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At Clementine, we offer parent-child classes for ages 0-3+…like mommy-and-me, but more. The blog shares thoughts on development, parenting, and Montessori practice that relate to life in and out of the classroom...just the things that might be on your mind as a parent to a baby, toddler, or preschooler.
(Adapted from a post to our private Instagram group from October, 2022. Session families, join to read them all…occasionally, I share an older favorite here.) You may have figured out by now that I love to talk, so it’s sometimes hard for me to take this piece of my own best parenting advice: When explaining …
Saying Less, Meaning More Read More »
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**A repost from last year from our private instagram group. I noticed that I had misspelled “assumptions” on the image, and am taking this opportunity to model what I tell parents and is at the heart of Montessori: Mistakes are just an opportunity to self-correct.** Until this week, I had never put green peppers out …
On Making Assumptions Read More »
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There’s a lot of conversation in the Montessori community about what’s “not Montessori.” Montessori often gets what I consider to be a bad rap as “too rigid”–and to be sure, there are strong opinions among teachers about how best to follow and implement Montessori’s ideas. I personally am fairly confident about how this lives in …
Reptiles on a (Montessori) Ramp Read More »
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(Adapted from a post to our private Instagram group from December, 2022. Session families, join to read them all…occasionally, I share an older favorite here.) I use this phrase often to mean that the things we need/want/hope for our children to learn/do/internalize develop–eventually, with our continued commitment to them (both to the things and to …
“It’s a Long Game” Read More »
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You might guess that we’ll be talking about apples, and I suppose we will be. Because I did ask: Would you like to cut the apples for snack? And the child responded excitedly, ready to get started. And the child’s mom, as she had done since their first day at Clementine, got up to follow …
Apples, but Also, Something More Read More »
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(Adapted from a post to our private Instagram group from October, 2023. Session families, join to read them all…occasionally, I share an older favorite here.) A number-one strategy for building independence and confidence is to let your child walk whenever possible, whether in beautiful weather as in the photo above or in gray and blustery …
Encouragement to Let Your Child Walk Read More »
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Full disclosure: I actually got out the camera to photograph big brother, who was seated at the table fitting the pieces into the puzzle. My focus was off and how lucky for me, because without that mistake, I’m not sure I would have seen what we’re seeing and talking about here which is: Reaching is …
Reaching Is a Baby’s Work Read More »
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(Adapted from a post to our private Instagram group from May, 2023. Session families can join to read them all, and I occasionally share a favorite here.) This morning, a child walked into the entryway, sat down in the shoe chair, took off her own shoes, set them on the bench, and excitedly walked to …
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Montessori philosophy focuses on using realistic images as part of toys and activities for babies, toddlers, and young preschoolers. Today, I’m diving deeper into why. The answer goes back to the concept of the absorbent mind, which is the cornerstone of Montessori early childhood education. Montessori separated planes of human development in six-year increments, from …
Cats and Montessori Read More »
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One little boy in particular was teary, which is unusual for him, and I mention this because he was in class with his grandpa, and the care and love that his grandpa showed him that morning was truly such a beautiful thing to witness.
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I’m Jessica Brown, an AMS certified Montessori infant-toddler teacher. At Clementine, we learn and chat about topics like these both in and out of the classroom. If you’re local to Libertyville/northern Lake County, IL and are interested in finding more about our community, I’d love to hear from you!