The Fraction Skittles are part of the Mathematics curriculum and provide children with an excellent visual example of fractions from an early age.
Colour Boxes are one of the most visually appealing Montessori materials. Created to be introduced to children in three stages, Colour Boxes 1, 2 and 3 contain a different amount of matching coloured tablets, which are rectangular with handles on the side.
The Sandpaper Globe, also known as the land and water globe, is an introductory geography material from the Sensorial Curriculum.
This first thing that draws the eye in a Montessori classroom is the materials. Neatly ordered from left to right, and organised into curriculum areas, Montessori materials are specifically designed for little minds and little hands!
As a parent who is new to Montessori, you may be slightly alarmed when you first hear the term ‘normal’ or ‘normalisation’.
The Pink Tower is the iconic Montessori material. Often called the ‘symbol of Montessori’, it is a welcoming sign in any Montessori environment, and a favourite with educators globally.
The phrase ‘sensitive periods’ often conjures up thoughts of moody teenagers, but it actually refers to a period of time when a child’s interests are focused on developing a particular skill or knowledge area.
Maria Montessori was one of the first academics to link children’s emotional development to their ability to learn at an optimal rate. To support the development of social skills, emotional intelligence, and academic wellbeing, Montessori designed the concept of a classroom community to support the development of these skills over time.
Ensuring that children have the skills they need to succeed in the digital age is one of the most important issues for 21st century education.