cascadia

Why does Cascadia offer overnight trips for students? My child has never spent the night away from home!

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:53:53 GMT

Dear Happy Camper,

At Cascadia, overnight trips have become an important part of Montessori learning. Each trip is carefully planned to meet the developmental needs of students in the second and third plane of development (elementary and adolescence). For the first time since the Covid pandemic, our lower elementary students are getting this experience, and each overnight trip gets progressively longer to ease children into these independent journeys away from their families. Far from being just a trip, these experiences are carefully planned opportunities for students to discover who they are, what they're capable of, and how they are a part of the larger community and the wider world.

While all Cascadia students, including our 6 to 9 year olds, spent a week away camping with their classmates and staff a few decades ago, this year we return to a more recent tradition of the Lower Elementary classrooms attending an outdoor camp for one night. For some, it will be their first night away from home. During this trip, they explore the outdoors, work together in groups, use their practical life skills outside of the classroom, and grow! This opportunity for developing independence can be transformative, and in the past we've seen new levels of independence in children practically overnight. With over 40 parents chaperoning for this first year at Camp Hope, we're just happy to be getting our feet wet, but know that independence is the foremost goal, and next year will look a bit different!

After a few years of an overnight experience in Lower Elementary, our Upper Elementary classes are ready for a 2 night outdoor science camp. This spring, students went to Camp Hancock Field Station in the Oregon desert. Some years they visit Camp Gray, on the coast. These OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) camps provide students with increasing opportunities to apply their practical life skills, like packing to be prepared for weather, helping with communal meals, and being responsible for their bedding. Every task empowers them to develop self-reliance and problem-solving skills, as well as rich opportunities to get to know one another and strengthen relationships with peers and classroom adults.

Our adolescent students experience a few multi-night trips each year, traveling further from the local community to attend either Naturebridge Olympic science camp in Olympic National Park or Catalina Island Marine Institute's science school in Southern California. This year, students will visit Naturebridge. In addition, at the beginning of each school year, the adolescent program takes a three night camping trip (called an Odyssey) that allows for intensive team building, and an introduction to aspects of middle school life at Cascadia. The trip is key to everything that unfolds during the school year, and is a fun way to get started, working together to set up camp, prepare meals, and organize hiking, swimming, storytelling, singing, and lots of games.

Experiences like these support the Cascadia child's growing independence, laying the groundwork for transitions in later life: the start of high school, going away to college, a first job, and beyond. As they conquer challenges outside their comfort zone, their confidence soars, organically building autonomy and independence that they'll continue to draw upon throughout their school years and beyond. It's also invaluable for the child's family, too, to see how truly capable our children are!

A final note: If this is your child's first year spending the night with classmates at an overnight camp, know that it is okay to ask their guide for some extra help preparing. And while we want to see your children thrive in these experiences, if it doesn't happen in their first year, they will have a new opportunity to participate every year.

Sincerely,

Maria

My child isn't struggling academically, so what is the big deal about them missing a week of school here or there? Does it really matter in the long run? - Chill Parent

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:10:13 GMT

Dear Chill Parent ,

Of course, excused absences and tardies happen from time to time, but when a child misses extended periods of school, it looks a bit different in a Montessori classroom.

First, there is usually not a way to make up for missed work and lessons for the following reasons:

Lessons are sequential (and sometimes impromptu as we follow the needs of the children) and occur in small groups using hands-on materials, rather than assignments with textbooks or workbooks.

Many learning experiences occur through peer interactions in our mixed-age classrooms. Spontaneous projects, Going Outs, research, regular conferences with their guide, and play opportunities can't be "made up".

But also, at an age when social interactions and belonging are essential to your child's well-being, not being present at school means missing out on shared experiences and social-emotional work. While the absent child misses out, your child's friends and peers miss out, too! In a collaborative, student-led setting, this is essential to every child's success.

We DO see children struggle to re-adjust after frequent or extended absences (even excessive tardiness), regardless of their academic abilities. It can be an added challenge to rebuild work habits, reestablish social connections, and feel like they belong at school. If you are struggling to get your child to school or are not sure about when to plan vacations, talk to your child's guide. We are all a part of your child's educational team, including you!

Hope that helps…

How Children Transition into Upper Elementary and Adolescent Classroom

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:18:09 GMT

Our elementary years are divided into 3-year cycles, which gives children many important benefits (that's a whole other topic), before moving on to a new, older class community. For 6th-year students, they are moving into a new plane of development (adolescence!), and are ready for a different type of experience that matches their needs and developmental characteristics.

Joining a new classroom is exciting, but can also be a little scary at times, so we are very deliberate in how we support these transitions.

First, the child's guide and assistant have been observing and working with the child, often for years, to track his social-emotional, intellectual, and academic progress. They are looking for a degree of readiness in the child to move into a new, older peer community. Readiness is never decided by academic progress alone, as we may give the child more time in their community if they need it. Please note that the language we use is important! A child who needs more time is NOT a child being "held back" in any way. They are getting more time to develop leadership, social-emotional, and academic skills. Please don't refer to it as being held back or failing a grade when speaking to your child about their or other children' s experiences.

We talk with our 3rd and 6th-year students throughout the year before their transition, and encourage classes to call upon each other for resources like books and help with projects, so children can feel more connected and comfortable with every classroom community. Over the winter, 3rd and 6th-year students start visiting the Trillium, Willow, and Cedar classrooms. They may join lessons they are interested in, bring their own work, join another child's work, or even just make observations. These continued visits and the subsequent conversations initiated by the child's current guide help children to see themselves in a new environment and maybe think about what skills they can strengthen in preparation. Third-year children are also invited to join the upper elementary recess time on Fridays. Sixth-year students and all students in upper elementary already share a recess time with the adolescent community. Here, too, we are observing interactions across levels to gain a fuller picture of the social-emotional needs of the transitioning child.

Specifically for third-year students, in spring, guides and staff start meeting to discuss which classroom a child will be placed in for the coming year. There are so many factors to consider! Students will always be placed with at least one or two familiar classmates. We consider how we can keep our upper elementary classrooms as balanced as possible for skill sets, personalities, neurodiversity, learning abilities, and gender. We generally give siblings a chance to have their own class communities. We also consider each child's interpersonal relationships with peers. While your child may feel nervous about the move, we don't always place them with a best friend. We have a lot of data collected to help us make these decisions.

Our goal for our rising 3rd-year children is to have a classroom placement decided in May, at which point we share this information with families. Once children know, there are still a few upper elementary visits that occur specifically in the classroom they are joining.

By May, our rising 6th-year students may be spending quite a bit of time in the adolescent community.

The continued conversations between all guides and staff help make students' transitions smoother. The new guide doesn't need to start anew with each child, when they have guides and staff on hand to talk and brainstorm with.

One last aspect is our requirement that families (parents/guardians) observe the upper elementary or adolescent classrooms.

Transitions from one level to the next can be nerve-inducing, even flat-out challenging, but a child is much more likely to adapt to their new class community when all of the adults in their life come together to communicate and support them.

Winterfest and Performances in a Montessori School

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:12:46 GMT

Our family had a great time attending the Winterfest performance this past week, but why do we have this community tradition? Is this a Montessori thing?

Dear Curious Parent,

Our Winterfest tradition is definitely Montessori-inspired. It celebrates music, culture, creativity and humor, and gives the children a chance to help create a cohesive performance that brings our families together every year, during the darkest coldest season when we most need warm lights and a sense of belonging.

Our youngest students are often new to performing for a large audience and this serves as their first experience. We have a couple very well-trained Orff music instructors on staff, who just happen to also be great musicians in their own right. The classrooms are often filled with music and music lessons, but preparing for Winterfest always brings new songs, dances and experiences with instruments, as well as more opportunity for the children learning to work cohesively with ALL of their lower elementary classmates.

Upper elementary children have the opportunity to completely craft their own classroom performances, and with several years of previous experience, they are ready and confident to write, direct, make elaborate props, and act out (often absurdly funny) comedic sketches.

Middle school students have up to 6 years of Winterfests under their belts, and they absolutely shine every year in bringing our community a memorable performance that is entirely self-directed, as well as helping out wherever they're needed the night of the big performance!

One of the most magical parts of the big performance night is how excited our younger students are to see their older friends and schoolmates on stage! Even better, some of the older children who were once so nervous to participate–even hiding behind the curtains for their first Winterfest–are now the funny, charismatic "stars" of the show!

A last note: We put a lot of work into helping the children prepare for Winterfest–guides, staff, and families–but this opportunity is so meaningful! It allows all of our children to stretch and grow, as they discover and contribute their personal strengths to a meaningful, shared experience. We hope you get a chance to enjoy and feel proud of our community!

Sincerely,

Maria

Social Stories

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:38:29 GMT

What are social stories?

A social story is a brief story that uses clear, simple instructions (with illustrations or photos) for teaching what to expect or how to appropriately respond to a situation that a child may find challenging. Initially, social stories were developed to help children on the autism spectrum, but now we know that social stories can also help any child navigate challenging or novel situations.

Why do educators use social stories?

It isn't unusual for children to struggle with social interactions and situations at times. Some children are good at picking up on cues; other children may struggle with how to navigate a situation, like taking turns, or joining a recess game, and need clear instruction and extra practice. Think about it: our social worlds, from home life, to school, to sports, and play dates are complex! As adults, we may forget that all the little rules and conventions of social behavior are not just obvious to newbies. And even when a child knows how they are expected to behave, they may still need to build upon and practice their skills.

Where can I find social stories for my child?

Because they have been so effective in helping parents and educators, there are a lot of social stories to be found on the internet for free. They usually need to be printed out and stapled before sharing. Here is a very basic example of a social story about a child using their words to communicate with others: "I Can Use My Words" . Considering these stories are just out there, you need to use a critical eye to evaluate what you find before using them. It can help if they come from a more professional source like Carol Gray (she offers a few to sample, but charges for others), or socialworkerstoolbox.com . Sparkle Stories offers audio stories and is a developmentally appropriate fan favorite with Cascadia parents.

In our lower elementary classrooms, we will often read books about social and emotional skills and tools together, and your child's classroom guide can share their favorites with you, but you can also make your own to exactly suit your child's needs and interests .

It can be handwritten with simple drawings and the main character can be your child.
It can be created with Word or Google Drive. Write a few pages with a simple scenario, add pictures, then print to share with your child.
If you're not feeling creative, you can search up apps here .

If you are creating your own social story, here's a well-written and helpful guide: How to Write a Social Story .

