Hello Friends, I love the change of seasons and the way the children find new ways to interact with nature. Leaves are piled. Pumpkins are carved. Our fresh foods shift to fall produce. Our children play through all of it: adapting, switching from baseballs to snowballs, swapping magic sticks for magic icicles, bicycles for bobsleds. Seasons and children are a reminder that change is constant. Tiny transformations are always in motion. As I watch the seasons change, I think of Maria Montessori’s ideas on what she called Cosmic Education. This philosophy and curriculum creates a path through which children develop …

As we prepare for our Harvest Moon Festival on Sept 24, and look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones, it’s fun to look at our history and to take in the charm of our beautiful Mitchell Mansion. I was recently going through some historical archives and found an early TNSM newsletter that shared the following: The rehabilitation of the New School building is presently underway, a project that combines the careful restoration of the stone exterior with internal changes to some of the rooms to better accommodate the students and teachers.   Originally, the Richard Mitchell Residence was …

Hello Friends, Last week, we celebrated Dr. Maria Montessori’s birthday.  I am currently reading a novel based on her life, Maria Montessori: The Soul of a Child. For those of you interested in deepening your understanding of this extraordinary woman, I highly recommend the book. It is an imaginative and compassionate look at this bold, lion-hearted, kind soul. For many of us, reading Montessori books can be a daunting task, getting bogged down with thick lingo and educational theory. This novel, however, uncovers the heart and life story behind the pedagogy in a light and skillful way. If you choose …

Hello Friends, Congratulations to everyone on a great first week! We are all on our own unique journey. Some of us are learning about our community and dropping off children at The New School Montessori for the first time. Others have spent the last eight years with us and are watching their 6th grade child confidently begin their final academic year on our campus. Many of us are somewhere in between. The one thing we have in common is an appreciation for the Montessori method and wanting the absolute best for our children.   I know you have all done …

Hello Friends, Several years ago, one of our 6th graders was about to take the stage to present on a topic she had researched over the course of several months to an audience of nearly 100 people.  She was 12, dressed up for the presentation, and about to stand in front of the largest crowd she had ever had to address. She was about to do what statistically is considered one of our greatest fears; public speaking. All of our 6th graders go through this rite of passage called, Senior Project. She looked a little jittery, and I asked how …

Hello Friends, We had an extraordinary auction and gala last Saturday.  Thank you for attending.  Audrey Cobb provided a spectacular spread of delicious bites, the Renaissance Jazz Band serenaded us from the porch, and it felt SO good to gather together as a community. The generosity of our community was inspiring.  We raised over $90,000.00!!  We have now reached $1.8 million towards our Capital Campaign.  Thank you for your support and trust in our vision toward a better tomorrow!   If you weren’t able to make the event and were still wanting to contribute to the Kaleidoscope Campaign, CLICK HERE. It is hard …

Hello Friends, A few weeks ago, I wrote about what a forward-thinking pioneer Maria Montessori was and about how non-Montessori educators talk about how education needs to change in radical ways –and then they always end up describing the Montessori classroom. I was recently reading an article, Fostering Metacognition in Preschool and, yet again, found the author describing the Montessori way (without ever mentioning Montessori)!  Here is an excerpt: “Legitimizing and respecting what children do on a daily basis is an important part of my role as an early childhood educator. For this reason, I base my work on listening, observing, …

Hello Friends,   This community is unbelievable.  Every day I see so many acts of kindness I lose count.  Parents from the (6-9) community have volunteered to help with recess and lunch for months.  Many other parents have stepped in to sub when needed.  Another shows up and makes our entryway planters beautiful with gorgeous, lush green ferns.  From our volunteer board, to chaperoning, donating to our auction or annual giving, creating staff appreciation gifts, and so much more, we are blessed with a community of families that time and again show us the value of kindness.   And then, as I …

Hello Friends,   Several TNSM teachers and I traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to participate in the American Montessori Society Conference. It is always a thrilling experience to commune with Montessorians from around the country and world. We were inspired, challenged, and ultimately walked away buzzing with new ideas.   As I read through non-Montessori educational blogs and journals, I have sensed an almost frenzied conversation around what the future of education should look like. Debates and calls to action for a radical new way for children to learn, thrive, and grow whips us into a frenzy. I too can get …