The Montessori Notebook podcast :: a Montessori parenting podcast with Simone Davies – Details, episodes & analysis

Hello there! I'm popping into your podcast feed with a catch up on what has been happening the last 2.5 years since the last podcast episode, including the launch of The Montessori Child book. The book picks up where The Montessori Toddler leaves off, covering how to bring Montessori into your home with 3-12 year olds, including a bonus chapter on adolescence. At the end of the epidsode, I also answer a listener question about talking to our children about war.

Links from the episode

• The Montessori Child book - for 3-12 year olds (and into adolescence)
  • Preorder by 4 March and claim your pre-order bonuses here
• Film recommendations:
  • Perfect days
  • Anatomy of a Fall
• Book recommendations:
  • Summer Fishing in Lapland by Juhani Karila
  • Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
  • Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer 
• Talking to children about war
  • Erica Moretti's book, The Best Weapon for Peace: Maria Montessori, Education, and Children's Rights
  • Webinar: How to talk to children about what is happening
  • Newsletter: Talking to our children about war
• Until next time:
  • follow one of Simone's Montessori workshops here (from US$10)
  • sign up for Simone's regular e-newsletter filled with Montessori inspiration

Welcome to the last episode of Season 2. And it’s a good one. Today I get to chat to Montessori educator and a nationally recognised anti-bias educator in the US, Britt Hawthorne. She’s all about creating inclusive and equitable environments for all learners and understandably her work has been recognized by none other than PBS, Drew Barrymore, Google Edu, Association Montessori Internationale, and more.

I have learned so much from Britt over the last year and a half, yes, about being an anti-racist parent and educator but also just how you can raise critically thinking children, children who can advocate for themselves, recognise injustice, call it out and do something about it. We all need people like this that raise their children in a way that shows us what is possible.

Links from the show

• Britt Hawthorne - website / instagram
• Join Britt's Collective Liberation community
• Dr Kira Banks
• More about the fundamental needs in Montessori
• Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves by Louise Derman-Sparks, Julie Olsen Edwards
• Dr Rudine Sims Bishop on mirrors, windows and sliding doors
• Britt's favourite books - bookshop.org/shop/britthawthorne
• look out for Britt's book coming in 2022, "Raising Antiracist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide"
• redistributes funds to Keres Children's Learning Center and Sankofa Learning Center
• some of my favourite instagram posts from Britt:
  • pyramid of accountability
  • “If you’re tired, rest don’t quit” by darling and illustrated bby minna_so 
  • 8 ABAR goals to set for 2021
• 42 ways in Montessori we allow intrinsic motivation to express itself - insta post / blog post
• more about the spindle box
• tour of Kristina's space
• follow one of Simone's Montessori workshops here (from US$10)
• sign up for Simone's regular e-newsletter filled with Montessori inspiration

Listener question

Maeg asks
“I’m really having a hard time preparing work cycles for two daughters with totally #1 different interests. They are 3 & 1. Also my 3 year old is so focused and loves doing things all by herself (even when she was just a baby) however the 1 year old loves to join her older sister. Another factor is a very small apartment. We only have one low shelf that could fit the room so most of the time for the 1 year old were prepared in the shelf. What should I do. We’ll live in this apartment for the next five years before having our third baby."

Today I have an amazing conversation to share with Gabriel Salomão of Lar Montessori in Brazil. His native language is Portuguese and yet speaks so eloquently, gently and respectfully about the Montessori approach. I always learn something from our conversations and am so happy to be able to share this conversation with you on the podcast today.

Lar Montessori: Website / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube

Gabriel works with families and schools in Brazil and abroad, including training Montessori educators. He went to Montessori school himself until he was 14 and came back to Montessori when he was graduating in Literature in search of tools to become a better teacher. "One night, I found a small little book by Maria Montessori online and started to read, without pretensions. When I finished, it was dawn, and my life was transformed."