Keep in mind, social stories are for supporting your child with a specific task or situation, so each social story needs to be simple and clear. Of course, quality literature by a favorite author also builds social literacy through a variety of complex characters and situations, so don't skip the bedtime read-alouds or great audiobooks and podcasts, and the discussions they can foster.

Social and Emotional Skill Building at Cascadia Montessori

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 18:47:53 GMT

Why do we spend so much time on social and emotional skill building?

We treasure academic skills and have so many great lessons to share with the children! But the more a child feels a sense of belonging and security, the greater their intellectual potential. And social-emotional skills, like being able to recognize and process big emotions, making and maintaining healthy friendships, learning from and resolving conflicts, and learning how to accept others who are different from us, are ALL part of becoming happy, healthy, successful adults!

So yes, math, language, science, history, geography, art, music…these areas of study make up the heart of Cosmic Education for children in the elementary, but we must always be working to prepare the child to receive these gifts and to co-exist peacefully within their smaller and larger communities.

So, how specifically do our Cascadia guides and staff promote healthy social and emotional development for students?

All of our classrooms spend a lot of time, especially at the beginning of the school year, building "good neighbor" skills, as Cedar guide Amy Ballard describes it. For the elementary ages, this means guiding the group in forming a set of rules and expectations for the classroom. It also involves planning routines and schedules with the children's input. What jobs need to be done to care for the classroom? How do we settle a disagreement (i.e. conflict resolution)? What can we do when we are feeling big emotions? How do we help everyone in our class to feel seen, heard, and included? Our Cedar middle schoolers work towards similar ends, but being adolescents, the process is a little different.

Class meetings and the adult's Grace and Courtesy lessons are two ways we regularly address children's social and emotional needs. Sometimes, guides or children will make skits to share how to handle specific situations the class might be struggling with, like how to clean up when you are finished eating a snack, or how to take turns using a class material. We use humor and warmth to make connections.

Other activities include:

Building strong relationships with each child (all adults in the environment, but especially the guide, who conferences regularly with each individual child)
Helping children name feelings and introducing safe spaces in the school environment for children to experience them
Teaching the steps of effective conflict resolution (our staff has had A LOT of training in this area)
Using music and movement lessons to develop connections, community, and body awareness (using Orff instruction, for example)
Coaching children to speak up and to find ways to lead others (leadership skills are a huge part of Montessori education)
Small group meetings with an adult to find solutions to specific challenging social situations
Using social stories to prepare children to handle challenging situations successfully
Promoting a mistake-friendly, growth mindset environment where children can feel comfortable challenging themselves and trying new things
Sharing facts about how our brains work, and how we can strengthen social and academic skills
Storytelling, and reading aloud books and novels that promote discussion, empathy, and problem-solving skills

We do so much more, but that's a good start!

A large part of success in supporting the development of social and emotional skills is working with you, the families, to support the specific needs of each child. Our goals for Cascadia students are (1) to empower each child to advocate for themself (and for others) when conflicts arise, (2) to empower each child to set healthy boundaries in their relationships, (3) to teach emotional regulation skills, and (4) to help children learn to take responsibility for their actions.

The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) has this to share on social-emotional learning in an authentic Montessori environment.

Fostering Independence Through the Let Grow Project

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:07:58 GMT

Dear Maria,

How do I help foster my child's independence?

Sincerely,

Curious Parent

Dear Curious Parent,

Cascadia has been taking part in the Let Grow program for a few years now. Let Grow is a nation-wide grass-roots organization dedicated to helping us all raise independent and self-reliant kids.

At Cascadia, we use Let Grow research, articles, and monthly projects to get our school community thinking and talking about how we can bring the level of independence and self-reliance we foster at school, home to children and families.

Here's how the program works :

Once a month, our Director of Education goes into each classroom to talk about a Let Grow theme, and to brainstorm ideas for simple activities they can do independently at home. At the end of the month, she visits each classroom for a reflection on how it went.

You can 1. LOOK over the Let Grow Activity Handout with your child. 2. TALK about their ideas and share your own stories. 3. DECIDE on an independent activity together. 4. SHARE how it went (there's a sheet your child can bring back to the classroom).

"Independence is not something that your children can gain on their own. They have neither the perspective, the experience, nor the skills to develop independence separately from you. Rather, it is a gift you give your children that they will cherish and benefit from their entire lives."

-Dr. Jim Taylor (psychologytoday )

You can watch these videos to find out more.

This one features a Let Grow Lighthouse schools, where they have implemented The Let Grow Experience.
This is the Let Grow Explainer video, a concise and easy-to-follow explanation of Let Grow's mission and how it works to give kids independence.
You can also check out Let Grow's president and co-founder, Lenore Skenazy's, recent cheekily named Ted Talk here: Why you should spend less time with your kids!

Music, Drama and Dance in the Montessori Classroom

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 19:21:03 GMT

Dear Maria,

Winterfest is coming up. What place do music, drama, and dance have in the Montessori classroom?

Sincerely,

Curious

Dear Curious,

Montessori education, at its best, educates the human potential. To put it another way, we can’t know which of the seeds we plant in the elementary years will flourish into the plants that will feed your children for the rest of their lives! Although guides pay close attention to what sparks your child’s interest and often hand-picks the next lesson based on students’ interest and enthusiasm, guides also know it’s hard to get excited about something you don’t know about.

This is part of the reason why children get lessons on, say, types of angles or another Geometry topic, even if they didn’t ask for it. And after a lesson, children often show more enthusiasm and interest in the world around them! (Angles are everywhere!)

We want to show children as much about the world as we can, while they are in this open, intellectually and socially active part of their development. Music, dance and drama are human activities that have been around for a long, long time! We want to share this part of humanity with our children, in the same way we want to share the human inventions of, for example, written language and mathematics, or knitting! This cultivates awe for the world and respect and thankfulness for all the humans who have come before us and invented these wonderful things.

In addition, music, drama and dance are particularly suited for the elementary and middle school age-groups because they are so social in nature. While getting ready for Winterfest, Cascadia students are not only practicing their lines in a play, singing, playing instruments, making props & costumes, and dancing. They also might practice a range of social skills, such as taking on leadership, organizing a group, or being part of a group (think: synchronized movement, choral singing, or practicing playing music in a group as opposed to alone). Many of our students show a huge level of engagement, concentration and self-direction as they engage in these tasks! Also know - students have worked hard making up much of their roles on their own . Wow! We can’t wait to see it!

What are Going Outs?

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 21:28:15 GMT

Dear Maria,

What are “Going Outs”? How do they help our children learn? Can I help?

Sincerely,

Cascadia parent

Dear Cascadia parent,

Going Outs are a key piece of the Montessori elementary experience. A Going Out is a child-led outing from the classroom and can take various forms. Children might go on an errand for the class community or for supplies for a special project (cooking, baking, arts & crafts, special experiment, etc.). They might go and see something in-person that they’ve been researching in class. Going to see a native animal or plant in its natural ecosystem, visiting the zoo to observe an animal, picking up books at the public library or visiting an expert to talk more about a topic or see a special demonstration might all be research-related going outs.

The possibilities are endless and limited only to the child’s imagination…and to practicalities, because a vital part of Going Outs is that the children organize everything themselves! They’re responsible for organizing chaperones, transportation, necessary things to bring along, and getting an appointment or tickets if necessary. Going Outs are a huge part of how Elementary children learn about the world and practice independence!

Many skills are involved in planning a Going Out, including map reading, learning about money, distance, time management, organizing a group, preparing practical items (using forethought to prepare for weather or unexpected events), and much more!

Of course with the youngest children, your child’s guide and assistant will give lessons on Going Outs or assist them with planning their first trips. Young children might be invited to go along with an older and more experienced child and learn the process that way. Guides have established Going Out procedures to aid children in taking on this responsibility for themselves. (Part of these procedures involve notifying Susan in the office and parents & guardians about the going out date, time, and location, so don’t be worried about your child leaving campus without your knowledge.)

What is the Importance of Routines in the Classroom?

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 22:25:45 GMT

Dear Maria,

Why is so much time spent on learning routines and procedures at the beginning of the year?

Sincerely,

Impatient

Dear Impatient,

If your child went to Montessori Toddler or Primary, you have probably heard about the importance of routines for young children. Predictability can help children become more independent because they will be oriented to what is coming next, and can start participating in the tasks associated with each routine. Think about it this way - would it be easier to learn a new skill if you see it repeated the same way over and over, or if every time you see someone doing it, it’s done a little differently? (More on routines for younger children HERE , in a blog from Montessori Parenting.)

With older children, although we no longer talk about a “Sensitive Period for Order” (this is a First Plane concept), routines are still pretty important! They are one of the constraints or boundaries in which adults can allow children freedom. An example for routines in the family: Yes, you can play outside after school as long as you like - until dinnertime, because we always eat dinner together. Adjust this example to your own family’s circumstance and habits.

The first weeks of school, each class community is brand new and lessons on routines and protocols take precedent over other kinds of lessons! In some of our classes, returning students may remember the routines (schedules, how you ask an adult a question, how you use materials, how you record work in your work journal, how you use the bathroom / fill up your water bottle / eat a snack etc.) from last year and may be asked to initiate and help new students. In our new Huckleberry classroom, many of the students are new to Cascadia, and so these lessons take on utmost importance!

What is the importance of routines in the classroom?

Because Montessori classrooms strive to be places where children can initiate their own activities, following their own interest and needs, we use routines and protocols in order for the classrooms to not devolve into chaos! They are the reasonable limits to the freedom children can enjoy in a Montessori classroom. For example, children may be allowed to use clay and paint. However, they would need to be clean it before lunchtime, because we use the tables to eat lunch on. In order to work with as much autonomy (and as few interruptions) as possible, it’s necessary for students to learn and adhere to basic routines of the classroom. These generally fall into a few basic categories:

How we treat other people - this may include a “class contract” or class agreements, practicing conflict resolution throughout the year, and being asked to stop doing something if it is disturbing others, and leaving your work area tidy out of consideration for others.

How we treat the materials, furniture, and other objects in the school - this includes learning where supplies are and how to put them back, working with Montessori materials as they were intended to be worked with, generally cleaning up after yourself and putting things back where you found them.

How we go about choosing work responsibly & record our work (for conferences or check-ins with the adults in our room) - this includes coming to lessons when asked to, choosing a variety of work including some challenging things, and practicing lessons you have been given.

How we treat ourselves - this includes learning about bathroom routines, water, changing shoes, remembering to bring weather-appropriate clothing and learning about healthy lunches, learning about relationships and how to deal with conflicts on your own.

