Tag Archives: Preschool

How We Teach Reading in a Montessori Classroom

by Mareme Konare, Early Childhood Head Teacher

Scope and Sequence

In a Montessori classroom, the Language area fosters reading, writing, and oral skills, with phonics as the foundation for literacy. Reading and writing are closely connected, creating a seamless learning experience. A rich vocabulary is integrated across all areas of the Montessori Prepared Environment: Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Culture. This ensures language development is part of everyday learning.

Introduction to Sounds with Sandpaper Letters

The journey of teaching children to read begins with introducing letter sounds using materials like the Sandpaper Letters. These tactile materials are designed to teach both reading and writing. When children are first introduced to letters, the focus is on the sounds they make rather than their letter names. For example, we say “/a/” for the letter “a” and “/b/” for the letter “b”. This learning process is guided by a sequential method called the Three-Period Lesson.

The First Period of a Three-Period Lesson is when the teacher introduces the sound (“This is /a/”) while tracing the corresponding Sandpaper Letter. This tactile and auditory connection helps children develop a strong memory of both the letter’s shape and sound. In the Second Period, the teacher asks the child to identify the sound (“Show me /a/”). And finally, in the Third Period, the child is asked to recall the sound independently (“What is this sound?”) while referencing the Sandpaper Letter.

Once children grasp the concept of individual sounds, objects related to the sounds are then introduced. For example, the teacher may say, “/a/, /a/, apple,” emphasizing the first letter of the word. The child is then encouraged to match objects to their corresponding sounds, reinforcing their understanding. Children practice these sounds independently, and the teacher reviews their work after completion, giving follow-up lessons if necessary.

Progression Through Sound Material

To ensure systematic learning, sounds continue to be introduced a few at a time, focusing on the beginning, middle, and ending sounds of phonetic words, using both objects and picture cards. This progression allows teachers to track students’ progress effectively, prior to Word Building.

Introduction to the Moveable Alphabet

Once children are confident with individual sounds, they are introduced to the Moveable Alphabet. This material bridges the gap between recognizing sounds and forming words. After receiving a lesson on how to use the Moveable Alphabet, children are given Objects (e.g., cat, hat, etc.) or Picture Cards and encouraged to “encode” the word by arranging the corresponding letters (c-a-t). This process, known as “Early Writing”, helps children connect sounds to written forms and fosters creative expression through “inventive (or invented) spelling”.

At the next stage, children begin to “decode”. Decoding involves blending the sounds they’ve now learned in order to form complete words. For example, when presented with “c-a-t”, the child learns to say “cat” and can independently match the word to the corresponding Object or Picture Card. This process of moving from encoding to decoding culminates in the child experiencing the “aha moment” of reading.

Advancing Reading Skills

As children’s skills develop, they progress through three levels of reading:

Level 1: Simple Words
~ The focus is on three-letter phonetic words (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC), such as “cat” and “mat”.
~ Learning is supported by the Pink Series reading materials.

Level 2: Words with Blends
~ Blends such as “bl”, “st”, and “fl” at the beginning or end of words (“blob”, “nest”, and “flag”) are introduced.
~ Learning is supported by the Blue Series reading materials.

Level 3: Complex Words
~ Work includes lessons on phonograms, irregular spelling patterns, and silent letters (e.g., “ai” in “hair”, “sh” in “ship”, silent “e”, and the silent “k” in “knight”).
~ Learning is supported by the Green Series reading materials.

Picture and Word Matching to Comprehension

Some Montessori Language lessons require children to match words to objects or pictures, enhancing their vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. As they progress, children begin matching phrases or sentences to corresponding objects or pictures, further developing their ability to understand context and meaning. For instance, when encountering the word “crust”, children use prior knowledge and contextual clues, such as a picture of a pie or the Earth to determine whether it refers to a pie crust or the Earth’s crust. This ability to connect words to meaning fosters vocabulary growth, critical thinking, and comprehension skills.

The Montessori Approach

In summation, the Montessori approach to teaching reading is a carefully structured, hands-on process that nurtures each child’s natural curiosity and ability. By emphasizing phonics and providing tactile, auditory, and visual experiences, we create a strong foundation for literacy. Through systematic progress from encoding to decoding and from concrete to abstract, children learn to read and develop a lifelong love for language.

The Montessori Movement Comes to America: A Brief History

by Camilla Nichols, Senior Director of Montessori Development
and Tori Inkley, Executive Director

The very first official Montessori training course was held in Rome, Italy in 1913. While the course attracted international attendees, the majority were from America. Maria Montessori taught the theory lessons in Italian at her home and the practical lessons/demonstrations took place at Casa dei Bambini (or The Children’s House), the first Montessori School, which she had established in 1907 in Rome.

