February 25- March 2, 2024

Ideas for your community to celebrate montessori education week

  • Share the Governor’s Proclamation with your school community

  • Talk about who Maria Montessori was. 

    • Search for research online. 

    • Use pre-made Maria Montessori Centenary cards

    • Use pre-made Maria Montessori Biography cards

  • Allow students time to do research on Maria Montessori.

  • Use your maps to show Europe, Italy, India (she moved here when forced to leave Italy), and all the continents that have Montessori schools (all but Antarctica.)

  • Point out the characteristics of a Montessori classroom that make it unique. Talk about why these characteristics are so important!

    • multi-aged classes

    • individual/small group/whole group lessons

    • work cycle

    • Montessori materials

    • work on table or rug

    • work plans

    • grace and courtesy lessons, etc. 

  • Discuss what freedom of movement and freedom of choice of work mean?  It doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want.  These freedoms/opportunities/options) should be purposeful and come with great responsibility.

  • Write about or draw your favorite experience in our Montessori classrooms.

  • Write about or draw a picture of your favorite work/lesson. 

    • Can you explain the steps of the lesson? 

    • What is the purpose of the lesson? 

    • Allow the child to give the lesson to a friend.

  • Use this writing prompt - If you could tell others about your Montessori classroom, what would it be?  Younger friends could dictate their responses for teachers to record.

  • Read Our Peaceful Classroom by Aline Wolf to your class.  It’s illustrated by primary Montessori students.  LE and UE students may enjoy reminiscing about their time in our primary classrooms. 

  • Share Montessori Key Terms with your Montessori parents to help them feel more connected to what is going on in your classroom.  Montessori Terminology

  • Send home a weekly class update that includes one Montessori Key Term each week.

  • Invite your students’ parents to come observe. You may want to allow the student to give a “tour” of the classroom, show his favorite work, etc.

  • Learning about the world around us is a huge part of our cultural studies.  Consider doing something like a “Tour of the Continents.” 

  • Create a list of famous or important people that were Montessori students. 

  • Create a list of famous or important people who were/are supporters of Montessori education.

  • Brainstorm a list of grace and courtesy lessons with your students. 

    • How do these help to keep your classroom peaceful?

  • Listen to “Let There Be Peace On Earth” with your students.

  • Listen to “With My Own Two Hands.”  by Jack Johnson

  • Sing Peace I Wish for You and Me.  (lyrics below)

    • (Tune:  Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)

      Peace I wish for you and me.

      That’s the way of Montessori.

      We learn early to share and care,

      Not just at home but everywhere.

      From one continent to another,

      We will hug and love our brother.

      By:  Mary Lynn Williamson