It’s worth noting that if a child has not mastered something in one of the above categories, they probably won’t be allowed to do work that involves that skill (think about the clay & paint example above - if you can’t or don’t want to clean up your messes, it would be difficult for the class community if you continue working with clay & paint.)

At the beginning of the year, the adults (sometimes with the help of the older children in the classroom) set the boundaries by implementing routines and protocols. It has been found that a predictable environment helps children feel secure and supports learning.

This time of year, you will hear about guides and assistants guiding discussions about basic agreements in the classroom.You will find this happening at the beginning of the year in Montessori classrooms throughout the world. Having children state how they want to be treated and what they think is important gets a lot more buy-in from students than if adults simply state rules that are to be followed. It tells them their opinions matter and that THEY are the members of their classroom community.

What is Project Showcase?

Thu, 23 May 2024 20:06:14 GMT

Dear Maria,

What is Project Showcase?

Sincerely,

Still a New(ish) Parent!

Dear New(ish) Parent,

This entire school year, children have been working on projects! Cascadia schedules a Project Showcase one morning during one of the last weeks of the school year, and invites families to walk through. If a parent can't attend, they are welcome to send a friend or other relative in their place. Although only Upper Elementary and Cedar Middle School will display projects, Lower El students will also walk through and see the projects.

For Upper Elementary, you will see a range of different types of research projects. Some may be follow up work based on a theme this year. For example, this year there's a World History focus in the UE classrooms. Lessons in the Montessori environment are given with the hope that they spark an interest in students, who then will go on to find out more. Research projects are a perfect way to answer some of their "Why..." questions. Others projects may be on a topic they individually decided on. Students generally set time lines and due dates for themselves, so research becomes a way of practicing self-directed learning and time management. Guides give a multitude of lessons that help students get better at researching and presenting their findings, such as lessons on choosing sources, summarizing, writing paragraphs, adding visuals, taking notes, and more.

For the Middle School Cedar classroom, students will display their Individual Research Projects (IRPs). This project has an open-ended topic choice with deadlines throughout the year, and is another way students practice clear writing, editing drafts, choosing sources, etc.

Project Showcase gives students a real reason to finish and create a final draft of a project. It's one form of "publishing". However, not all research that is started is finished, just as not all questions are answered, and this is ok - if we answered all the questions children had, what motivation would they have to find out for themselves, and what might they miss along that journey to find out?

Parallel, Convergent and Divergent Lines

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 21:23:43 GMT

Dear Maria,

What's with the tape on the floor in the hallway?

If you’ve been in the hallway last week, you may have noticed blue tape patterns all over the floor! This was two Lower Elementary students’ follow up work* after receiving a fascinating lesson on types of lines.

Before delving into the lesson, I’d like to tell you about why Montessori kids get so much Geometry, so early. Children have lessons in Primary with sensorial materials that target sensory, motor, and language skills. Elementary Geometry lessons include chapters on lines, polygons, congruence, similarity and equivalence, angles, the circle, and area, volume, and surface area. Geometry is part of Cosmic Education , so all of it is rich with vocabulary and language, artistic elements, and stories from history (who was Pythagorus? How and why did people use the right angle? Why are there 360 degrees in a circle? Who discovered pi, and how did they do it?) This appeals to elementary students’ fascination with the “whys” of the world and with their emerging powers of reasoning.

Now for the lesson on parallel, convergent and divergent lines:

Once children have been introduced to the abstract concept of the geometric line (line, point, plane, end-point, ray, line segment…) and know about horizontal and vertical lines, they learn about convergent, divergent and parallel lines in a wonderfully playful way.

There’s a story we tell about two children, using a box of sticks and some paper figures of children. In one scenario, the children are walking along two parallel lines, with ambivalent expressions on their faces - they will never meet. Parallel lines go on and on forever, and never meet - what do we think about that? The children are neither happy nor sad, because they don’t even know the other child exists.

In a second scenario, two children are each walking along a line - and the lines will meet at a common point! They look very happy! These are called convergent lines, from the latin word vergere (to bend or turn) and the prefix con -, which means “with”.

In a third scenario, two children have just had a great time playing together, but they are walking along two lines that are moving away from one another, and will never meet again. The two children look pretty sad, don’t they? These two lines are divergent lines. That word has the same Latin root, vergere , and the prefix dis- meaning “apart”.

At this point, children would probably want to try out making parallel, convergent and divergent lines on their own. There are many ways to do so - continuing with the box of sticks, using paper, pencil and ruler, using string and a cork board and thumbtacks, tape on the floor, or their own bodies! They might want to write a story about the children on the lines, practicing using the new vocabulary.

With stories, concepts come alive and excite the imaginations of Elementary students.

For more on Montessori Geometry, see these blogs:

https://renaissancemontessorischool.org/blog/2020/2/20/e1tn120m31q4atgljdj80lwbdzeo53

https://amshq.org/Blog/2023-01-09-A-New-Look-at-Psychogeometry

*Follow up work is schoolwork a student or group of students does after being in a lesson with their guide. Some possible follow ups: repeating the steps their teacher showed them, doing further investigation or research in a topic, by making drawings, charts or booklets, making up their own problems, etc. Guides may give options and ideas for follow-up work, but students often may come up with their own ideas. Just as an example, two students chose the follow up you see in the picture. But another group of students made up a skit, demonstrating their knowledge of lines by having the group members act out the concepts.

How Can Parents Support Math Learning at Home?

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 21:21:28 GMT

Dear Maria,

How can we support math learning at home?

Sincerely,

2 + 2 = 4

Dear 2 + 2 = 4,

There are many ways you can support math learning that don’t necessarily involve sitting your child down with worksheets or quizzes. Big areas of math learning that can easily be supported at home are number sense, measurement, money, time, and math facts (addition up to 12 +12 and the corresponding subtraction facts, multiplication up to 12 x 12, and the corresponding division facts). Even having a family game night can support math learning! Games such as yahtzee, shut the box, or any card game where you have to count points are great.

Going on a road trip during the upcoming breaks from school? There are various counting and math games you can play with license plate numbers - keeping a tally of the number of plates you see from different states, or adding up the numbers within a license plate! (Speed math!)

Baking and cooking are a favorite involving fractions and measurements, and are great for kids’ learning. They provide real-life, sensorial experiences with quantity and numbers that help build a foundation for solving abstract math problems.

Coming up to the holidays, children can use a budget to purchase gifts, or use cash for transactions at the store and count their change. Giving them some independence with a small sum of money might lead to very interesting discoveries! Older children may be interested in finding out about larger transactions within the household budget, or how bank accounts, credit cards, taxes and tipping at a restaurant works.

Again, especially for younger children, any real-life experience with numbers, counting, quantity or measurement helps them develop a number sense that will be invaluable to their math learning later in life!

Your friend,

Maria

Independence in the Classroom

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 22:04:04 GMT

Dear Maria,

Can you tell me more about what independence might look like in the classroom?

Sincerely,

Curious

Dear Curious,

Independence is a journey, and guides and staff aim to help children grow in their independence during their time at Cascadia. One way to look at independence is to think of it as managing oneself in a manner which leads to being able to help others.

For Lower Elementary, the journey of independence means learning to take care of individual needs for food, water, and the bathroom, self-managing work by regularly using work journals, and keeping their voices at an appropriate level and remembering at least some of the (student-established) classroom rules. For older children in Lower El, it’s being able to model exemplary behavior for younger children.

For Upper Elementary, independence includes the self-management areas of writing a plan/updating their work journal, managing time in order to complete work by due dates, and making seating choices that allow for these things to be done. It also includes awareness of the environment and others: checking the board for announcements or changes to the day and checking with peers about a question.

At the adolescent level, independence looks like being able to work as a group, solving some conflicts that arise, to research, prepare, and present information to the class. Independence in their work would be looking at weekly work expectations and breaking it down into daily work plans, reading an article/story and writing questions for Socratic Seminar. It is also having awareness of and respecting the needs of others and giving and receiving feedback when conflicts arise, and using social organization to decide what to play at recess, how to handle classroom projects, make jobs equitable, and more!

All these goals for the path to independence are developmentally appropriate and are tied to freedom & responsibility. Sometimes they involve risk as they may mean failing to learn!

Transitions

Mon, 01 May 2023 21:06:42 GMT

Dear Maria,

What are transitions?

Sincerely,

In the Dark

Dear In the Dark,

Let me enlighten you on this topic!

“Transitions” are visits that children of the lower levels pay to the level they will join next year. At Cascadia, April & May is when 3rd years start visiting Upper Elementary classrooms and when 6th years start visiting Middle School. Visits are intentional but guides strive to make them as organic as possible.

There are multiple opportunities for children to see what’s happening in the next level. 3rd years start by attending Friday recess with Upper El and then soon “tour” the Upper El classrooms to see what their environments are like. Simultaneously, 3rd years start occasional independent visits - taking their work to an Upper El classroom for a short time. Classroom placement hasn’t happened yet, so 3rd years get to visit both Willow and Trillium. Once students are placed in a classroom, there will be another opportunity to spend more time with the class to get to know the students, guide and assistant.

For students transitioning to Middle School, 6th years will be invited to attend some seminars, and later to spend a morning and lunch/recess with Cedar.

All of this is done to give students an opportunity to get acclimated to and prepare for moving to a new classroom come Fall.

Interdependencies

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 21:20:25 GMT

Dear Maria,

Last week you shared with us some current blogs on soil and our health. Can you tell us more about your thoughts on interdependence and interrelationships?

Dear parent,

Yes, I'm very interested in the interconnectivity of living and nonliving things! Cosmic Education (my plan for the Elementary curriculum) is all about how things interrelate! The crowning lesson is called “The Chart of Interdependencies” and is all about how living and nonliving entities depend on one another to continue existing. I observed that animals do not eat merely to satisfy themselves but to fulfill a mission prescribed to them by their behavior, in the interests of the harmony of creation, which is achieved by the collaboration of all beings, animate and inanimate. This gets into my notion of the “Cosmic Task”, which is that every living and nonliving entity has a role to play in the interconnectedness of creation.

In my life, I was also very interested in human interdependence and I thought it was very important for children to learn about things such as money and trade. In fact, there is a whole area of lessons in Elementary about interdependencies of people and of service. No one is self-sufficient. For the satisfaction of our needs, we have to depend on the work of many people. This topic begins early on with lessons on how many people it takes for food and clothing to reach us in a shop. The end of the series of lessons is probably given sometime in Upper Elementary, and it’s about money and taxation. There are also lessons about international trade and economic geography.