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During this time, Dr. Montessori experienced significant changes in her personal life. Her mother, Renilde Stoppani, passed away in 1912, and Montessori was reunited with her son, Mario, who had been raised by a foster family since infancy. Maria Montessori had never married, and due to societal expectations and her professional ambitions, she had arranged for Mario to be raised by others. He later became an integral part of her work, continuing her legacy.

Interest in the Montessori educational approach was particularly strong in the United States, where prominent figures such as Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Helen Keller, and Margaret Woodrow Wilson (President Wilson’s daughter) supported her work. The American journalist Samuel McClure convinced Montessori to travel to the U.S. for a three-week lecture tour in 1913, which he described as a journey “for the conquest of the world”. Dr. Montessori boarded the SS Cincinnati in Naples for a 12-day voyage to America, where she delivered lectures, including two at Carnegie Hall in New York. It has been reported that President Woodrow Wilson and his daughter were so impressed by the Montessori Method that a Montessori classroom was installed in the White House. During her travels, Montessori kept personal and inspirational notes that have since been translated into English and published in Maria Montessori Sails to America: A Private Diary, 1913, by Carolina Montessori, Dr. Montessori’s great-granddaughter.

Dr. Maria Montessori and
Journalist Samuel McClure, 1913

The Evening Star newspaper published an article in 1913 highlighting Dr. Alexander Graham Bell and his wife Mabel’s advocacy for making Washington, D.C., America’s headquarters for Montessori education. Anne George, the first American graduate of Dr. Montessori’s training program in Rome, helped introduce the Montessori Method to the U.S. She was the Director of an early Montessori school in Washington, D.C., with the support of the Bell family. Montessori’s ideas ignited a debate in America about traditional education versus the Montessori approach, which emphasized children’s independence and self-directed learning rather than a rigid, teacher-driven curriculum. Her visit to the U.S. made such a profound impact that she was urged to return as soon as possible to lead more lectures and training programs, as unauthorized training centers were emerging. If Maria Montessori was unable to come herself, it was requested that she send someone who was qualified to train teachers in her method.

In 1915, Maria Montessori returned to the United States, this time accompanied by her son, Mario. She addressed thousands of educators in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego and participated in the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (“World’s Fair”) in San Francisco. One of the most famous moments of this visit was the “Glass Classroom”, a demonstration where 30 children worked independently in a transparent, glass-walled environment, allowing spectators to witness the Montessori Method in action. During this visit, Montessori wrote letters that have since been preserved and published in Maria Montessori Writes to Her Father: Letters from California, 1915, also translated by Carolina Montessori. Dr. Montessori’s California lectures have been archived, with English translations by Robert G. Buckenmeyer, who also compiled articles she published in various newspapers.

After Maria Montessori’s passing in 1952, her son Mario continued to spread her educational philosophy. In 1960, he appointed Nancy McCormick Rambusch to establish the American Montessori Society (AMS), which played a crucial role in expanding Montessori education in the United States. Rambusch founded Whitby Montessori School in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1958, and today, there are more than 15,750 Montessori schools worldwide.

Maria and her son, Mario Montessori, India, 1939

At The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA), we continue to honor Maria Montessori’s legacy by celebrating “Montessori Education Week” alongside schools around the world. During this special week in February of each year, MCA students demonstrate Montessori Practical Life exercises for parents and visitors, sing Montessori songs, study Italy, review the timeline of Dr. Montessori’s life and work, and practice the “Silence Game”, a mindfulness exercise inspired by Montessori’s teachings on peace. For Montessori Education Week 2025, parents were also invited to observe their children’s classroom activities, and the celebrations concluded with a pizza party at Nonna’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant in Florham Park.

Handwriting Without Tears in the Montessori Early Childhood Classroom

by Krissy Huetz, Early Childhood Head Teacher

Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) was developed by Occupational Therapist Jan Olsen and is a multi-sensory approach to teaching handwriting skills. This approach is designed to make the process of learning how to write less intimidating and more accessible for students of all ages and abilities. It emphasizes simple strategies and techniques to make handwriting a more enjoyable and successful experience for students. By breaking down the process of handwriting into straightforward steps, and using a variety of hands-on activities and tools, students are able to develop their handwriting skills in a way that is engaging and effective.

