This year Brooksfield created an oudoor classroom area for our students to explore nature, dig for worms and learn about the world outside of the classroom walls.  Led by our our Outdoor Education teacher, Anne McLaughlin, students have had fun getting dirty rain or shine!   “Water, water everywhere” was the theme this week in the outdoor environment! Undaunted by the weather, we trekked outside and were lucky enough to have some cover and protection from the rain underneath the big green tent over the picnic benches. The children appropriately dubbed our work “the water kitchen” as we noticed just how much rainfall had collected in 3 separate basins set out for water play. The children experimented with various natural objects to see which ones would sink (such as river stones and seashells) and which ones would float (Iike leaves and sticks). We even made a boat! Many children used practical...

Parents making critical decisions about their child’s education have a lot of tough choices to face. It can be helpful to compare Montessori vs traditional education. An  article in EdSurge  points out that Montessori schools within the U.S., because they are mostly private institutions, leave those unfamiliar with the Montessori method of education thinking these schools are to serve children from upper-income families who can afford the cost of private tuition. More and more innovators in public school education are finding ways to bring Montessori methodology into their public school systems. Indeed, the original Montessori school, Casa dei Bambini, was designed to educate children from Roman slum neighborhoods to improve working-class conditions and enable children from high-poverty areas. Montessori vs. Traditional: Student numbers Because traditional schools must educate every child efficiently, budget constraints force students into classrooms with rows of students and high student-to-teacher ratios. Most classrooms remain teacher-centered with the...

As a parent, you want your child to grow up to be the best person that he or she can be. One important part of growth is learning to be independent and imaginative. Nowadays, encouraging independent and imaginative play with your child can be difficult. More and more kids play with tablets and other technological devices, which can be educational and a lot of fun. However, these devices can discourage kids from playing on their own. Luckily, as a parent, there are steps that you can take. These are three tips that can help you encourage your child to be independent and imaginative, even in today's tech-heavy world. 1. Provide the Right Toys First of all, you can't really expect your child to do anything else if all that you buy for birthdays and holidays are technological toys. Although there is nothing wrong with buying tablets and other devices for your...

Education is one of the most hotly-debated topics in the United States, and many parents are concerned about whether their children are getting the best education available. Of course, every person has a different learning style, so what works for one student may not be best for his or her peers. Because of this, many alternative education programs have arisen to help children of all backgrounds get a quality education. One of the most well-known of these programs is the Montessori education. Montessori Education Characteristics Montessori education programs are unique in that they allow students to learn at their own pace. Classrooms include students of all ages, allowing the older kids to mentor younger children, and allow students to choose what to work on during long time blocks. Quizzes and tests are rare, and students receive both individual and group instruction on social skills and academia. While Montessori education is still...

Montessori education is different  from ordinary schools. We're interested in helping children learn and grow, not teaching them how to fill in circles on a Scantron sheet. We want to encourage a lifelong desire to learn in our students. We don't want them to memorize random facts, regurgitate them for a standardized test, and promptly forget them as they study the next chapter. We know that children grow into adults, and we want them to be useful adults, capable of independent thought, capable of caring, capable -- and willing -- to make the world a better place than they found it. What is a Montessori School Instructor? A Montessori instructor is the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage.  "The social and natural sciences in Montessori elementary are presented with a specific goal in mind: to set each child out on a lifelong search for meaning."  Montessori educators...

  Do you have a ‘big kid’ living in your home? By ‘big kid,’ I, of course, mean a small person who cannot reach his own socks without the aid of an adult but who will insist from the minute he wakes until that precious moment he falls asleep, that he is ‘big.’ So big, in fact. Or maybe you live with a legitimately big kid whose desire to do all the things all around the house still far exceeds her height and current capabilities. Whichever kind of big kid you have, chances are they long to do things like fix their own breakfast, help you make dinner, and dress themselves without any assistance. And, chances are, you’re ready to let them do a little more in this very busy early-school time of year. The only hiccup in this grand plan is that your house is not set up to make...

It’s never too early to start thinking about what kind of education you want for your child, and right now there are more options than ever, including a plethora of public schools, private schools, as well as specific-curriculum designed programs. The Montessori curriculum, however, has been around for many years and is gaining more attention.   About the Montessori Curriculum The Montessori model was developed in 1907 by Dr. Maria Montessori. It was designed to provide a unique education for children from low-income families and children with disabilities. The Montessori classrooms teach children at a variety of ages, in blocks that are dedicated to different learning opportunities. Unlike traditional educational methods, the Montessori curriculum allows students to choose their own activities and work with their peers in small groups. Teachers guide the students and assist them as needed, but the education style does not include a grading or testing system. Montessori...

When your child is enrolled in Montessori School, they spend their days learning with hands-on activities. Montessori students are encouraged to learn by doing and are given opportunities throughout the day to do just that. Children are also given the freedom to explore topics that are of interest to them. A huge variety of tools and activities are available for students to choose from as they see fit.  Knowing this, it is easy to see why a child may come home with questions and even more exploration on their mind. Instead of sitting your child in front of a television set, why not offer them a selection of activities and take advantage of their curiosity? Below are just a few of the many simple activities you can put together for your child in five minutes or less. These are perfect for entertaining the little ones while you prepare dinner. Locks and Keys...

In addition to being a child-centered community, the Montessori preschool classroom is also a “prepared environment.” The prepared environment is Maria Montessori’s concept that the environment can be designed to facilitate maximum independent learning and exploration by the child. The Montessori preschool classroom is a “living room” for children.  All of the furniture is child-sized and all of the materials are scaled to fit the physical dimensions of a preschooler’s body.  Space is usually divided into four distinct areas:  practical life, sensorial, mathematics, and language.  Although these areas represent part of the curriculum, it is important to remember that no subject is taught in isolation.  The Montessori preschool curriculum is interdisciplinary and interactive. In the prepared environment, there is a variety of activity as well as a great deal of movement.  A 3-year-old, for example, may be washing clothes by hand while a 4-year-old nearby is composing words and phrases with letters known as the moveable...

You may think you have years to pick an educational path that’s right for your child . He or she is still a toddler, why rush them into a pre-K program? The fact is, this may be the MOST IMPORTANT time for your child’s educational growth. Toddlers are information sponges. They soak up everything around them. You want to know that your child is as prepared as possible for their coming educational experiences. You may worry that your child will be missing some of the vital skills other students their age have already had the chance to gain. What skills can a Montessori pre-K program give them to best prepare them for educational and life success? Montessori Pre-K Teaches Independence If your child still cowers behind you and needs you to do everything for them, it's time to start working on their independence. Your child should be able to ask questions...