Read more about these lessons on these two blogs:

https://margaretwhitley.com/2020/04/19/montessori-lessons-in-interdependence-greater-relevance-than-ever/ margaretwhitley.com/montessori-lessons-in-interdependence-greater-relevance-than-ever

https://www.trilliummontessori.org/montessori-interdependence-relevance/?fbclid=IwAR3bA_yeg54eFeoX7cBnuNR2GhOvpF50rHIHN2ZlmqUUwbslHPQtm_N9-9I trilliummontessori.org/montessori-interdependence-relevance

Sustainable Agriculture

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 20:37:56 GMT

Dear Maria,

Have you heard about sustainable agriculture?

Sincerely,

A CSA member

Dear CSA member,

During my life, I paid a great deal of attention to the interrelationships that existed between various living and nonliving aspects of the world. In my book, Education for a New World, I pointed out that the cow performs all of the tasks that are necessary for the upkeep of grass, whilst providing milk at the same time. Grass in turn provides food for the cow and knits together the soil, which would otherwise be carried away by the wind.

I am excited that there have been some new discoveries about the interrelatedness of animals, plants, soil and human health, and I’d like to share them with you. You can start with Cascadia Middle School teacher Lars’s podcast interview with Geologist David Montgomery about soil health and regenerative agriculture, or check out Montessorian Maren Schmidt’s blog on our health and the health of soil.

For further reading, here are the two books referenced in the podcast and blog:

What Your Food Ate ttps://cascadiaschool.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6ece8cae56a990a41e28d017a&id=2bba823f34&e=d380caea47 by David Montgomery and Anne Biklé

Food Fix by Dr. Mark Hyman

Photos:

Cascadia School's Resilience Garden for our Neighbors, Spring '22

Harvest at Shaffer farms, Fall '22

5th & 6th Grade Year

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 20:15:45 GMT

Dear Maria,

We are making plans for next school year. What does Montessori offer students who stay for 6th year and middle school?

Sincerely,
Planning Ahead

Dear Planning Ahead,

Although in most schools, students start middle school in 6th grade, Montessori students stay in their Upper Elementary class for 6th grade, and it’s worth it! The 6th year is the culmination of the Elementary years - called the 2nd Plane of Development (roughly age 6 to age 12). It is a year full of leadership and experiences that will solidify the child’s preparation for adolescence. The development of the child’s executive functioning skills, which are so crucial to the success of adolescents, can be prepared and honed in their 6th year. These skills include time management, handling deadlines, self-regulation and becoming more confident in their own ability.

Read more about the 6th grade year on our Cascadia School Blog: https://www.cascadiaschool.org/why-stay-for-6th-year

The Montessori adolescent program builds on the foundation of the elementary and uniquely meets the developmental needs of youth and continues Cascadia’s mission of educating the whole child/young person as they do the work of constructing themselves.

Read more about Middle School on our Cascadia School Blog:

https://www.cascadiaschool.org/why-stay-for-middle-school

Parents of 5th & 6th years have been invited to observe in the middle school program to see how our adolescent environment, how our adolescent guides interact with the adolescents and how students interact with each other. This spring, sixth-year students will have an opportunity to visit the Cedar classroom too.

What is the Cedar Mural?

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 17:43:34 GMT

Dear Maria,

What is the Cedar Mural and why are students involved in this?

Sincerely,
A Cascadia Parent

Dear Cascadia parent,

The Cedar Mural has quite a history! I asked a former parent to help me out with this one. Thank you, Pat!

Read about how this project offers adolescents a chance to give to their community and have a positive impact on the neighborhood. Part of the Montessori adolescent programs is helping students find their place in the greater adult world. The mural project gives students the sense that they matter and can implement positive change.

Location: Burnt Bridge Creek Trail below the 87th Ave. underpass.

Pat (former Cascadia Parent) spoke with the City of Vancouver trail supervisor, Tim Esary. Tim expressed a need for a mural to reduce tagging and the need for the city to paint over the tagging every month. Tim and Cascadia Guide Barb Sparling agreed that Cascadia middle school students would work on the mural. The city provided the paint.

The first painting was done on 14 February 2020. The most recent was last week, 16 February 2023. Thanks to Middle School Guide Amy Crocker for continuing this project.

Prior to the mural, the wall was getting tagged by graffiti writers about once a month. In the three years that it has been on the wall, it has been tagged only six times. That is one sixth! At first, both Will, who was part of the Middle School Class, and his dad Pat repaired it. During the past three or four tagging events, Pat has fixed it. However, every time it is tagged and repaired, details are lost and the mural needs to be refreshed.

Cascadia students have refreshed the mural three times. Most of the repairs have involved the lower half of the mural.

During one of the repairs, City Councilperson Bart Hansen helped, He pointed to graffiti on the wall on the other side of the creek and asked the students what was the difference between their mural and the graffiti across the creek. The answer is, “Permission.” Cascadia had permission to create their mural; the taggers who graffitied the other side did not. The city paints over the tagging but leaves the mural alone.

The mural adds to the safety of the trail because it makes it feel like people care. Many trail users have made positive comments about the mural and sad/angry comments about those who tag it.

It also provides a constructive public art experience for the students and helps them feel a sense of stewardship for this public space.

How do science camps fit into Cosmic Education?

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 22:16:29 GMT

Dear Maria,

How do science camps fit into Cosmic Education?

Sincerely,

Cascadia Parent

Dear Cascadia parent,

Cosmic Education is my plan for Elementary children. Read more about it on the Montessori Cosmos blog here . It encompasses science, history, language, math, music, art, practical life, and physical education. One of the main tenets of Cosmic Education is to present concrete experiences before abstract ones. In math, that means that children get to work with Montessori materials (the checkerboard and bead cabinet, to name a few) to experience what it actually means to add, divide, or square a number before they are expected to learn the abstract algorithms or memorize math facts.

This applies to the natural world as well. What better way to begin to see the intricacies of nature than to go and see it for yourself? “There is no description, no image in any book that is capable of replacing the sight of real trees, and all the life to be found around them, in a real forest” (This quote is from my book From Childhood to Adolescence , based off my 1939 lecture in London).

There are so many things to study in the Northwest, from volcanoes and glacial formations to fascinating plants and animals, to the history and effects of human life in the area. Elementary children always want to know the “why” of things, and so going on Science camps and activities led by specialists is a great way for them to satiate their inquisitive minds, at least for a while!

In addition, school trips provide an opportunity for children to grow in independence as they experience life outside the school and family. In preparation for Going Out or a whole class trip, children will learn and practice many “practical life” activities - packing, keeping track of their own things, planning ahead, interacting with strangers, figuring out how to use their bodies in different places. All of these activities help children become more independent, confident and competent in caring for themselves as they grow older.

Your Friend,

Maria

Montessori for All Children

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 19:40:59 GMT

Dear Maria,

I love Cascadia Montessori school! I wish every child could have access to such a great school! What’s being done to get Montessori to more children?

Sincerely,

Spread the Love

Dear Spread the Love,

The very first Montessori school in 1907 was a preschool for the poorest children in Rome. (Read more on the American Montessori Society ’s page) But since Montessori education never became part of any country’s public school system, Montessori has tended to remain a private school solution and often inaccessible to exactly those children who first were students in Montessori schools. (About 9% of Montessori schools worldwide are public.) Many organizations and groups are working to remedy this situation today.

Montessori Public Policy Initiative works to close the gap between public education and Montessori education principles, driving education policy change so that all children have access to the gifts of a Montessori education.

The Black Montessori Education Fund ’s mission is to increase engagement and support positive experiences of Black children and adults in Montessori education.

Educateurs sans Frontières seeks to identify innovative educational initiatives worldwide that are based on Montessori principles, and support them with mentorship and resources, guiding them towards sustainability, expansion and replication.

I'm so excited about these initiatives! Please consider supporting them in their work.

Your friend,

Maria

What Are Going Outs?

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 18:56:18 GMT

Dear Maria,

What are “Going Outs”? How do they help our children learn? Can I help?

Sincerely,

Cascadia parent

Dear Cascadia parent,

Going Outs are a key piece of the Montessori elementary experience that have not been possible during the last two school years due to the pandemic. To my delight, Cascadia guides will soon be able to make these opportunities available again! A Going Out is a child-led outing from the classroom and can take various forms. Children might go on an errand for the class community or for supplies for a special project (cooking, baking, arts & crafts, special experiment, etc.). They might go and see something in-person that they’ve been researching in class. Going to see a native animal or plant in its natural ecosystem, visiting the zoo to observe an animal, picking up books at the public library or visiting an expert to talk more about a topic or see a special demonstration might all be research-related going outs.

Of course with the youngest children, your child’s guide and assistant will give lessons on Going Outs or assist them with planning their first trips. Or, young children might be invited to go along with an older and more experienced child and learn the process that way. Guides have established Going Out procedures to aid children in taking on this responsibility for themselves.

Cascadia relies on parent volunteers to be going out drivers. A driver takes a small group of children on a Going Out and accompanies the children while they are out. There will be a meeting about your role as a driver and Going Out accompanier before you take any trips with students. Once you decide to be a driver, Cascadia will put your name on a list of potential drivers, and you may be contacted by children scheduling a Going Out.

The Importance of Free Play

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 19:00:46 GMT

Dear Maria,

There’s a lot of talk these days about the benefits of free play. But can we justify spending school time on free play instead of academics?

Sincerely,

Concerned

Dear Concerned,

If you look at nature, play is everywhere. All animals play, especially when they’re young. A fundamental biological insight is that if an activity is widespread and universal, you can be sure that it serves an important function.

Play creates great opportunities for learning social skills, observing verbal and nonverbal cues, and developing gross and fine motor skills. Play feels inherently meaningful, it gives you a sense of agency and belonging, relieves stress, and, of course, it’s fun. As play researcher Stuart Brown writes : “ Here are just a few of its benefits, these now being more and more objectively solidified by reputable scientific research: trust, mutual attunement, empathy, resilience, adaptability, innovation, creativity, optimism, communal belonging, immune system benefits, sustained intrinsic motivation and the persistent desire to acquire mastery, and more .”

We adults would be hard pressed to come up with activities that pay such diverse dividends, and sometimes our responsibility is just to make room for such play. Play is an activity where you’re free to quit or keep playing, and an activity children choose on their own. These conditions are important to create the opportunities mentioned above. Play organized by adults can also be useful for some kinds of learning, but it would rarely be as valuable and meaningful for children.

The need for play is not something just young children have. The games change, but older children still find play meaningful and stimulating, and often a profound relief from stress. Combine play and time outdoors and you’ll have the best way of resetting both mind and body.

