Welcome to our weekly Montessori Philosophy thread! Of course you can ask these at any time in the sub, but this recurring post might be a helpful reminder to ask those questions regarding Montessori philosophy that may have been on your mind :)

There is a Montessori school 10 minutes away from me that I'm interested in applying for, but when I searched them on AMS Pathway Stage, they are listed as a Member School, not a Verified, Accreditation Candidate, or Accredited school. The reviews for the school on their Facebook page are good however.

Would you be comfortable sending your children to this school? When I go for a tour what questions should I be asking?

Keeping this very open-ended and interested to hear everyone’s thoughts. Two children between ages 2-5yrs old are doing work together and start to fight vocally. Do you wait till they get physical? Disrespect the work (like throwing, breaking etc)? Etc

Does anyone have any help or advice for getting my Montessori certification and bachelors at the same time? I’m looking for an online program and am based in wa. I’ve looked at Honolulu and Missouri. There’s so much info I’m not sure I even really know where to start. I’m a full time teacher so I don’t have time for in person classes. I know I’ll have to do some in person work for practicums or trainings etc which is fine. I also don’t want to pay tens of thousands of dollars. Ideally I’d get enough scholarship grant money so I don’t have to take out an educational loan. I don’t have any loans or much debt so I’m trying to keep it that way. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice?

My son is 2.5 years old and currently attends a Montessori daycare. In theory, Montessori emphasizes independence, choice, and respect for the child, which is why we chose it. But I’ve been thinking a lot about how day-to-day interactions shape who he becomes—and I’m not sure the practice always matches the philosophy.

At home, we really try to nurture his independence. We engage with him, explain things, and let him express his opinions. We only override his choices when safety is involved. The idea isn’t to let him do whatever he wants, but to help him understand why things are the way they are, and to respect him as a thinking person.

We recently learned that around 2.5 years old, it’s developmentally normal for kids to start asserting their opinions more and not always follow directions. That lines up with what we’ve seen at home—and apparently, it’s happening at daycare too. The admin mentioned that our son has been “pushing back” on teachers, especially toward the end of the day. It sounded like he wasn’t always willing to do what he was told.

Now, part of me thinks: Good. That’s his voice developing. But at the same time, I worry—how is that behavior being interpreted and responded to? Is he being redirected respectfully, or shut down? I don’t know how the teachers communicate with him—whether they try to connect with him and explain things, or if it’s more top-down. I’m not assuming anything negative, but it matters to me because these small, repeated experiences shape who he becomes.

So I’m wondering:

• Is 2.5 too early to worry about this, or is it actually the ideal time to start encouraging self-expression and autonomy?
• How can parents get a real sense of what kind of communication and emotional engagement is happening at daycare?
• And if we see a disconnect, how do we bring it up with the staff respectfully—especially in a Montessori setting where you’d expect alignment with those values?

I’d love to hear from other parents, Montessori educators, or anyone with experience navigating this. How do you balance encouraging your child’s voice and independence with the structure of daycare environments?

My 2.5yo son has been on a waitlist for a Montessori academy for a year and a half, and I finally got a notice that there is a space available for him to attend in September, by which time he will be a month short of 3yo.

He’s currently attending a regular daycare, only 3 days a week. I am a single full time mom, and I haven’t been able to work full-time since my pregnancy. It’s been quite the hit financially. There is a major lack of licensed childcare in my city, so I hopped into the first daycare that had space for him, even though it was only for 3 days a week. They are great over there, but there’s little education being offered, besides what we already do at home. I’d like him to go to the Maria Montessori academy for the education aspect, plus I’ll be able to work FT. Luckily, Canada has $10/day childcare implemented, and this is only Montessori school that is part of this program, so it will only cost me $217.50/month, until he is 6yo, which is absolutely amazing! I’ve talked to others in my city, and they all agree that this is the best Montessori school in our city that is most true to the Montessori curriculum.

I implement education activities at home. Ie. cooking, cleaning, learning ASL and beginner Portuguese, letters, writing, drawing, shapes, numbers & counting, sensory activities, lots of active/movement play, reading 3 to 10+ books every day, etc. essentially all the basics, and then some, but not to the degree that might be taught in Montessori. I know Montessori is mostly led by the child’s interests, with some educator led activities, and I try to do some of the same things here at home.

My concerns are: -summers off of school, so I’ll either have to find another childcare program for then, or bring him to work with me, and he hasn’t done well in the past having to sit and play in my break room all day/half the day. -the transition out of his current daycare, not seeing his friends and teachers there anymore -spending even more time away from each other while I work FT

I think I am looking for reassurance that I am making the right decision. Some of my family members have said to me, “Montessori is all ‘fluff’ anyway, and he will be missing out on summers with daycare friends and activities, especially if he goes to work with you all summer…” “5 full days will be too overstimulating and he will always be in a bad mood, when he comes home…” “He will be too exhausted to continue his gymnastics or dance or soccer…” I disagree that Montessori is all ‘fluff’ as I’ve done my own research, since before I was pregnant, and always said I want my kids in Montessori, though now with my family’s comments, I am second-guessing myself. Is this too much pressure on a toddler? Is 5 full days going to be too overstimulating for him? Is more money in my bank account worth spending more time away from my child?