Quotes
- Gabriel asked a child "What do you want to be when you grow up?" The child responded, "An adult."
- "To obey is hard, it's a skill and you learn that."
- "Step into the wilderness of silence"
- "Love is very much silent"

Links from the episode

• Dignity: a new gift for children
• 8 principles of silent education
• Muriel Dwyers "A Path for the Exploration of Any Language Leading to Writing and Reading"
• Instagram @whatdaddid
• Join our free book launch zoom party for The Montessori Baby on 11 May at 11am ET!

Listener question

Hi, Simone! I want to thank you so much for this podcast & your book. It has helped me immensely in my personal interactions with my 20-month old and I have already seen a change in her demeanour at home.

My question is regarding my spouse. He tells me to ""lead the way"" indicating that he wants me to learn all I can to incorporate Montessori principles at home. He is supportive in my research, but rarely listens to parts of your podcast that I share or reads blog posts that I recommend for him. He often interrupts our daughter's activities that I spend time planning, or constantly ""quizzes"" her to see what she has learned. He is well-intentioned and loves her so much. How do I gently guide him, or really guide all of our family, to let her lead and stop interrupting her or constantly asking her questions?

Thank you so much for helping me in this situation!

Submit your listener question here

Mars (Instagram/website) was a Montessori educator and owned her own school and now homeschools her daughter Cara. I asked Mars if I could interview her daughter Cara about their Montessori homeschooling and we spoke for over an hour! I'm sure you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

At the end Mars also talks about how she supports Cara's learning and what "successful" homeschooling looks like to them.

Links from the episode

• How to Save a Planet - podcast about climate change
• Gardener of the Sea: A Story About Nida Calumpong
• Charlotte Mason
• For Nature Stories for Young Readers, we have the Animal Life. Nature Stories for Young Readers: Animal Life by Florence Bass
• Shell, Beak, Tusk
• How to clean a hippopotamus book
• Sleeping queens
• Rainbow Knights
• CuBirds
• Trellis
• Bites
• Jurassic Snack
• The Magic Labyrinth
• Secret Seven // Famous Five
• a photo from Cara's book
• blog post about Montessori training
• pre-order The Montessori Baby

Listener question

My question for you is do you have any recommendations regarding resources or training for educators who do not intend on working in a Montessori school but would still like to approach teaching in a Montessori way? I work as a teacher in a public elementary school in Canada and would love to have a better understanding of the Montessori approach to early numeracy and literacy learning. I am specifically looking for resources for students in the 3-6 range. Thanks!

Hi everyone! Simone here and I'm super excited to be back with another season of The Montessori Notebook podcast. Today I'll be talking with Nusaibah Macadam from Rumi Montessori. It was a beautiful conversation covering:

• Montessori through the four planes of development
• How Nusaibah sees Montessori as being of service
• How to develop trust in the Montessori method
• How using Montessori can be joyful and not stressful
• How to stay calm when a child is having a hard time
• Does Montessori mean children can do whatever they want?
• Their family's approach to screens
• Her experience of raising Noah who is autistic and seeing it as a gift
• Incorporating Montessori into Islamic parenting and education
• Cultural differences between the UK and Malaysia
• How their classroom is trilingual
• Why there is only one of everything in a Montessori classroom and why children learn to wait

Listener question

I have a 3 year old son who has been raised in a Spanish environment even though we live in the US. I have never wanted to label him as a shy person, but I think that’s one of the descriptions that the rest of the people that gets to know him say about him. So, how do you work with persons that are shy or have some personality trails of shyness?, how do you help this people to succeed? And what can I do as a parent to encourage in my child to be more open to others and to play and work with others?  - Carolina

Links from the show

• Rumi Montessori: website, instagram
• More information about The Montessori Baby and how to claim your pre-order bonuses if you upload your order details by 10 May 2021.

Happy to be back with another Q&A episode. So many valuable questions, it was hard to choose! I've selected the most commonly asked questions as well as a few less often asked but useful to answer as I haven't seen them often discussed elsewhere.