Here are three articles to read more about play:

https://hechingerreport.org/play-is-crucial-for-middle-schoolers-too/

https://www.playcore.com/news/rough-and-tumble-play-is-it-necessary-part-2

https://hechingerreport.org/want-resilient-and-well-adjusted-kids-let-them-play/

Montessori and Orff Music

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 22:25:22 GMT

Dear Maria,

Cascadia has a budding Orff Music program. What is Orff music? How do Montessori and Orff connect?

Sincerely,

Music Lover

Dear Music Lover,

Orff music is named for German composer ( Carmina Burana ) & teacher Carl Orff (1895-1982). Orff was the music educator at the innovative dance school Gunterschule in Munich, where he met Gunhild Keetman, a student and later teacher there. The school was deemed “degenerate” by the Nazi regime and Orff was blacklisted, but Keetman and Orff were able to continue work together after WWII, and developed a music education system for children, “Musik für Kinder” (listen to some pieces here !). In post-war Germany, they developed special instruments and composed pieces for children that enabled children to quickly jump into music-making together. Some of the first xylophones (made by Studio-49 , which continues to produce Orff instruments today) were made from old cabinets and other wood from bombed out buildings!

Orff pedagogy was a change from traditional music education, stepping away from lectures and instruments that are only able to be mastered after years of lessons and hours of practice. Central to Orff pedagogy is seeing music in elemental parts: speech, rhythm, melody and movement, and using approachable methods to help children grow in their musical ability and understanding. “Elemental music is never just music. It is bound up with movement, dance and speech, and so it is a form of music in which one must participate, in which one is involved not as a listener but as a co-performer” (Carl Orff).

Children already have innate understanding of rhythm through their experience with words and rhymes and the rhythm of movement (walking, running…). Many children’s group games include rhythm, melody and rhythmic movement, and Orff music makes use of these well-loved games and songs. “ Sing, say, dance, play ” is what Orff music is all about.

Orff is incredibly compatible with the Montessori philosophy, in that it isolates difficult concepts, offers simple steps and uses materials (barred instruments, unpitched percussion, recorders…) that enable children to participate relatively quickly. Orff music, like Montessori, is essentially “learning by doing”.

Presentations and performances in the Montessori Environment

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 21:33:09 GMT

Dear Maria,

What are your thoughts on performances and presentations?

Dear Parent,

Performing and presenting are both lively parts of the Montessori classroom. Children may often choose to do a skit, song or research presentation as part of follow-up in any subject, or may choose to work on a performance of a piece of music, a song, write a skit or a dramatization of a book or story. This type of work is a vital part of the Montessori classroom, as it is this type of circulation of information that allows students to share information and inspire and spark interest in each other. By observing what other children work on, children get ideas for their own independent work.

Many of these presentations happen within a classroom community, and some may also be are performed for other classrooms. This year, Upper Elementary students performed skits about the Big Bang and the creation of the universe for Lower El students. In addition, Cascadia's middle school students host a couple of Coffee Houses throughout the year to share their poems, memoirs and stories with Upper El and parents. For Winterfest, our community gathering before Winter Break, Cascadia students prepare music and skits to share with each other and their families.

Read more about performance and presentations in this blog from last year: How do children learn presentations and performance skills at Cascadia

Structured Literacy

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:10:37 GMT

Dear Maria,

My child struggles with reading and I am curious about an approach called “Structured Literacy.” Can you explain what this means?

Sincerely,

Curious Parent

Dear Curious Parent,

That’s a great question! Structured literacy is a systematic, explicit approach to reading instruction that supports struggling readers, students with dyslexia, and all readers. There are several instructional approaches that use structured literacy, such as Orton-Gillingham, Barton, Lexia, and Wilson, to name a few.

Structured literacy teaches the following six components of reading using sequenced instruction, which builds on the strengths of each individual student and supports their challenges.

Phonological Awareness (ability to process and manipulate oral language)
Sound-Symbol Association (learning the sounds of symbols, blend, and decode)
Morphology (smallest bit of information in a word - prefixes, suffixes, etc.)
Syntax (understanding parts of speech and grammar)
Semantics (comprehension)

Principles for teaching within a structured literacy framework are explicit, have a multi-sensory approach, involve diagnostic teaching, and are systematic and cumulative. In a Montessori classroom, we are able to support this framework by providing independent follow-up for students using our multi-sensory materials and through careful observation of each child to serve their individual needs.

Cascadia is fortunate to have a reading support team who works in partnership with our guides to assess, screen, provide targeted support, follow-up work, and progress monitoring to support struggling readers.

For more information on this topic we recommend this article titled, “ Structured Literacy: Effective Instruction for Students with Dyslexia and Related Reading Difficulties .”

How does Montessori prepare children to be "citizens of the world"?

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 22:33:21 GMT

With the elections just behind us, we thought we'd share with you one way in which students at Cascadia are being prepared for civic engagement.

Dear Maria,

How does Cascadia help the students learn to be “citizens of the world?”

Signed,

#civicallyminded

Dear #civicallyminded,

One of the things the Cedar classroom (middle school/adolescents) did at the beginning of November to encourage civic engagement was to visit the Clark County Elections Office in downtown Vancouver. Greg Kimsey, the current County Auditor, gave the class a one hour tour of the office. The students saw election workers verifying signatures from ballot envelopes, storing ballots gathered from ballot drop boxes, and preparing for next week’s midterm election. These tours are available to anyone who walks into the elections office or you can learn more in this informative video .

While there are a lot of things that go into sustaining a healthy democracy (such as unsupervised play !), learning about the election process and speaking with elected officials are key elements to citizen participation. Ask a Cedar student what they learned about mail in voting in our area!

Science in the 6 - 12 Environment

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 15:30:00 GMT

Dear Maria,

I’ve heard about the Great Stories and how two of these open up the study of Geography and Biology. What happens after the stories are told? How do children learn about Earth Sciences, the water cycle, matter, waves, and all the rest?

Sincerely,

Crazy about Science

Dear Crazy about Science,

The Great Stories serve as an introduction to five big areas of study (Geography/Earth Sciences, Biology, History, Language and Math). After the stories have been told, the Montessori guides dive right into giving presentations that fill in the details. The Great Stories make such an impression on many children that the guide can often begin a new unit by saying something like, “Remember, in the First Great Story, the part about how all the matter settled into solids, liquids and gasses? I want to tell you more about that.” In this way, the stories help children have a reference point from which they can explore a subject in more detail. (More than that, the stories intend to spark great interest and curiosity in a subject, not just impart knowledge.)

In the Montessori classroom, lessons are given in small, mixed-age groups, and Geography (which encompasses Earth Sciences, Geology, Human & Political Geography, Physics and Chemistry) is a particular draw to children as it incorporates many hands-on demonstrations and experiments. Here’s a short list of some of the fantastic Geography units in Montessori Elementary! Each unit has multiple presentations ranging from the first knowledge of a topic for the 1st year to complex concepts for the 6th year. Language is an important part of each presentation and children learn new vocabulary with each lesson.

Composition of the Earth (from parts of the Earth to plate tectonics)

Attraction & Gravity

States of Matter

Different Ways of Combining (basic Chemistry concepts)

The Solar System

The Sun & the Earth (day & night, seasons, climate zones of the earth, time zones)

Work of Air (includes wind, planetary winds and more)

Work of Water (includes the water cycle, oceans currents and more)

Interdependencies of Human Beings in Society (lessons on where our food comes from, money)

Economic Geography (world trade)

Mapping (land & water forms, countries, states, cities of the world)

Repetition in Montessori Materials

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 14:30:01 GMT

Dear Maria,

My child went to a Montessori preschool and is a new student at Cascadia. This year, I still hear them talking about the bead cabinet. Are they still doing primary work? Why are they always working with the same materials? When will there be anything new?

Sincerely,

Are We Getting Anywhere

Dear Are We Getting Anywhere,

Part of the beauty of the Montessori materials is that they purposefully engage children in repetition. By doing a beloved activity over and over again, children go deeper and make connections they otherwise would miss - and they do this on their own and without having to be drilled. So it is with many concepts presented with the bead cabinet - such as counting and multiples of numbers. But did you know that in Montessori Elementary, the bead cabinet is also used to introduce and learn about squares and cubes of numbers? Read more about this material in another of our blogs ( What are bead chains? Are they jewelry? )

Another amazing aspect of Montessori materials is that they have many different purposes and are brought back to use with the children to present multiple concepts throughout their Elementary years. In this way, the students discover the connection between concepts (see this blog on Cosmic Education, Infinity and Questions ), and are not just taught isolated concepts. Being aware of the network of connections between concepts helps students gain deeper knowledge of subject matter.

More Montessori Math! The CHECKERBOARD

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 19:45:40 GMT

Dear Maria,

My child tells me their favorite thing to do at school is the checkerboard. It’s great that Montessori mixes work and play and has students choose activities on their own initiative, but I’m wondering about this choice of material. Can you help?

Sincerely,

Wondering

This picture shows a step in the problem 45,763 x 37 = 1,693,231

Dear Wondering,

Your child is working on the Montessori checkerboard, an impressive material that helps them along the path to abstraction for long multiplication. Like many other Montessori materials, it is a visual representation of an abstract concept. What’s amazing is that young children, even if they are still foggy on their multiplication facts and don’t have a solid grip of place value, can begin work with these materials. The more they work with it, practicing on their own and receiving subsequent presentations from their guides when ready, the more they hone their math facts and gain a deep understanding of place value and the mechanics of long multiplication. Usually, they effortlessly learn the long multiplication algorithm after using this material. Montessori math materials aim to show children the actual workings of algorithms, instead of resorting to rote memorization. Read more about this fabulous math material on Hudson Montessori School’s blog .

What is the "Age of Rudeness"?

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 20:17:43 GMT

Dear Maria,

I have a First Year student. My child used to be so sweet, cuddly and helpful! She used to want to do everything together! In the last few months, it’s like her personality has changed - she started talking back, continuously questioning everything we do, and most of all, she is suddenly so messy! What has happened to my little sweety?! Is this the bad influence of older children in her mixed-age class?

Sincerely,

I Miss You

Dear I Miss You,

Don’t worry, this is a normal change you often see when children enter the Second Plane of Development (around age 6). You will soon learn to love this new thinking, questioning child! Elementary-aged children begin questioning everything, it is a part of their developing intellectual independence. Montessori talks about this stage of childhood as the prime time children develop their skills of reasoning and intellect, when they begin to think for themselves.

