Montessori-Inspired Bedtime Stories

During my time as Head of Wilmington Montessori School, I’ve been happy to see Montessori education grow throughout the state of Delaware and the United States. At WMS, we’ve established the Center for Montessori Advancement to support this growth in the state of Delaware and beyond.

Despite the increasing accessibility and visibility of Montessori education, there are many people who simply don’t understand what it is and how it transforms children into creative, kind, open-minded and confident adults. A simple description can’t do it justice – one has to see it in action.

Trevor Eissler, creator of the popular Montessori Madness YouTube video, brings the essence of Montessori education to life in his new children’s book, 4,962,571.

JuneBooks.com describes 4,962,571 as “the story of a boy suddenly captivated by the idea of counting to a very large number. He sets a goal for himself, and through self-discipline, creativity, insight, and hard work, he...well, you will have to see whether he reaches it or not.”

The story demonstrates the Montessori goal of nurturing children’s natural curiosity and encouraging them to find answers through their own exploration – rather than simply asking an adult for the answer. In 4,952,571, the boy’s creativity and curiosity, as well as his joy in exploring the world around him, demonstrate Montessori learning at its best.



I encourage you to share this video or a copy of the book with friends who haven’t been introduced to Montessori education, as well as the children in your life, who will be inspired by the boy’s imagination and mathematical mind.  Visit the June Books website to see other books by Eissler, all written with the goal to “delight and inspire children, while introducing families to Montessori education.”

The best way to learn about Montessori education is to visit a Montessori classroom, and I hope this book will encourage families to do so. Eissler envisions a world in which Montessori education is the norm, and I also look forward to a day when high-quality Montessori education is accessible to all.

“One day we won’t call it Montessori school,” Eissler said. “We’ll just call it school.”

The Gift of White Space

In the midst of this holiday season full of special programs, parties, concerts, “must do” holiday events, crafts and other activities, a concept I read about and discussed back in 2009 comes to mind.

Particularly during this hectic time of year, I often wonder as a working parent if I am doing the right things for my children. I have come to realize that it is a dilemma of all of us, whether we work or not. My children are lucky to have many opportunities, both in school and outside of school, to take part in a variety of activities - and of course, we want our children to have the advantages of a multitude of experiences. However, in “Great Expectations” by Johann Christoph Arnold (part of the book Endangered: Your Child in a Hostile World), we are reminded that there is an important part of childhood that involves just in being a child without any time restraints and structure. He applies this idea to the beautiful concept of "white space."

Visual artists are familiar with the concept of white space, the unmarked portion of a page. To an artist, white space isn't considered blank space. Instead, it's an important element of design which enables the very existence of the objects - the key to aesthetic composition. 

This popular optical illusion demonstrates the integral role
of white space in a design.

Arnold compares this artistic idea to the white space we all need in our lives,

            “As an author I became aware, after completing my first book, of something I had never noticed previously: the importance of white space. White space is the room between the lines of type, the margins, the extra space at the beginning of a chapter, a page left blank at the beginning of the book. It allows the type to “breathe” and gives the eye a place to rest. White space is not something you’re conscious of when you read a book. It is what isn't there.

            Just as books require white space, so do children. That is, they need room to grow. The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu reminds us that “it is not the clay the potter throws that gives the jar its usefulness, but the space within.” Our tendency to overbook children, emotionally and time-wise, robs them of the space and flexibility they need to develop at their own pace. They need stimulation and guidance, but they also need time to themselves. Hours spent alone in daydreams or quiet, unstructured activities instill a sense of security and independence and provide a necessary lull in the rhythm of the day.”

We all, adults and children alike, need that time that keeps us replenished for our busy lives and the space to enrich our lives in ways we haven't even imagined. As I wrote in my original blog about this concept, I did not understand the true importance of this gift as a child when my mother told me to choose only one after-school activity, but it is a lesson I'm now grateful for.

No matter what your plans are this holiday season, I hope each of you takes the time to enjoy following your child, perhaps just sitting together for a few minutes, playing with their toys, or sharing stories about your childhood traditions. Give your child (and yourself) the gift of white space this holiday season. 

Interactive Learning Tools Offer Opportunity for Rich Dialogue with Children

As one of our preschool teachers compiles portfolios of her students’ work on tiny flash drives, our 9-12 students research forms of government online, our teachers respond to emails from parents, and I type this blog, it’s clear that technology has become interwoven in our daily routine at Wilmington Montessori School. The world is “going digital” – or, arguably, has already “gone” – and while our staff and parents may remember a time when this wasn’t the case, our children will not.

