The Children's House

Montessori Up Close

In the fall, our faculty gathered in the courtyard to talk about the way independence is fostered in each of the classroom environments at The Children’s House. As the conversation evolved, it reminded us of how fundamental the concept of independence is within Montessori education. We recognized at each level, our classrooms have intentional and developmentally appropriate ways to foster independence at each age level.

As a result of these discussions, a series of videos were produced that explain the nature of independence in our Montessori prepared environments. We hope you enjoy! 

We hope this series sparks your interest and desire to learn more. If you'd like to join a conversation with us and other parents on the topic of independence, please complete this form.

Montessori Up Close Recordings

Recommended Resources:

For articles and videos on the Montessori approach to learning, visit montessoriguide.org.

Understanding Montessori: A Guide for Parents, by Maren Schmidt

Together With Montessori, by Cam Gordon

Montessori Madness, by Trevor Eissler 

Paula Lillard has written multiple books on Montessori, which are also recommended.

While not Montessori specific, these parenting books align well with our approach: 

Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Cline, MD and Jim Fay

How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims

Identifying Child Abuse

Our staff participated in a virtual training with the Traverse Bay Children's Advocacy Center on November 18 because it is important for all of us to understand signs of abuse, use proper terminology with students, and know how to respond if a child is talking to you about an experience they have had. Please refer to this handout that was presented during the training. 

Building Anti-Biased Anti-Racist Families
October 6 with Britt Hawthorne
When we commit to collectively talking about fairness, equality, and justice with young children, we begin to envision a world in which not only children but all people are treated with dignity; free from the burden of unfair assumptions based on a single characteristic. It becomes a world where we actively challenge racism and bias each and every day. 
Zoom recording (Access Passcode: !XaE8233)