In addition, they are experimenting with language! Have your children started to think it’s funny to “take things literally” and do exactly as you say? They are showing you that they understand how language has nuances and words have many different meanings!

Read more on this topic in Maren Schmidt’s lovely article, “The Age Of Rudeness”: https://marenschmidt.com/2015/01/beware-the-age-of-rudeness/

Why Stay for Middle School?

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 21:50:54 GMT

You will notice that the Middle School classroom looks very different from the Elementary classrooms, and that the students’ rhythm of work also changes. Why do they have “immersion weeks” for farm work, art, theater, camping or team building, and why did they sell potatoes this year?

IT’S BASED ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE PLANES OF DEVELOPMENT

Montessori adolescent programs are designed with your child’s developmental needs in mind. Maria Montessori pointed out that human development is divided up into recognizable phases, which she called Planes of Development. She split up the first 24 years of life into four planes of development of roughly 6 years each. Around age 12, individuals transition from childhood to adolescence, leaving the 2nd plane of development behind and entering the 3rd plane. This is marked by changes in the body (puberty) and changes in behavior, preferences and interests.

IT RESPONDS TO THE HUMAN TENDENCIES

What Maria Montessori called the Human Tendencies are innate drives or instincts that accompany us throughout life, but which manifest themselves in different ways depending on our stage of development. These include but are not limited to: orientation, communication, order, imagination, abstraction, work, and self-expression. The way these tendencies are expressed changes during the transition from childhood to adolescence.

IT’S CREATED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE ADOLESCENT

Knowledge of human development based on Maria Montessori’s lectures and writing helps Montessori adolescent guides create an environment and curriculum that is suitable for their students. Montessori programs are designed with the students and their needs (plane of development and human tendencies) in mind. Here are some of the developmental needs of the adolescents that are addressed in Montessori adolescent programs:

Need for belonging
Need for participation in meaningful work & community
Need for protection and guidance during time of great physical change
Need for real conversations & social life
Need for self-expression & physical activity
Desire to investigate the adult world, topics and work that connect to real life situations
Need for guidance understanding the adult world in which they will soon take part in
Interest in developing financial independence

Why Stay for 6th Year?

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 23:20:18 GMT

As traditional middle schools start at 6th grade, it’s natural that students might be curious about this transition year. But here’s what your child gains by staying in a Montessori program for the final year.

A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADOLESCENCE

6th year is the last year of the elementary cycle, and it’s the last year of the 2nd plane of development and is the culmination of childhood. At 12 years of age, children are at the brink of adolescence, but while many may appear to have entered adolescence, this is not always the case. A final year in the elementary classroom can bridge the gap between a child’s physical and cognitive maturity by providing a stable environment for honing their social emotional skills. This prepares them to enter their next phase of development, adolescence, with a stronger sense of self- confidence and maturity.

CONTINUATION OF SECURE RELATIONSHIPS

While traditional schools mix up the student body each year, and often begin mixing up a large student between teachers multiple times a day starting in 6th grade, Montessori classrooms give children a strong foundation for forming and maintaining long-lasting friendships and relationships with adults at their school by keeping children with a group of peers throughout their elementary years. Confident and secure children are more likely to feel comfortable choosing challenging work and taking on leadership roles in school, and later in their lives.

CULMINATION OF ADVANCED CURRICULUM

Montessori schools have a formidable Elementary curriculum that challenges students of a range of ages and abilities. It keeps older and advanced students engaged. You may find that 6th year students are able to do work at a much higher level than the 6th grade state curriculum asks of them. This is because throughout the years of Elementary, children have been guided on specialized paths of inquiry and knowledge acquisition. They have been allowed to develop at their own pace, be it faster or slower than others of their age-group or knowledge level, and help them find tasks that are engaging and the right level of challenge.

TAKING ON LEADERSHIP ROLES

6th years, in comparison to their younger classmates, have gained experience, maturity, and abilities that allow them to take on leadership roles in their classrooms in all areas (academic, social, daily life…) This is an important aspect of the Montessori method, which aims to prepare individuals for life and for being agents of peace and change in the world. Experiencing the role of eldest and most experienced in a community gives children the opportunity to learn about kindness and service to others.

Why Stay for Upper Elementary?

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 02:24:51 GMT

Children at 6 years old are just beginning the pathway of intellectual development that leads them to intellectual independence. They may begin asking more “why” questions, explore concepts abstractly, but their exploration can be chaotic and disorganized. They generally tend to explore all kinds of topics willy nilly, often to the dismay of their parents and teachers! Will they ever consolidate and organize their thoughts? (Or their workspace…or their room?) Will they ever finish anything?

That’s where Upper Elementary comes in. Children enter the Upper Elementary classroom at around 9 years of age, or at grade 4. This is a time for consolidating and crystalizing all the information they gathered in their first three years of elementary. They refine their skills in all academic areas - and social, emotional, and physical areas, too. Important to mention from an academic perspective is that children around the age of 9 or 10 usually start to work less often with some of the familiar and beloved materials. This is nothing to worry about. In fact, it’s completely normal, and it tells us that they are moving towards abstract thinking - refining their powers of intellect.

A simple example of this is a child who often took out the bead chains in Lower Elementary, counting, labelling (and let’s be honest - sometimes just spending quite a bit of time taking down the chain that’s 729 or 1,000 beads long, spreading it all out through the classroom, only to discover that it’s about time for lunch…). That same child might well become a kid who is very sure of their times tables in Upper Elementary - through the simple fact that they were able to manipulate these materials so much.

The beauty of giving children the opportunity to be in a Montessori classroom for Upper Elementary is that these materials are still around to jog their memory and remind them of all the experiences they have had with them, helping them on their path towards abstract thinking. There are also quite a number of advanced materials that are usually used solely in Upper Elementary, such as materials for work with cubing, square root, and cube root. (Please shoot me an email if you actually know what cube root is. Your 6th year might, ask them!)

We like to think of this time of refinement in Upper Elementary as baking a cake in the oven. You wouldn’t go through the whole process of mixing up your ingredients only to throw the batter away, right?

And what’s the icing on the cake? Check back on our blog for the next two articles about the 6th Year and Montessori middle school!

What Does Montessori Elementary Do? A Talk by Paula Lillard Preschlack

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 19:24:55 GMT

This week, we want to share with you a lovely talk for all Montessori parents from Paula Lillard Preschak, a writer and speaker who has spent 25 years as a teacher and head of school at Forest Bluff School. She is currently working on a book about Montessori Education and has given over 100 talks at schools, teacher training courses, and conferences. Her work focuses on the principles and successes of the Montessori approach learned from over 25 years of teaching and observing children from birth to adulthood.

This talk was originally for Galilee Montessori School, but happily, it is available for all parents who want to know more about why and how we do what we do in the Montessori Elementary.

Listen to the talk here: Why Montessori Elementary Education?

Holiday Gifts: What Do Children Really Need?

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 21:26:00 GMT

Many children in the United States have too many toys! So what do we get them for the holidays?

For this blog post, we’d like to give credit to Kay Neff for putting this article together, and Thrive Montessori for providing many helpful resources!

Children want and need their parents’ time and attention, but the toy industry seems to be pulling in the opposite direction. There are toys that are advertised for children to use alone in their rooms, or electronic toys which show them to turn to a device instead of other humans for happiness, and cheap plastic toys that give the message that children are not worth the real thing or best quality… so where is this heading?

The following text is adapted from publications by the Michael Olaf Montessori Company, a company that focuses on high-quality items that families can use together, or that teach about the real world of plants, animals, and humans, and the beautiful world of the arts. As you’ll see, thoughtfully setting the stage for each level of development is a wonderful gift we can give our children.

Preparing the Environment

Constant preparation and adaptation of the environment to the ever-changing needs and tendencies of growing children is essential in the Montessori method of raising and educating children. The first consideration is physical safety, then the proper support for freedom of movement, exploration, providing a chance to make choices, concentrate, create, and completing cycles – all of which contribute to optimum development.

Birth to Age 3

If the child is exposed to beautiful mobiles, posters, rattles, and toys, as an adult she will help create a world with the same high standards.

When parents are getting ready for their first child, they will be overwhelmed by ads on what they “need” for that child. It seems that these ads are aimed at selling things far more than providing what is really good for the child. Not only are may items over-stimulating for the young child (too many objects, uncomfortably bright colors), but they also hamper the natural development of important abilities such as language (pacifiers), movement (cribs, swings, and high chairs) and can even sometimes be dangerous (walkers and off-gases from plastic).

A simple, natural, and gentle environment that encourages feelings of safety and encourages the child to communicate with others and to move – that is the superior environment for the child from birth to age 3.

A child will develop more fully – mentally, emotionally, and physically – when she is free to move and explore an ever-enlarging environment. But careful attention must be paid to covering plugs, taping wires to the wall or floor, removing poisonous plants and chemicals, and removing any objects that could harm the child.

During the first years the child will absorb, like a sponge, whatever is in the environment – ugliness or beauty, coarse behavior or gentleness, good or bad language. As parents we are the first models of what it means to be human.

Quality and beauty of the environment and books and materials are very important in attracting, satisfying, and keeping a child’s attention. If the child is exposed to beautiful mobiles, posters, rattles, and toys, as an adult she will help create a world with the same high standards. Toys, rattles, puzzles, tables, and chairs – made of wood – foster an appreciation for nature and quality and protect the child from unsafe chemicals that are found in many synthetic materials.

Pictures on the wall, hung at the child’s eye level, can be beautifully framed art prints or simple posters. All of us have been influenced by our first environment, and nothing helps create beauty in the world as much as giving beauty to the very young.

Sometimes we forget that daily life was first carried out in the outdoors. This is still the instinct of the child. In the first days of life, just a breath of fresh air and a look at tree branches moving in the wind each day is sufficient; soon a daily walk in the baby carrier or stroller; and before you know it, walks led by the child, where each new thing – cracks in the sidewalk, parades of ants, puddles, brick walls, weeds, and thistles –many details which we as adults previously overlooked, will enchant the child and turn a short walk into a drawn-out discovery. It is very good for us adults to slow down, forget our plan, and follow the child as he sees, hears, smells, and touches the outside world.

Ages 3-6

Children aged 3 to 6 often prefer to work on the floor instead of at a table – on rugs or pieces of carpet that can be rolled up or put out of the way when not in use. This marks the workspace just as a table would.

Toys, books, and materials can be attractively arranged on trays and in baskets, on natural wood or white shelves. Each object has a special, permanent place so that the child knows where to find it and where to put it away when it is finished. Tables and chairs that support proper posture are important at this age.