In this episode I answer your questions about:

1. when you learn about Montessori, make some changes, and things seem to be getting worse rather than better
2. how much to let our children play independently and how much to do together like cooking, playing football together etc
3. how much to show our child how to play with an activity vs letting them explore for themselves
4. a child who has never put away toys and when asked says, "you do it"
5. training to become a Montessori teacher
6. whether picture to picture matching is a Montessori activity or not
7. ideas for integrating Montessori into the early infant days
8. dealing with a toddler who is avoiding bedtime and using every excuse and getting up constantly
9. not interfering with the child and observing them, but feeling like they could be doing something more interesting or meaningful themselves
10. dealing with family who buy lots of battery-powered toys without being ungrateful
11. what to do when friends have battery-powered toys and merchandised toys that you don't allow them at home
12. how to arrange a sleeping area for a newborn and 3 year old
13. what I recommend as a crash course for beginners
14. applying Montessori with children with special needs, ie, physical and learning difficulties
15. what type of children Montessori is best for
16. how to talk to a family member who cares for your infant but is not in agreement with the Montessori approach
17. talking with a young child about upcoming medical procedures, scars etc
18. finding space for Montessori with a 4 year old and 6 month old in a small space
19. what to do when your 18-month old keeps getting to the sink to play with water
20. dealing with a child screaming with frustration

So many fun questions, right? I hope you all find some useful answers to your Montessori questions.

Sadly this episode of the podcast is the last of Season 1. That went by so quick! I don't yet have a date for Season 2, but if you'd like to be kept up to date, be sure to subscribe here to receive my regular e-newsletter with the latest news and always packed full of Montessori inspiration.

And in the meantime, there are also lots of podcast episodes in this season to listen to or revisit, you can follow me on Instagram, check out the blog and free resources, and there are lots of online courses to explore too.

Til Season 2! Watch this space...

Links from this episode

Click here for full show notes: https://www.themontessorinotebook.com/your-montessori-questions-answered-2/

Want even more Montessori inspiration?

- website: themontessorinotebook.com/the-montessori-notebook-podcast
- instagram: instagram.com/themontessorinotebook
- facebook: facebook.com/themontessorinotebook
- my online courses: themontessorinoteb

I love it when Montessori teachers share their secrets and today's conversation with Nichole Holtvluwer of Radicle Beginnings is just like that. Nichole talks us through why children need boundaries, and we can set these limits in a calm and clear way from a child hitting to a fussy eater. Nichole is so respectful in how she communicates with children right down to making intentional word choices and how she speaks with them to keep them curious about the world around them. She is an expert with Montessori for toddlers, but her advice is relevant for any age child.

In the episode, I also give you lots of tips for setting up your home in a Montessori way and answer a listener question about sharing.

For full show notes, click here: www.themontessorinotebook.com/children-need-boundaries

Want even more Montessori inspiration?

- website: themontessorinotebook.com/the-montessori-notebook-podcast
- instagram: instagram.com/themontessorinotebook
- facebook: facebook.com/themontessorinotebook
- my online courses: themontessorinotebook.com/online-courses/

The Montessori Notebook podcast is hosted by Simone Davies. Edited by Luke Davies of Filmprov Media. Podcast art by Hiyoko Imai.

This week I have a beautiful conversation with Junnifa all the way over in Nigeria. You may know Junnifa from her blog, Nduoma or instagram or her school, Fruitful Orchard Montessori. You'll leave this episode feeling inspired to either parent in a more Montessori way, maybe take a Montessori training, or simply to be more calm and present in whatever role you are taking on right now.

In our conversation we cover:
🌿how she juggles running a Montessori school, her Montessori trainings, being a member of the AMI board, and raising 3 young children
🌿the importance of soft hands and how to talk with babies
🌿some special Montessori moments in her family
🌿building trust with her children including teaching them about telling the truth
🌿observing empathy in her two-year-old
🌿siblings - helping them take responsibility for each other and what to do if they interfere with each other's activity
🌿using baby signs with babies
🌿how we can help children build trust in self and their environment
🌿observing when there are sleeping problems
🌿favourite parts of her 3-6 classroom
🌿the brilliance of Montessori elementary including deriving your own formulas
🌿the importance of understanding the characteristics of different ages
🌿what to do when they are having a hard time
🌿AND a big announcement about a secret project we've been working on - yes, The Montessori Baby book and The Montessori Chid book! Coming soon...in Spring 2021 and 2022.