By teaching children how to form letters and words in a systematic way, the program helps build foundational skills that are essential for academic success. These skills include letter formation, spacing, sizing, and alignment. By mastering these skills, students are able to produce written work that is neat, organized, and easy to read. This not only benefits students in the classroom but also helps build their confidence and self-esteem.

Typically, when an educator speaks of the “Science of Reading”, the conversation is based on a collection of research that focuses on theories about how children best learn how to read. HWT aligns with this research, as it helps students develop phonemic awareness, build an understanding of phonics, and strengthen word recognition skills. It also facilitates fine and gross motor skills in order to build handwriting fluency. “Research shows that handwriting improves academic performance in all subjects, from science to math, reading, and social studies,” said Dr. Cheryl Lundy Swift, Professional Learning Director at Learning Without Tears.

The Early Childhood Montessori curriculum engages multiple senses in developing phonemic awareness and pre-handwriting skills. The Montessori approach recognizes and respects that students have different learning styles and preferences, and that engaging multiple senses can enhance both learning and retention. HWT incorporates a range of hands-on activities, such as utilizing wooden pieces and chalkboards, to help students develop their handwriting skills in a way that is fun and engaging. By incorporating movement, touch, music, and visual cues into the learning process, students are able to more effectively internalize the skills they are learning. The combination of the Montessori Method with HWT has proven to be very successful in supporting a student’s handwriting practice.

Overall, Handwriting Without Tears is a highly effective program for teaching handwriting skills to students of varying ages and abilities. By using this multi-sensory approach, focusing on foundational skills, and incorporating a unique style of handwriting practice, HWT helps students to develop efficient and legible handwriting that will serve them well throughout their academic and professional careers. The program’s emphasis on building confidence and self-esteem, as well as its commitment to making learning fun and engaging, makes it a valuable resource for Montessori educators and students alike.

Understanding Montessori Math

by Arati Joshi, Early Childhood Head Teacher

“Children display a universal love of mathematics,
which is par excellence the science of precision, order, and intelligence.”
~ Maria Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori, the founder of the Montessori Method of Education, believed that a child is born with a “mathematical mind”. From birth, children grow up surrounded by numbers and various mathematical concepts, such as classifying, comparing, sorting, ordering, and patterning. The Montessori approach recognizes this and builds upon the natural development by providing structured, hands-on activities that enhance early learning experiences.

Sensorial Exercises: Opening the Door to Mathematical Thinking
The Mathematics and Sensorial Areas of a Montessori Prepared Environment are deeply interconnected and complement each other. Sensorial materials prepare children to work in Math because of their innate sequence, order, and progression. For example, the Pink Tower, Brown Stair, Red Rods, and Knobbed Cylinders allow children to compare and order objects bases on size and dimension. The Sensorial materials indirectly empower children to physically manipulate objects and develop an intuitive sense of quantity and an understanding of the “base-ten” system.

Numeration 1 to 10
The introduction of quantity and numeration from 1 to 10 begins when the child is introduced to concrete, hands-on materials such as the Red and Blue Number Rods, Sandpaper Numbers, and Spindle Box(es). As children get to hold the quantities in their hands and trace the numbers on Sandpaper Numbers, the definite concept is committed to memory. Through multi-sensory experiences, children build confidence in their ability to understand and work with numbers, setting the stage for further mathematical learning and exploration.

Decimal System
A strong understanding of numbers from 0 to 10 lays a solid foundation for learning place values of the Decimal System. Children learn that 0 can give a greater value to a number, and they also learn the names of different categories of the Decimal System (i.e., Units, Tens, Hundreds, Thousands).

Through hands-on exploration and working with the Golden Bead Material and the Ten and Teen Boards, children gain a deep understanding of how the number system works, from units to thousands and beyond.

Group Operations
In Montessori Early Childhood classrooms, children typically begin their exploration of group operations after they have built a strong foundation in numeracy and place value. These operations include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The Montessori Golden Bead Material provides the children a concrete representation and a strong conceptual understanding of arithmetic operations before transitioning them to more abstract representations. By emphasizing exploration, discovery, and manipulation, the Montessori group operation activities foster a love for learning and empower children from a young age to become confident and capable mathematicians.

Bead Chains
The Short and Long Bead Chains used in Montessori classrooms introduce children to linear counting and skip counting. Children use these chains to practice skip counting by twos, threes, and so on, up to tens. This strengthens their number sense and prepares them for later activities in multiplication, squaring, and cubing.

