation for this involves preparing the environment for children to take ownership for their community, as well as speaking to students in ways that encourage problem solving and leadership. These are skills that need to be practiced in order to be built! As older children take on the mantle of "change makers," they end up leading and inspiring each other. Shelby gives examples of philanthropic missions that her students took on, the lessons they needed to be successful, and how she wove these projects into the curriculum.

Reaching for Montessori’s Potential: How to Stay Inspired and Engaged in Our Classrooms

Paula Lillard Preschlack joins us to talk about her new book, The Montessori Potential, How to Foster Independence, Respect and Joy in Every Child. Specifically, Paula encourages teachers and school leaders to aim for authentic, proactive practices in Montessori and staying engaged! Paula dives into what this means, the reasons to do so, and how to do it successfully. We hope listeners will leave feeling inspired and confident!

Skills for Teachers to Step into Daring Leadership

Courage is a skill we can build and practice every day in our schools. Brené Brown defines a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for developing potential in people and processes -- and has the courage to develop this potential. When we think of leadership in this way and not about titles or corner offices, we see that teachers and school leaders are absolutely leaders, developing people every day. This conversation will give us a lot to think about as we attempt to move towards daring leadership in our school communities.

How Current Brain Research Shapes Our Work in the Montessori Classroom

Julia Volkman joins us to talk about how current brain research shapes our work in the Montessori classroom. How do we take advantage of brain plasticity? How do we support students in developing self-efficacy? How do we overcome our natural negativity bias? Julia shares current brain research and the implications it has on our classroom practices.

Powerful Literacy in the Montessori Classroom: Aligning Reading Research and Practice

Dr. Susan Zoll, Laura Saylor, and Natasha Feinberg discuss their research that aligns the Science of Reading to the Montessori Language curriculum. They describe what led them to undertake this project and their collaboration. Susan, Laura, and Natasha share the foundational elements of the Science of Reading and how these match the lessons and materials we use in our Montessori classrooms. This information is validation for Montessori Guides and parents, as well as a call to action for more research to be conducted on the efficacy of Montessori language curriculum so that we have the scientific data to validate our methods and encourage other educators to learn about Montessori pedagogy.