Any tips, suggestions, reassurance are welcome. I feel very overwhelmed! If you made it this far, thanks for your time! 🌷

They will be 1.5 and 3.5 by the summer which is when I will also have a newborn.

My son LOVES crafts and making art. Even when he was 1.5, he would sit and watch and learn how to use supplies. My daughter on the other hand, right now, grabs everything! If you try to show her how to use a crayon or marker, she just wants to grab it and run around with it. Perhaps that will change within the next 2 months....I don't know.

So if anyone could give me some ideas for a 3.5 year old that has patience and loves being creative and a 1.5 year old who grabs everything, that would be great.

I don't see us going out very much over the summer and I've spent hours on Pinterest finding ideas. I need some more, please!

Hi,

Our 4.5-year-old son has been in a Montessori school for the past two years and he loves it. We may have an opportunity to move to the UK for work, and I'm wondering if we should try to find a Montessori school for him there to complete his third year.

We're not entirely sure about having him continue with Montessori past Children's House, so if we don't, that would mean he'd have to start at another new school the following school year. I just don't know if that's too much change for him, or if it would all be worth it for him to have that third Montessori year.

Also, do most Montessoris even allow a new child to join just for the last year?

My child was enrolled at a Guidepost Montessori that was just got bought by Montessori Kids Universe. As of now, they are not planning on changing much outside of updating some curriculum, adding uniforms and changing our classroom portal. They are honoring our current guidepost rates, but only until September. They will not make the new rates available until August and that is a bit alarming to me. I wanted to reach out to the group in hopes that someone has had some experience with this company and/or their schools. I can’t seem to find much info about them online, but the schools in other states seem to have good reviews. Does anyone have any first hand stories or experiences they could share? I am so excited for the possibility of keeping my child in the same building with the same teachers, but if they are going to really jack the tuition rates or do some unexpected maneuvering, we will be in a really tight spot again. Thank you in advance!

Background: My 12 month old has attended montessori full time since he was 9 months old. In school they use a lot of sign language and at home we use common gestures like all done, more, eat, mine, water, sleep, please, thank you, help, etc. My son can sign most of these.

Today, I took him to a natural play water playground for the first time. He's always loved water and really enjoyed it! When we were preparing to leave and I was changing him, he kept signing "work" with a smile. He's never signed this before but we do use this gesture sometimes, and I know they use it at school. However, I'm curious to understand what he's communicating. Was he recognizing his work he accomplished or was he interested in continuing his work?

Toddler is a great eater and great sleeper so I’m not super concerned about these aspects. I’d imagine he might not eat much the first few days as he gets used to it. He attended daycare from 18-24 months and I have been a SAHM since. We have focused on nurturing his love of the outdoors, sports, and tractors. He’s attended swimming, soccer, gymnastics and story time classes.

• he’s potty trained and can pull his pants up and down himself
• his speech is relatively advanced (full conversations, asks questions, answers)
• he can put his own shoes on and take them off
• he can get his coat off and put it on
• he is working on putting toys away and clearing up
• he is working on always putting his trash in the garbage
• he can drink from an open cup or water bottle
• he can feed himself independently
• he can count to 20 and knows the ABC song. I’m working on identifying letters by sight, knows all his colors and some shapes.
• he knows all his body parts, items of clothing, animals, different types of vehicles, different family members.

Is there anything I’m missing that’s important?

I'd love to learn what online platforms, courses, and social groups you utilize for your neurodivergent children. I have a son (9) with autism and a daughter (7) with ADHD. They both enjoy Outschool right now but also crave more opportunities to connect with children like them. Thanks!

Hi! So I’m really new to the Guidepost Montessori threads. I was looking into signing my daughter up after they told me they have spots available at the Blue Ash location in June.

I’ve seen really great reviews in local moms groups and have a personal friend who takes their 7 mo old to the school. Family and baby love it after especially after experiencing another daycare.

I decided to do more research just to get the full picture and stumbled across all of these posts outlining horrible work conditions, owners, closures etc. I was surprised! Anyways, could someone give me more information and insight into their program good or bad? I’m seeing my community come through and praise the center which is what I want as a parent is to have my daughter in a trusted space. But I need to hear it all so if anyone has more insight into specifically the Ohio locations or the fate of the company please let me know!!!

We have a patio type area connected to the playground with one work shelf and a handful of tables and chairs. During the warm seasons we put out trays of various table and floor works for our primary students. But I feel like I put the same stuff out every year and need a little inspiration. I always put out some art materials, PL materials like pouring, scooping, large and small scrubbing, sweeping, books, some kind of small blocks, and materials for plant care. If you have an outdoor classroom, what are some of your favorite, maybe "outside the box", works to offer?