Concrete to Abstract
Maria Montessori believed that “what the hand does, the mind remembers”. The Montessori Method recognizes that young children learn best when directly engaging with concrete material to make concepts real and easily internalized. Keeping that in mind, much of the Montessori curriculum is based on giving children exposure to concrete materials first, and then giving them incremental opportunities to work on more abstract concepts. As the child gains mastery over a material used, he or she is able to work independently.

A Lifelong Love for Math
The Montessori Method is renowned for its holistic approach to education and goes beyond teaching skills. This approach is particularly effective in the realm of mathematics, as it instills a lifelong love for the subject. By creating a positive and engaging experience through hands-on learning, children develop a deep appreciation for the beauty and relevance of mathematics that will stay with them throughout their lives!

Language Development: The Montessori Method and the Absorbent Mind

by Fiorella Benson, Early Childhood Head Teacher
(edited by Tori Inkley)

“So, the child, it is clear, does not inherit a pre-established model for his language, but he inherits the power of constructing a language by an unconscious activity of absorption.”
~ Dr. Maria Montessori (The Absorbent Mind)

Maria Montessori explained that human beings are born with a special mechanism that allows them to learn a language by interacting with people around them and from experiences within their environment. She believed that this period spans from birth to the age of six; a period during which children have an “absorbent mind”. Montessori observed that during the first three years, children follow a pre-determined plan in a process that is primarily unconscious, allowing them to absorb the structure of language and express themselves in sentences with the right syntax. The results of this first phase become evident during the period of the conscious mind between the ages of three and six, when children develop a sense of awareness, explore their environment through independent purposeful movement, and continue their development of language in reading and writing.

The Montessori Method in the Language Area takes into consideration this “sensitive period” of language when a child has an absorbent mind and highlights the importance of creating an adequately prepared environment to help the child’s individual ability to construct his or her own knowledge through work. The Language Area in the Montessori classroom combines the progression of a series of steps with appropriate materials to help the child develop language.

Children work with the Sequencing Materials first, as this helps to develop self-expression, communication, and classification. Sandpaper Letters follow, as they help the child explore the physical construction of the sound, as well as its phonetic importance. Children are introduced to sounds using the Three Period Lesson: “This is…”, “Show me…”, and “What is…”. They use their first and middle fingers to trace the letters while repeating the sounds they make. This activity prepares the child to write when she or he can hold a pencil properly, and it also helps the child to visualize the similarities and differences between the letters and to memorize sounds, which is another crucial step in reading. Following a multi-sensory approach, the child will then trace the letters on a chalkboard before progressively writing between two lines on paper using a pencil.

“Touching the letters and looking at them at the same time, fixes the image more quickly through the co-operation of the senses. Later, the two facts separate; looking becomes reading; touching becomes writing.” ~ Maria Montessori (The Montessori Method)

During this time, writing is also introduced so that the child develops an association between words that are being read and words that are written. One of the first steps is to strengthen the hand muscles and to familiarize children with the precision of movement used in writing by working with the Metal Insets. The child traces a pink metal frame with a colored pencil, and later, traces parallel lines from left to right.

The materials and activities in the Practical Life area improve hand-eye coordination and require the children to work from left to right and top to bottom, as they will do when writing and reading. Materials in the Sensorial area, such as the Touch Boards, the Touch Tablets, and the Knobbed Cylinders, help the child when preparing to work with the Sandpaper Letters and indirectly with handwriting.

On the road to reading, Montessori students work with the Large Movable Alphabet. They first receive lessons on building three-letter phonetic words using objects and picture cards, followed by building four-letter (or more) words using objects and pictures. Once this is mastered, the child will continue through the phonetic series of reading materials. From there, children progressively move on to more complex, non-phonetic words using the Small Movable Alphabet. Here, they learn consonant blends and phonograms and make booklets using both.

Teaching grammar is also part of the Montessori Method. Grammar exercises in the Montessori classroom that focus on Parts of Speech use different symbols and colors to represent nouns, adjectives, articles, verbs, and adverbs. Through various materials and activities that utilize cards and objects, children learn the function of the Parts of Speech and the correct order in which to place them in a sentence.

***Montessori Phonetic Farm – Nouns and Adjectives***

As with writing, the Montessori Method not only utilizes Montessori materials to help children learn how to read, but also exposes them to other meaningful experiences where reading is involved, such as listening to stories being read aloud that range from fiction to nonfiction to poetry and so on. These experiences allow the children to discover that language is a way to communicate ideas, understand the world around them, and be part of a community. This directly corresponds with Maria Montessori’s concept of Cosmic Education and assists children in developing a sense of gratitude for the Universe and their role within it. Children, unsuspectingly, discover that language is simply a foundational step on their individual educational journeys.