Posts by Westshore Montessori School
Montessori at Home: Nature as Teacher
by Toddler Directress Shun Shun Cui When I entered the Montessori classroom my first time, I was attracted by the natural materials. All the materials in the classroom are closely related to nature or our adult functional life, such as wooden plates, small stones from the river, and real glasses. Those natural materials provide children…
Read MoreSimple, Natural Materials for School and Play
by Directress Nancy Wu “Play is the work of the child.”“He does with his hands, by experience, first in play then through work. The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.” – Maria Montessori I remember once seeing a commercial on television showing a doctor’s prescription for a child that reads, “play.” I wholeheartedly agree with this…
Read MoreMontessori at Home: Freedom of Choice
by Directress Cindy Genin A typical misconception of a Montessori School is that, “it is one of those schools where the children are able to do whatever they want at any time.” People imagine chaos in a room where children are not regimented. A good rebuttal to this false idea comes from Dr. Montessori herself: One…
Read MoreMontessori At Home: Freedom of Movement
by Directress Jessica Hrytzik Humans often think of our bodies and minds as two separate mechanisms doing work all their own. The body does physical tasks that build strength and cardiovascular health. The brain does mental tasks that build intelligence. These statements are true in the scope of general abilities of the body and the brain,…
Read MoreMontessori at Home: Patience
by Primary and Kindergarten Directress Nancy Wu “Miss Nancy, Miss Nancy…” As I give a lesson to a child, another child calls for help from the other side of the classroom. Or, a student keeps tapping my shoulder to get my attention when I am working with another child. The inquisitive child just can’t wait,…
Read MoreMontessori At Home: Communicating With Your Toddler
by Shunshun Cui, Toddler Directress I remember when my oldest son David was a hungry toddler. I asked him if he wanted a banana or an apple for his snack one day. He chose the apple. I gave him one, and he started to cry and yelled that he didn’t want it. I asked why,…
Read MoreMontessori At Home: How to Fight Summer Boredom
adapted from a June 2020 piece by Christina Clemmer on mother.ly Summer days are a great time to play with your child and do special activities together. Setting up a few areas in your home where your child can play independently will allow your child to have fun playing on his own, too—so that you can…
Read MoreWhat Is Westshore’s Summer Program?
by Jessica Hrytzik The Westshore Montessori Summer Program is a fun-filled opportunity for enrichment. Each and every child brings a very special element to our program. The children share their knowledge, their personalities, and their opportunities with peers from every classroom at Westshore Montessori. The Classrooms are filled with the typical Montessori materials that the children…
Read MoreCreating Montessori At Home
One of the most helpful things you can do for your child during this time is to create familiar Montessori routines and environments in your own space at home. The Johnson family has this beautiful setup to share with the Westshore community: Do you have any lessons or quarantine creations that you are proud of?…
Read MoreCommunity Over Competition
Written by Directress Monica Dieter The Montessori Method works to maximize the individual child’s academic potential. At Westshore, our classrooms are authentic Montessori environments designed to facilitate child-directed learning experiences. By engaging with materials that are accessible, inviting, and self-correcting, students develop independence, curiosity, and confidence. As students build a strong sense of self, they…
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