It’s strange to think that objects we grew up with – the calculator, rotary phone and floppy disk, to name a few – are on their way to becoming artifacts like the abacus and quill pen. What other objects will become obsolete in our lifetimes and in the lifetimes of our children?

A German digital creative agency has utilized the new interactive capabilities of YouTube to share their answers to some of these questions in their Museum of Obsolete Objects.

The well-designed online museum allows viewers to take a nostalgic trip back in time. Yes, some of the creators’ conclusions are debatable – The fax machine became obsolete in 1999? The radio transmitter in 2004? – but that’s part of what makes this quirky site so intriguing. The Museum of Obsolete Objects serves as an amazing conversation starter, particularly between members of different generations. A discussion with your children or students could include the following:

• Which of the objects does your child remember? How about you?
• Do you agree that these objects are indeed obsolete?
• Which new innovations made each of these objects obsolete?
• What do you notice about the pace at which objects are becoming obsolete?
• Discuss some current objects and when you believe they might become obsolete or what type of technology could eventually replace them.
• If you have any of these obsolete objects available, allow children to interact with them and compare them with their newer replacements.

Interactive learning tools like this one provide an opportunity for rich dialogue between people of all ages. Want to check out some other virtual museums? Here’s a list of a few, courtesy of Teacher Tap (a free professional development resource that helps educators address common questions about the use of technology in teaching and learning). For a different outlook on the obsolete, here’s a list of obsolete skills.

What websites do you enjoy sharing and discussing with your children? Please share them in the comments!

Facing the 21st Century Through Labs Without Walls

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending an event at which Ellen Kullman, chairwoman and CEO of E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co, gave a powerful speech with some very clear messages.

As I sat listening, I was struck by many parallels to the world of education. When she speaks about DuPont, Ms. Kullman describes a company in transformation as it moves into its third century, noting that DuPont cannot continue to function as it did 50 years ago but must respond to the changing needs and problems of the world community. One such program – and one DuPont believes it has the scientific knowledge base to address – is the need to create an adequate world-wide food supply by the year 2050.

Kullman shared personal experiences with farmers and communities with scarce access to food in an October 13 press release. “I’ve walked through fields with farmers on four continents. I now understand many of the concerns they have and their hopes for the future for their families and communities,” Kullman said.

In order to meet this lofty challenge, Ms. Kullman knows that DuPont needs to work collaboratively with others throughout the global community. She describes “labs without walls,” where we learn from each other rather than existing in competitive isolation. Ms. Kullman emphasized the need for people to think creatively and innovatively as they use science to address world problems. Collaboration, a global perspective and use of science to solve important problems were the main themes throughout the address. Ms. Kollman described the importance of this collaboration: “At the end of the day, no one country, company, government or foundation can meet the global food security challenge alone ... Together, we can accomplish what no one can do alone.”

Find out how something as small as a seed can make an enormous change in the lives of farmers, their families and communities:

So, how does this parallel the educational world?

Clearly, just as DuPont cannot function as it did 50 years ago, neither can the schools that are preparing a new generation to do the work Ms. Kullman envisions. Research shows us that schools that foster and support global thinking, cooperation and innovation are child-centered schools encouraging risk-taking and new ideas – Montessori schools fit this description perfectly. More importantly, as Montessori teachers and parents, we need to serve as “labs without walls,” sharing what works in our schools with a broader community so that more children will be prepared to solve world problems – even world hunger.

Current Events in Delaware Education

The early years of education are the foundation of a child’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. It is inspiring to see the spotlight that the State of Delaware is shining on preschool education. “Kindergarten readiness” begins well before the age of five. The very term implies that a child might actually “fail” kindergarten readiness; a child of five cannot fail. However, the community can fail the child when it does not provide for rich experiences for all our children. Perseverance, team work, critical thinking and understanding of community – these are critical skills to nurture in our youngest learners, regardless of their socio-economic status. The State of Delaware realizes that in difficult economic times, children and education continue to be a priority. Did you see Sunday’s article in the News Journal? Grab some coffee and read it here.

And kudos to Elementary Workshop, a Montessori school located in the heart of the city, and the Christina School District for creating a partnership that will allow Montessori to be accessible to more children who will thrive in its environments. Even more is possible – cheers to growth for Montessori in Delaware!