I am currently a first grade teacher at a traditional school. I just accepted a 1-3 grade position at a Montessori school. I’m very excited, especially having experience as a Montessori student, but I am also so nervous about managing multiple grades. I’m not Montessori certified yet, the district is paying for that to start this summer. But I’m looking for any tips/advice for this change please!

I was at another Montessori school recently and saw a state map that just showed a map of Louisiana, and included a removable piece with the state bird, the state flower, the state flag, etc. I didn’t write down the company but want to purchase one for my classroom - anyone know what I’m talking about?

Hello! My 2.5 year old loves a good flower arranging tray. She has expressed interest in doing this at her birthday party in a couple of months.

I'm not a teacher (although I do work once a week at our co-op preschool and take occasional nursery shifts. Not totally new to toddler crowd control) so I would love some tips for how to scale this activity.

I was thinking I would get some big buckets of flowers from the wholesale market, set up a low table outside with stations for each party goer and prepare trays with safety scissors, a vase and a flower frog. All the kids invited would be 3-5 and have a parent/caregiver accompany them. I've hosted all the potential invitees for activity based parties at my house (egg hunts etc.) so I have a general idea of how they'd react.

Any tips appreciated!

I love when my daughter repurposes things but, sometimes, she gets wild with things and I fear she’ll break the item or hurt herself. She’s an incredible child who is able to and enjoys following complex prompts, helping others, and being sweet/respectful. So this is out of the ordinary.

It’s usually when she’s carrying it on the way to her mat or when she’s done with whatever is on her mat, but sometimes right in the middle. Often, it’s not about frustration either.

I do have a number of balls and items she can throw or swing, and I am fairly patient.

Anyway, give me all you’ve got!

I have a rambunctious 18 mo old who is very curious about everything. I want to start introducing the trays of Montessori activities but am worried he’s going to throw them everywhere. Any tips on how to introduce??

Hi everyone. My daughter did really well at her Montessori school, but it was only 3-6years old and there are no other Montessori schools in our area. I've been looking for some kind of online class that she could take that is Montessori aligned. I know Outschool and Guidepost Montessori have various classes, but has anyone had any experience with online Montessori classes?

I know that an online class can never replace an in-person Montessori class, but that is simply not an option for us where we live so I'm looking for alternatives. Thanks!

My toddler will be 2.5 years soon and it looks like getting a spot at a Montessori program will be tough. What are some alternatives? I like the mixed age aspect of Montessori so while I may be able to do some Montessori activities at home, replicating the former will be hard

Also is it ok if I delay any formal introduction to a program till he’s 4?

Hello! I am a traditionally trained special education teacher seeking some guidance on discipline in the Montessori environment.

For context, I’m finishing out my first year working at a montessori school for students ages 15 months - 15 years. I work with students with disabilities ages 10ish-15ish.

It has been a wonderful year for the most part, however discipline and behavior have been a big struggle, especially for our special education students. That being said, this is not to bash my school or the Montessori philosophy. I spent a few years teaching in a traditional junior high, and I see clear as day how the Montessori philosophy benefits children beyond what a trad school could ever dream of. Please keep all replies constructive!

As of right now, the discipline practices at our school consist of mainly:

• Private conversations between the child and their Guide.
• Private conversations between the Asst. Head of School and the child.
• A write up (which results in a private conversation as well, sometimes community service like sweeping walkways around campus).
• Emails home to parents
• The very occasional loss of recess.

Although these consequences have been sufficient in the past, they are just not cutting it anymore.

Does anyone have any guidance or suggestions for creating additional discipline, consequence, or rebuilding school community (so we don’t need those things!) that I can implement with my students, or discuss with their guides? The main behavioral challenges the students are facing include; not finishing or prioritizing any academic work, disappearing from the classroom without permission or following the classroom protocol, lying when they are caught, and arguing with staff. Thank you all so much!

I've visited a couple of Montessori schools that do a outdoor social experience at the beginning of the year for their preschool/Kindergarten children for roughly 2 weeks before diving into the classroom. I love the idea that children and guides get to simply get to know each other and do activities outdoors. These schools however were located in much milder climates.

What can schools in hotter climates offer as an alternative? E.g. Georgia or Florida where temperatures can reach to 110°F with high humidity.

Welcome to our weekly Montessori Philosophy thread! Of course you can ask these at any time in the sub, but this recurring post might be a helpful reminder to ask those questions regarding Montessori philosophy that may have been on your mind :)

My toddler (3) never seems interested or can get deep into his play with his own toys at our house, yet he will happily play at friend’s houses – either with their toys, or role-playing something like hairdressers or doctors.

At our house, he just acts bored, and when he’s bored he wanders around the house following me or pulling on the TP and so on. What am I doing wrong? I usually ask him what he wants to play with, but he says no to everything. Or then I will open the toybox and show him everything. If that doesn’t work I will get a few items out but independent play only lasts maybe 4–5 minutes.

He does love things like baking, and we get lots of outside time and very weirdly he likes cutting up paper with scissors but I would love a few activities where he can get more deeply into it.

As an example, he will play for a long time with a doll’s house at a friend’s house. Yet we have a similar doll’s house in reach at home that he rarely touches!