when hope feels hard to find
I don’t feel hopeful about the future right now—and as a teacher, that’s not something that comes easy to admit. We are supposed to be the ones who believe in what’s ahead. The ones who see potential, who hold onto possibility, who trust that the work we’re doing matters in the long run. But lately,…
Upper elementary: where social lessons hurt the most
One of the most misunderstood parts of Upper Elementary is just how complicated the children’s social world becomes. From the outside, adults often see arguments over small things. Who sat where at lunch. Who didn’t include someone in a game. Who said something during recess that hurt someone else’s feelings. To adults, these problems can…
what parents don’t see at the end of the day
When parents pick up their children at the end of the school day, the classroom often looks calm enough. Children are gathering their things, a few conversations are happening between friends, someone is rushing to remember their water bottle, and teachers are standing by the door saying goodbye. To most people, it looks like the…
becoming takes time: why the second plane requires trust
If you have chosen Montessori for your child, you have not simply chosen smaller class sizes, or a different curriculum, or just for the aesthetics. You have chose a philosophy. And philosophy only works when it is trusted. Upper Elementary – the heart of the Second Plane of Development (9-12) – is where that trust…
what happens when children don’t truly socialize
There is something different about children right now. Not their intelligence.Not their creativity.Not their potential. Their ability to be with one another. As a Montessori teacher, I spend my days observing children in community. Montessori environments are intentionally designed for social development: multi-age groupings, collaborative work, grace and courtesy lessons, conflict resolution, freedom within limits.And…
planning for a future that feels out of reach.
There is something deeply disorienting about being a teacher right now. Our entire profession is built on the assumption that the future exists — that it is reachable, shapeable, worth preparing for. Every lesson plan, every project, every carefully crafted unit is an act of hope. We plan because we believe these children will step…
teaching is inherently political – especially in Montessori
But that truth is impossible to ignore. When we talk about teaching being political, we are not talking about party lines, elections, or political campaigns. We are talking about values. We are talking about power, justice, responsibility, and the kind of society we are preparing children to live in—and eventually lead. Every day, teachers make…
the child in front of us.
There is a quiet, difficult truth many teachers carry: sometimes the biggest obstacle in a child’s growth is not the child, but the gap between who the child truly is and who the adults around them believe they are. Every parent dreams of a certain kind of child. A kind child. A respectful child. A…
the changing reality of the classroom.
Working with children has never been easy. Every classroom brings together a wide range of personalities, needs, struggles, and behaviors. What works beautifully for one child may completely miss the mark for another. One year you might have a calm group eager to learn; the next, a room full of children who would rather do…
Confessions of a Montessori Teacher 