I also talk about what we can do to keep our children's love of learning alive. And answer a listener question about why Montessori children seem to be very strong-willed.

For full show notes, click here: www.themontessorinotebook.com/building-trust-in-children

Want even more Montessori inspiration?

- website: themontessorinotebook.com/the-montessori-notebook-podcast
- instagram: instagram.com/themontessorinotebook
- facebook: facebook.com/themontessorinotebook
- my online courses: themontessorinotebook.com/online-courses/

The Montessori Notebook podcast is hosted by Simone Davies. Edited by Luke Davies of Filmprov Media. Podcast art by Hiyoko Imai.

On today's podcast I had so much fun chatting to Nicole Kavanaugh of The Kavanaugh Report, mother of four children (and a dog), raising four children in a Montessori way. So if you've ever thought it might be easy to raise children in a Montessori way with one child, but struggled once there were some siblings involved, this episode will help you breathe a sigh of relief and give you an insight into how it can be a more relaxing way to parent, even in larger families.

We cover so much in this conversation including:

• dealing with 4 children who may be needing her help and how she gets them to help each other
• what Nicole does when siblings are in disagreement
• the different needs of a second plane child (6-12) and how they view the world
• how Nicole uses her spaces in an intentional way to meet everyone's needs
• how she looks after herself
• some of their favourite practical life activities and the value of including children around the home
• ways to give maximum effort to a toddler/preschooler
• Montessori DIY ideas and her favourite thrift store finds
• what she's learning about with her fourth child
• their experience using a floor bed
• how she gets her husband on board with the Montessori approach
• how they maintain their partnership with 4 young children
• and, something now often talked about, how she dealt with her miscarriages

I also talk about how I use Ayurveda to support being a Montessori teacher and parent and give an introduction to Ayurvedic principles. As well as answer a listener question about when a child throws, hits and laughs.

For full show notes, click here: https://www.themontessorinotebook.com/raising-four-children-in-a-montessori-way/

Want even more Montessori inspiration?

- website: themontessorinotebook.com/the-montessori-notebook-podcast
- instagram: instagram.com/themontessorinotebook
- facebook: facebook.com/themontessorinotebook
- my online courses: themontessorinotebook.com/online-courses/

The Montessori Notebook podcast is hosted by Simone Davies. Edited by Luke Davies of Filmprov Media. Podcast art by Hiyoko Imai.

Today I share my conversation with Bill Conway which is a little different to others in the series where we zoom out and look at the big picture of Montessori. Bill is the Head of School at Montessori East in Sydney, Australia and I loved getting to ask him the tough questions like "does Montessori prepare children for the real world?", asking him if Montessori is still relevant in today's modern world, and how they deal with conflict in the classroom and bullying. We also cover:

• parent’s concerns that their child might not finish work or be interested in an area
• how to work in a Montessori way with teachers and build a vision for the school
• how Montessori ideas are also being used in companies
• how to build a community in the school
• why there is no homework in the Montessori approach
• learning to serve others in a Montessori classroom and in society
• Montessori and technology
• being a Montessori grandparent
• how to live in a Montessori way? and
• guiding children through uncertain times (a topic that is more relevant than ever)

I also talk about kids who don't want to be told what to do and answer a listener question about listening to podcasts in front of your children (!).

For full show notes, click here: https://www.themontessorinotebook.com/dealing-with-conflict-in-the-classroom

Want even more Montessori inspiration?

- website: themontessorinotebook.com/the-montessori-notebook-podcast
- instagram: instagram.com/themontessorinotebook
- facebook: facebook.com/themontessorinotebook
- my online courses: themontessorinotebook.com/online-courses/

The Montessori Notebook podcast is hosted by Simone Davies. Edited by Luke Davies of Filmprov Media. Podcast art by Hiyoko Imai.