Spelling with the Movable Alphabet

Picture 1 - The child opens the alphabet tray to see all 26 letters.



Picture 2 - The teacher slowly and clearly pronounces the word " cat".

Picture 3 - The child listens for the individual sounds and pulls the corresponding letters from the alphabet tray.



Picture 4 - The teacher proceeds with other words in the same manner.

~Ms. Belinda (Primary)

Fraction Skittles

The purpose of the Fraction Skittles are to develop the child's visual perception of geometric shapes, the relationship between geometric shapes, basic fraction terminology and basic equivalences. The Fraction Skittles are an indirect preparation for further geometry and study of fractions.

The child is asked to show the teacher one whole, one-half, one-third and one-fourth. Next, the child will experiment with the fractions. The child can discover that two-fourths make one-half and four-fourths make a whole, etc.

The child learns the terminology and symbols while discovering that all subdivided skittles (fractions) are a part of a whole.

Fraction Skittles are introduced to children in the Primary Classrooms around the age of four or five. ~ Ms. Kellie (Primary Class)

Spanish Body Parts

In Messiah Montessori's Spanish program, we make use of traditional Montessori material formats to incorporate language studies. Here, an elementary class student works with
Spanish Three Part Cards, as she learns to identify parts of the body in Spanish. ~ Ms. Lourdes - Spanish Teacher

Spanish at Messiah Montessori

In Messiah Montessori's Spanish program, we make use of traditional Montessori material formats to incorporate language studies. Here, an elementary class student works with
Spanish Three Part Cards, as she learns to identify parts of the body in Spanish

1st Days of School :: Brotherly Love

Bringing Montessori Home

By Traci McDuffie

K.T. Korngold discusses how she created a Montessori home environment for her daughters Sarah and Emma in the article ?Bringing Montessori Home?. She writes that by creating an independent, child-accessible, and learning environment her children have a space to explore, learn, and feel good about doing things for themselves.


Korngold describes how her home, from the low benches to the low sinks, are all within her children's reach so they can perform routine tasks on their own. She also emphasizes that her children aren't entertained by the TV or plastic toys, but rather items like the Learning Tower, books, arts and crafts materials, and costumes.

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"By having the material be the "teacher" rather than the adult, the child can own their work and satisfaction with the job done. She doesn't need to turn to me (or an another person for that matter) for outside validation. She is beginning to create her own internal guide. She can do it and she can know when she does."

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For K.T., being a mom is about "time. Time being present with my children. Time to let Emma take her own time: to put on and pull off her shoes twenty times if she wants; time to figure out how to get her arm in the sleeve; time to scoop her own cereal. . . .It is a quiet way of spending time and letting her grow guided by an environment where she is safe to explore and learn about her world."

Montessori Approach to Discipline

By: Tracie McDuffie

In their article ?The Montessori Approach to Discipline?, Mary Conroy and Kitty Williams Bravo explore discipline and obedience both inside and outside the Montessori classroom. They explain that the Montessori philosophy of giving children freedom and creating simple rules help build their inner discipline and develop grace towards and respect for others.

For people unfamiliar with the Montessori philosophy, thoughts and rumors of an "unstructured" and "chaotic" classroom may come to mind. Upon visiting a Montessori classroom, these notions are immediately challenged and refuted when observing independent, focused children working, interacting with one another, and their teachers.

As Conroy and Bravo explain "Montessori when done well . . is a beautiful blend and perfect balance of freedom and structure. The best Montessori teachers or facilitators understand that maintaining the delicate balance is one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of their job. It is on that foundation of freedom and structure that the child builds discipline."