Welcome the child to your outside work – washing the car, working in the garden, whatever you can do outside instead of inside. There is always some little part of the real work that a child can do.

Ages 6-12

Children aged 6 to 12 are interested in right and wrong, history and the far distant past, other cultures and countries, and great people - such as inventors, explorers, kings and queens, or heroes in the arts and athletic worlds. Children this age are interested in exploring with their minds. Books and large projects, cooperative games, and especially real work in the real world are all meaningful for children this age.

Children age 6 to 12 can contribute a lot to a family, tending to pets or animals, and learning many basic chores to keep the household running. such as cooking and gardening. At this age, your child is building the groundwork for a valuable, interesting, and enjoyable future - the whole world is open to them!

It’s a great time for hobbies, but also for connecting socially with family, neighbors and friends. As always, the human environment is just as important as the physical one. You may notice that your child is less interested in keeping things orderly, and that they are often messy or even dirty. This is normal - they need to be encouraged to see the reason behind cleaning up, and may find learning about bacteria and fungus to be a great motivation for washing their hands and keeping their room clean!

Ideas For All Ages

Here are some things to keep in mind when organizing a child’s environment.

Participation in family life: Even from the very first days, include the child in the life of the family. Have a place in each room for a few carefully chosen belongings – in the living room, a place for the child’s books and toys – neatly, attractively organized. Think out the activities and the materials for all living spaces and arrange the environment to include the child’s activities.
Independence: The child’s message to us at any age is “Help me to do it myself”. Supporting this need shows respect for and faith in the child. Think carefully about family activities in all areas of the home, and arrange each space to support independence. Add a coat tree, low clothing rod, or hook wherever the child undresses or dresses (front hall, bathroom, bedroom); a stool or bench for removing shoes and boots; inviting shelves for books, dishes, toys.
Belongings: Don’t put out too many toys and books at one time. Those being used by the child at the moment are sufficient. It is a good idea to rotate – taking out those books and toys that have not been chosen lately and removing them to storage for a time.
Putting away and the sense of order: Everyone at every age is affected by their environment. A child who joins in on the arrangement of an environment, and learns to select a few lovely things, will be aided in many ways. An organized environment helps create good work habits, lays groundwork for the development of concentration, and a clear, uncluttered, and peaceful mind. Rather than tossing toys into large toy boxes, it is more satisfying to the child to keep them neatly on shelves, hung on hooks, ready to work with wooden trays or in small baskets. This also makes putting things away much more logical and enjoyable.
Cultural emphasis: Make your home a reflection of your own unique part of the world. Include music, books, foods, crafts, and stories from your parents’ and grandparents’ lives, but also include the same elements of cultures from around the world so your child learns that everyone is connected and he is a member of an international community.

The Prepared Environment at School and at Home: Education for Life

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 23:56:46 GMT

The prepared environment is Montessori lingo for a space or area that is thoughtfully and knowingly designed, keeping in mind the children who will be using it and their developmental needs. The prepared environment promotes freedom of movement and communication and growth in independence, at all ages. This can mean something as simple as providing young children with furniture and dishes that are proportionate to their bodies, but it also encompasses the activity options (work choices) available to the children, the other people who will be present in the environment, and the preparation of the adult in that space. As children grow, the environment that is appropriate for them will change.

At Cascadia, each classroom is thoughtfully prepared with the students and their needs in mind. During the summer, guides and assistants lovingly set up their classrooms, thinking carefully about the location and availability of various learning materials and supplies, and the layout of furniture, based on their years of experience and the recommendations of their Montessori teacher trainings.

They think about things such as the balance of creating enough space for freedom of movement as well as areas for concentrated or collaborative work. They create hand-made materials designed for the developmental stage of various children and place these purposefully throughout the classroom. In contrast to traditional education, learning materials in Montessori education are displayed on open shelves from which children can freely choose - the whole classroom and everything in it is literally a “learning apparatus”, and each material, area, and person in it is a learning opportunity.

As the year progresses, guides and assistants adjust their classroom environments based on their observations of the various needs of the specific children in their classrooms that school year. It is an amazing process, and we are so thankful for our dedicated staff who do it!

There are some simple things you can do at home to prepare the environment, too! First off, you can prepare yourself by finding out more about implementing Montessori at home. You might consider reading this article about Montessori Beyond the Classroom .

Consider your child’s growth in independence. What more could my children do for themselves? What supplies do they need in order to do this? Think about the size and location of items they need for a favorite activity, or if there are the tools and cleaning supplies necessary for a practical life activity, such as preparing their own snack or looking after pets. Look again at other organization systems in your home; are there consistent places to find things and put things back after use? Are the locations accessible for your child? In general, what helps or hinders your child to do things for themselves?

Simplifying can be the key. Especially after the holidays, decluttering can help your child! With new toys or gifts coming in during the holidays, you might think about what can go. For children, less is more!

We’ll leave you with two inspiring quotes from Maria Montessori:

“We found individual activity is the one factor that stimulates and produces development.”

“To assist a child, we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.”

To find out more about preparing the environment for children from birth to 6, watch this THRIVE parent ed recording: Montessori at Home: The Prepared Environment with Dolores Vazquez .

How do children learn presentation and performance skills at Cascadia?

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 00:03:06 GMT

Luckily for our students, presentations are part of the regular classroom routine, so they get lots of practice and there is less anxiety around it! As children finish up big work such as research projects or creative writing, many are naturally motivated to share these with their classmates - they are proud of their work. Sharing can happen in an informal (sharing with small group, to friends) or more formal (sharing with whole class) setting. As children grow older, they take on more responsibility for their work, culminating in events like the Cedar Coffee House, in which students read their written work aloud to the entire Cedar, Willow, and Trillium classrooms, as well as some staff members and some Cedar parents.

At some point in Lower Elementary, most children begin working on research projects - pursuing an interest by finding out information on a topic, writing about it, drawing pictures or diagrams. They may make a 3-D project, such as a model or diorama, or even create a skit, song or performance involving other students.

Upper Elementary students pursue research projects in a more formalized manner - learning note-taking techniques, how to use drafts to improve writing, bibliographies to give credit to their sources, and finalizing a project for Project Showcase in the Spring. Adding a creative aspect to their research projects gives students the opportunity to express themselves in a way they choose - with art, skits, etc.

In addition, children in the past years have gained experience in the performing arts through folk dance classes, music lessons, and taking part in classroom plays and performances for parents at Winterfest or Springfest. There is also day-to-day public speaking practice in the form of announcements to the class, or speaking up at community meetings.

Formalization of presentation skills continues in Middle School, as students learn about Powerpoint and other presentation technology, and do projects in groups in which they need to delegate roles to get the work done.

This year, a special type of performance will be celebrated at our Winterfest Radio Show on December 17th!

Why are 6th years in Upper Elementary and not in Middle School, like in public schools?

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 00:16:42 GMT

The Importance of the 6th Grade Year

Some middle school programs start in 6th grade and many students are curious about this transitional year. Here’s why it’s important to stay in Elementary for that final year.

Culmination of the Childhood Years

The 6th grade year is not only the last year of the elementary cycle; it’s the final year of the second plane of development. Children this age are almost on the brink of adolescence, a period of rapid growth and change. While a 12-year-old child may appear to have entered their adolescent stage, studies have shown this is not always the case. The gap between the child’s physical maturity and their cognitive maturity can contribute to emotional difficulties in the future if they are too quickly moved to an environment in which they are not yet ready. Staying for the final elementary year allows the student to benefit from the stable classroom environment, building upon their social and emotional skills to enter the next phase of their development confidently. By staying in the elementary classroom for their 6th grade year, children have a chance to develop a deeper sense of self-confidence and maturity that will serve them as they enter their adolescent years.

Establishing and Maintaining Relationships

Traditional public schooling rotates the student body annually, with a new teacher and peers each year. Some middle schools have a different teacher and classroom for each subject. This can make it challenging for the child to form meaningful relationships as they are repeatedly trying to assimilate into a new environment. A Montessori classroom gives each child consistency and the opportunity to maintain long-lasting and secure friendships. The child will feel more comfortable seeking out challenging work and grow into leaders of the classroom, making them model citizens beyond their years of education.

Advanced Curriculum

Montessori schools take pride in creating a robust Elementary curriculum that includes challenging opportunities that keep students motivated and engaged. Oftentimes you will find that sixth graders in a Montessori classroom are proficient in work that is far above the 6th grade level in a traditional public school. This is because Montessori does not lead the child into fitting a standardized “mold.” Instead, it takes a more specialized approach, allowing the child to explore at their pace and develop a deep sense of confidence and accomplishment. We champion thoughtful leadership and make sure that no child ever feels bored with the work they have available to them.

An Opportunity for Leadership

Because of the child’s mastery of the Montessori work in the elementary classroom, the 6th grade year is the time when they will take advantage of many leadership opportunities. This is paramount to the Montessori academic and social philosophies. When children teach children, it’s not just about knowledge being shared, but also about cultivating world citizens. Teaching each other is an act of kindness and a way for children to practice helping others around them. Through developing confidence in their work and ability, your child will be able to teach work to the other students and ultimately become a leader within their classroom. This provides them with an excellent foundation for a successful secondary education.

What is special about Cascadia's Middle School?

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 00:10:03 GMT

Cascadia’s Middle School is a Montessori environment for adolescents. During each of the four planes of development, Montessori education provides a specific environment that meets the needs of the individuals at that plane. Your child’s preschool/primary environment was just the place for them when they were between the ages of 3 and 6, but as they entered the second plane (ages 6 - 12), they needed a new kind of classroom that would feed their inquisitive minds and provide for their new social tendencies. In the same manner, Cascadia’s Middle School provides a special environment for our 7th and 8th graders as they enter the 3rd plane of development, adolescence.

Adolescence (ages 12 - 15) marks the end of childhood and is a time of tremendous change; physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively. This is especially true for our middle school students who are at the beginning of this change. In fact, Montessori refers to them at this stage of development as “social newborns.” In early adolescence (ages 12 to 15), young adults are exploring and coming to terms with integrating different aspects of themselves. This is a period of rapid growth and early adolescents need enough food and sleep, as well as time to process and reorient. They also need deep support and acceptance from the adults in their lives.

All Montessori environments nourish the whole child - academic, emotional, social - but adolescent environments add personal reflection, purposeful work that serves the community, more opportunities for creative expression and other exercises to particularly support the individuals and their growth at this stage.

Why don’t Montessori schools give homework?

