Mountain Laurel Montessori

We left the AMS Symposium in Princeton feeling inspired, energized, and deeply connected to the incredible work happening across our Montessori community 🌿
After learning about the beautiful nature-based practices at International Montessori School in West Chester, we felt called to grow our own work—literally.
This week, we’re adding a new herb garden to our classroom 🌱
Lavender, basil, oregano… soon our space will be filled with calming, sensory-rich scents that invite children to explore with their hands and noses.
And the best part? These same herbs will make their way into our practical life work—harvested, prepared, and enjoyed together.
Learning, growing, tending, and tasting—it’s all connected.
We’re so grateful to keep evolving alongside our children and our wider Montessori community 💛

Today’s adventure took us by SEPTA train to the Falls of the Schuylkill Library 📚🚆

The journey was just as exciting as the destination. For some children, this was their first time riding a train! The conductor even helped us when we reached our stop.

At the library, we were so lucky to spend time with Ms. Grace, who welcomed us warmly and helped us explore new books and stories. The children were captivated, curious, and completely at home in the space. The Falls of Schuylkill Library is such a special place!

Experiences like this remind us that learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom—it lives in our community, in conversations, and in the joy of discovering new places together.

We’re already looking forward to our next trip 💛

Finding signs of spring in the city 🌿

This week, we were reminded that you don’t have to go far to experience the magic of the natural world. Right here in our neighborhood, signs of spring are emerging all around us.

We were so lucky to learn from one of our own. Parent Susan , a horticulturalist, brought in plants from our local environment and helped us understand what’s growing around us as the seasons shift. She led us on a nature walk, naming and noticing alongside the children and sparking curiosity at every step.

By Friday, our walks felt different. On the way to Neighbors Park, children began spotting signs of spring everywhere. A blooming cherry tree, soft p***y willows, bright daffodils, and fragrant hyacinths. What once blended into the background became something to wonder about, to stop for, to celebrate.

We closed out the week with Jayden’s Impossible Garden, a story that reflects what we experienced. With care, attention, and a little imagination, nature can thrive anywhere.

The city is full of life. You just have to know how to look 🌱

Outside, every day. ☀️

Scenes from the classroom lately

Scenes from the last few weeks.

We had a lovely time reflecting and connecting at the AMS Conference in DC!

Three years ago, we stood at the Wildflower table at the AMS conference in Boston, just beginning to imagine what could be. This weekend in DC, we walked in and saw our names on our badges—with our school beside them.

It felt like a full circle moment.

We connected with Leah and Kristi from Spicebush, met new Wildflower friends, reconnected with mentors, and filled our cups with so many inspiring sessions.

Grateful for this community, this journey, and everything still unfolding. 🌿

One of the beautiful things about being part of the Wildflower network is learning from other classrooms. 🌼

After seeing a creative Red and Blue Rod extension shared by , we knew we had to try it in our environment! The children used small counters to match each segment of the rods—practicing one-to-one correspondence while building quantity with their hands.

The result? Deep concentration, lots of joyful counting, and children proudly checking their own work as the quantities grew.

This is the power of Montessori collaboration: ideas shared across classrooms that spark meaningful learning for children.

Thank you for the inspiration, ! 💛

We are growing our team.

Mountain Laurel Montessori is seeking a nurturing and dedicated Assistant Montessori Teacher to join our community and support an authentic, nature-based learning environment for children ages 3–6.

This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about Montessori education, child development, and spending meaningful time outdoors with children. Assistant Teachers work closely with our lead teachers to help prepare the classroom, support children’s independence, and contribute to a collaborative, joyful school community.

If you are someone who values curiosity, kindness, and learning alongside children, we would love to hear from you.

Full job description and application details here. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nXsHUYxE6lIsMwJcs3MF45o3_8IiZRQRF8SP5eAqkeE/edit?usp=drivesdk

Please share with anyone who may be interested in joining our growing school community.

This February, our classroom spent the month learning from Black artists whose work shows how art can shape identity, community, and storytelling.
We explored how Tyree Guyton transformed his Detroit neighborhood through recycled art, inspired by Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art. The children were especially captivated by the “Dottie Wotty House,” and families helped us bring the idea to life by sending in recyclables for our own collaborative art houses, which the children painted and decorated with color and care.
Through Ablaze with Color, we studied Alma Thomas and experimented with brushwork, pattern, and color relationships.
A highlight of the month was welcoming our featured artist, parent Femi, into the classroom. Femi shared his artistic process and guided the children in creating scenes through collage, helping them see how artists make intentional choices with texture, shape, and composition. Having an artist from our own community share his work made the experience especially meaningful for the children.
We read Parker Looks Up and discussed Amy Sherald’s portrait of Michelle Obama, then explored portraiture and symbolic backgrounds through Kehinde Wiley’s portrait of Barack Obama.
Finally, Jake Makes a World: Jacob Lawrence, a Young Artist in Harlem helped us reflect on how artists tell stories from the world around them — and how children can do the same.
This month reminded us that art is not just something we study. It is something we live, share, and build together as a community.