Blog

A Surprising Favorite Game: Learning Geometric Solids

Written by Directress Cindy Genin Do any of you remember the game, Guess Who? It was one of my favorite games when I was younger. How about the game Headbands? This is a game that is fun for the whole family. In all of our classrooms, we have two very similar works on the shelves; the Mystery Bag and Guessing Game. The Sensorial […]

Montessori Kindergarten Makes Leaders Out of Young Learners

The human hand, so delicate and so complicated, not only allows the mind to reveal itself but it enables the whole being to enter into special relationships with its environment. –Maria Montessori I am often asked, “Why Montessori for the kindergarten year?” You may be familiar with my answer: You chose Westshore Montessori School for your […]

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 […]

Simple, 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 […]

Montessori 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 […]

Montessori 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, […]

Montessori at Home: Patience

“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, they need the attention now!  This is […]