Lodestar Montessori Preschool

Happy 155th birthday to Dr. Maria Montessori!

You've left us a rich legacy which continues to benefit all the children who pass through Montessori schools!

Montessori Education

Montessori is a method of education first proposed by Dr. Maria Montessori. This method of education relies on the child's in-built need to develop, for instance how a horse learns to recognize danger or a lion learns to recognize prey, we too as children have this need to learn and grow.

Most people only know that the Montessori method is used for children aged 3-6 or 6-12. During the ages 3-6, the child has the need to become physically independent, this means that he or she wants to do their own work; like eating by themselves, cleaning after themselves and grooming themselves. For children aged 6-12 they have the need to become mentally independent, that is they want to make their own choices and think for themselves.

Most of you don't know this but there is a 3rd plane to Montessori, for children aged 12-18. Now we must lose the word 'children' and change it to 'adolescents' for that is what they are. At this stage, adolescents have the need to become socially and economically independent. To achieve this, Dr. Maria Montessori said that they should be given an open land to build their own community. A big part of Montessori for adolescents is agriculture. They must grow their own food on the land. Maria Montessori called this plane of development as 'Erdkinder' which means 'children of the earth'.

Another big part of the 3rd plane is production & exchange (P&E). This is where adolescents use their produce to earn an income. This teaches them how to handle money.

All this prepares them for adult life. The goal for each adolescent community is to become fully self-sustainable and not to rely on any external provisions.

By Zephyr Mustansir, 14 years old.

Zephyr teaching woodworking to an elementary child.

"Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along."

George Herbert

Happy 7th birthday, Lodestar Montessori Preschool! Thank you to all our parents - past and present - who have supported us in our journey over the years ❤️

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
Helen Keller

Every year, we look forward to spending time together after a completion of yet another fruitful year!

“Our part is to give help when we are asked. If we are careful not to interfere with a child’s activities and interests as long as they are not harmful, nature will see to his development.” - Maria Montessori, Maria Montessori Speaks to Parents

A child finds a clever way to wear his blindfold by himself!

If you'd like to gift your child a Montessori education at our schools, reach out to us at https://lodestarmontessori.com/book-a-school-visit/

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“... the child always chooses something hard to do. This is something we would never have thought of…
The child does not follow the law of the least effort, but a law directly contrary. He uses an immense amount of energy over an unsubstantial end, and he spends, not only driving energy, but intensive energy in the exact ex*****on of every detail.” - Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood

A child works with concentration on a piece of material by squeezing in the gap between an armchair and the table even when there are two chairs available to her!

“The child is a worker and a diligent observer. He looks straight at things; he stares at them for a long time; he is interested in learning all he can about his environment. Perhaps he is staring at a flower, absorbing its image. This work gives him happiness and peace because, in doing so, he is following his natural urges.” - Maria Montessori, The 1946 London Lecture

Me: Good Morning, N!
N: Good M… (walks off)
Two other children enter the classroom.
N: We are the first in the school. There is just no other person in the whole school. We are the only ones here!

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, “The children are now working as if I did not exist.” - Maria Montessori

“If we truly want to achieve equality and harmony among human beings, we must not neglect the time of life when the social, idealistic and linguistic differences which separate human groups do not yet exist.” - Maria Montessori, Citizen of the World