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 22:05:50 GMT

While homework in a traditional sense is not an integral part of Montessori education, home work (work at home) is. By “work” we mean activities that help children grow in their capacity for independence and enable them to fulfill their potential as human beings. There are so many opportunities for this kind of in your home environment.

It’s important for children’s social, emotional and physical growth that they take time after school for other important aspects of life, apart from schoolwork. Spending time with the immediate family, visiting neighbors and extended family and taking part in social activities are beneficial for your child. Children can take part in group activities, such as scouts, children’s choir, sports teams, or orchestra. They can pursue an activity they don’t do at school, such as pottery, instrument lessons or woodworking. Your child can participate actively in family life, pitching in to take care of the family pets, housework, and cooking.

In addition, families can support children’s academic learning from home by involving them in practical activities with math and numbers, such as baking, cooking, budgeting, earning their own money, or having a bank account. Board games and card games also support numeracy and literacy! Reading each evening with your child is a great way to connect, and expands their experience with language. If done regularly, the read aloud ritual can continue throughout middle school.

Especially during the pandemic, as schools have been unable to offer Going Outs, day trips and outings with your Elementary child are important! Families could visit museums, interesting geological sites, places with native plants and animals, the public library, see live performances, or anything else which enables your child to have real experiences of the world. Even the simplest outdoor activities (going on a walk, visiting a new park, going to look at a pond, river or stream) can add a lot to a child’s understanding of the world around them.

What are the benefits of mixing ages and grades in a classroom? Doesn’t this make teaching way harder? #sorryteachers

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 15:12:45 GMT

Believe it or not, age mixing actually helps teachers! Older students help and mentor younger students and give younger children someone to strive to be like. Don’t think your 3rd year has the best behavior? You’d be surprised how they are stepping into leadership roles in their classrooms, stretching their capabilities. If we think of the classroom like a family, Montessori children get to experience being the youngest, middle, and eldest sibling in each 3-year cycle. Each position in the family has its benefits and challenges (a.k.a. growing opportunities).

Adults in the environment are also careful to provide good examples of behavior, but a child just a few years older gives younger children glimpses of what they themselves could be like in a few years - mentally, physically and socially. And by being around children a year or two older, the youngest in a class gradually become aware of topics and materials before they are able to engage in those activities themselves. Think of it as a kind of soft opening for intellectual and social development!

But how do older children benefit from age mixing? Aren’t they held back by kids who are more immature? First off, we know that each child develops at his or her own pace. Providing a range of ages of peers gives children the opportunity to find work partners and friends at their level. It reduces negative competition among children and creates a great environment to learn about cooperation, inclusion, and leadership. Lessons they got the year before will be repeated with the next group of younger children, giving older children the time to repeat, reflect, and go deeper into the topics. Also, older children benefit from being able to take on leadership roles, such as helping with the care of the classroom environment and keeping up routines.

Why doesn’t “What did you do at school today?” work?

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 16:28:49 GMT

Are you curious about what your child does during the day, but finding it hard to get them to talk about anything but lunch and recess? Here are some tips:

Use language they are hearing at school:

What work did you choose today?
What is your favorite material/work right now?
Did you have a lesson today? What was it about?
Did you do follow-up work?
Are you working on any research?
What’s your job during job time?

Consider creating a tradition of giving your child the opportunity to reflect on their day.

What was your favorite part of the day?
What was something you wish had gone differently?

What are bead chains? Are they jewelry? #confused

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 17:00:26 GMT

Nope, not jewelry! But these colorful materials are beautifully designed to catch children’s eye, like all Montessori materials! The bead chains are a set of shorter and longer chains of beads with repeated groups of the numbers 1 thought 10. They can be found in most Montessori classrooms, and are part of the bead cabinet, which is used in different ways in Primary, Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary to strengthen number sense in developmentally appropriate ways.

The bead cabinet is a perfect example of a material which indirectly prepares children at a young age for higher abstract work when they are older. In Primary, children have lessons on using the bead chains for counting and skip-counting. In Lower Elementary, children use the bead chains to find multiples, common multiples, and learn about the concept and value of squares and cubes of numbers.

Still later, in Upper El, children will relate their knowledge of squares and cubes (that all started with the bead cabinet) to work more abstractly, calculating with squares and cubes and even finding square and cube roots!

Montessori materials are aids to abstraction, as they bring abstract concepts to children in a concrete way.

What are the Great Stories? What makes them so great? #skeptical

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 17:54:31 GMT

Hello, Skeptical!

Cosmic education, Great Stories, bead chains, checkerboards? What are those children doing all day, anyways? I’m so glad you asked. The Great Stories are, in fact, pretty great.

At the beginning of the school year, our Elementary classrooms start off with The Five Great Stories, an important and unique part of the Montessori curriculum. These stories are exciting, dramatic, and involve various demonstrations and representations of physical phenomena and history, as well as impressionistic charts and timelines. They are designed to awaken a child's imagination and curiosity. We intend for children to be struck with the wonder of creation, thrilled with new ideas, and awed by the inventiveness and innovation that is part of the human spirit.

The Five Great Stories are presented in both lower and upper elementary, and are given every year so that children see them more than one time and build on their knowledge each year. Unlike the 3-6 environment, where children are introduced to "small" ideas first, that gradually widen into larger concepts, elementary children are introduced to large concepts right away - the largest of all being the beginning of the universe. After that, subsequent lessons are like smaller ideas that fit into this larger framework. In this way, we intend the Great Stories to give children a sense of orientation in their work.

Traditionally, there are Five Great Stories that are used to paint a broad picture before moving to more specific study. They consist of:

First Great Story - The Coming of the Universe and the Earth

Second Great Story - The Coming of Life

Third Great Story - The Coming of Human Beings

Fourth Great Story - Communication in Signs (written language)

Fifth Great Story - The Story of Numbers

(Thank you, “Montessori for Everyone”)

The Great Stories are a stepping off point to more areas of study and follow-up work. Each story corresponds to and opens study in a subject area - geography, biology, history, language, and mathematics, respectively.

Montessori education at the Elementary level always strives to give children a picture of “the whole”, because children of this age are striving to understand connections between everything they experience. Starting with the Great Story of the universe gives the biggest “whole” we know of!

"Let us give [the child] a vision of the whole universe. The universe is an imposing reality, and an answer to all questions. We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are part of the universe, and are connected with each other to form one whole unity. This idea helps the mind of the child to become fixed, to stop wandering in an aimless quest for knowledge. He is satisfied, having found the universal centre of himself with all things.”

-Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential (a great read to find out more about considering cosmology & education!)

How did Montessori education get started? #curious

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 01:29:36 GMT

It just so happens that I was born on August 31st, 1870! Happy belated birthday to me!

In school, I focused on math and engineering before studying medicine as one of the first women in Italy to do so (but not the very first). I worked in psychiatric institutions, performed anthropological field studies, and taught at a teacher college in Rome. I was also very active in the feminist movement, being the main Italian representative during the international congresses in Berlin in 1896 and London in 1899. As a doctor and scientist, I studied the work of French physicians Jean Itard and Edouard Seguin who worked with children with disabilities. These children were thought to be “un-teachable.” I also had the opportunity to work with children with disabilities as well as children in poverty. Through observation and work, I discovered that all children can grow and learn when given a prepared environment that meets their developmental needs and provides concrete or hands-on learning.

I started the first Montessori preschool, the Casa Dei Bambini (The Children's house/home), in Rome in 1907. The Casa Dei Bambini immediately generated great international interest. In the years from 1907 up to the first world war, visitors worldwide came to Rome to observe, and many Montessori schools were opened. I traveled to the US in 1913, filling the Carnegie Hall for a lecture, and returned in 1915 to participate in the World Exposition in San Francisco, where a glass-walled Montessori classroom was one of the attractions.

In the interwar years, international conflicts and debates slowed the expansion of the Montessori movement. It took until the fifties before a so-called second wave of Montessori schools started opening in the US, after my death in 1952.

cascadia

Why does Cascadia offer overnight trips for students? My child has never spent the night away from home!

My child isn't struggling academically, so what is the big deal about them missing a week of school here or there? Does it really matter in the long run? - Chill Parent

How Children Transition into Upper Elementary and Adolescent Classroom

Winterfest and Performances in a Montessori School

Our family had a great time attending the Winterfest performance this past week, but why do we have this community tradition? Is this a Montessori thing?

Social Stories

What are social stories?

Social and Emotional Skill Building at Cascadia Montessori

Why do we spend so much time on social and emotional skill building?

Fostering Independence Through the Let Grow Project

Dear Maria,

How do I help foster my child's independence?

Sincerely,

Curious Parent

Music, Drama and Dance in the Montessori Classroom

Dear Maria,

Winterfest is coming up. What place do music, drama, and dance have in the Montessori classroom?

Sincerely,

Curious

What are Going Outs?

What is the Importance of Routines in the Classroom?

What is Project Showcase?

Dear Maria,

What is Project Showcase?

﻿

Sincerely,

Still a New(ish) Parent!

Parallel, Convergent and Divergent Lines

Dear Maria,

What's with the tape on the floor in the hallway?

How Can Parents Support Math Learning at Home?

Dear Maria,

How can we support math learning at home?

Sincerely,

2 + 2 = 4

Independence in the Classroom

Dear Maria,

Can you tell me more about what independence might look like in the classroom?

﻿ Sincerely,

Curious

Transitions

Dear Maria,

What are transitions?

Sincerely,

﻿

In the Dark

Interdependencies

Dear Maria,

Last week you shared with us some current blogs on soil and our health. Can you tell us more about your thoughts on interdependence and interrelationships?

Sustainable Agriculture

Dear Maria,

Have you heard about sustainable agriculture?

Sincerely,

﻿

A CSA member

5th & 6th Grade Year

Dear Maria,

We are making plans for next school year. What does Montessori offer students who stay for 6th year and middle school?

Sincerely, Planning Ahead

What is the Cedar Mural?

How do science camps fit into Cosmic Education?

Dear Maria,

﻿

How do science camps fit into Cosmic Education?

Sincerely,

Cascadia Parent

Montessori for All Children

What Are Going Outs?

Dear Maria,

What are “Going Outs”? How do they help our children learn? Can I help?

Sincerely,

Cascadia parent

The Importance of Free Play

Montessori and Orff Music

Presentations and performances in the Montessori Environment

Structured Literacy

How does Montessori prepare children to be "citizens of the world"?

With the elections just behind us, we thought we'd share with you one way in which students at Cascadia are being prepared for civic engagement.

Science in the 6 - 12 Environment

Sincerely,

Sincerely,
Planning Ahead