The Blog of Tuckahoe Montessori School
by Danielle Hines, Lead Toddler Teacher “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.”–Maria Montessori Those long, summer days are coming to an end and schedules are beginning to look more consistent. Children crave consistency. Maria Montessori stressed the importance of routine when developing young minds, but it is hard to have a consistent …
The next chapter in the history of Tuckahoe Montessori School is about to begin! With the start of the 2017-18 school year, we will open our doors at 6818 West Grace Street, welcoming TMS students and their families to a beautiful, wooded, and centrally-located campus just two miles from our current location. Our new home will allow us to expand our …
Parents who are new to Montessori classrooms often remark on the beauty of the space, noting the order and the arrangement that facilitates independence for even our youngest students. Many are seeking methods of bringing some elements of the Montessori classroom into their own home routines, and our first suggestion is often the simple addition of low, easily accessible shelves …
Our annual Mother’s Day Tea hosted by the Toddler Program is one of the highlights of the TMS Calendar. Mothers and their young children gather in a beautiful space to spend time in one another’s company. The enjoyment for adults and children is always so remarkable, and is, delightfully, replicable in the home. Teatime with a toddler — it’s a simple …
Contributed by Shelby Driskill Over the last year, we’ve mentioned the wonderful Montessori Guide videos several times and now we’re happy to share another with you. This video features bead stringing in a toddler classroom, providing viewers with a glimpse of the beautiful concentration that can lead to enormous satisfaction. One facet of bead stringing that might be overlooked is …
Arranging flowers is a traditional Montessori classroom activity that places emphasis on the care of the classroom environment. The careful selection and placing of flowers in a beautiful container is a favorite among TMS Primary students and is a pleasure for our entire community. For parents who might like to share flower arranging with their children, or who might consider …
As TMS teachers look forward to the 15-16 school year, we are excited to present school-day options to supplement our traditional offerings. The new 3:00 pm dismissal time as well as our current extended care options are designed to serve the evolving needs of our parent population while maintaining the high standards you have come to expect from Tuckahoe Montessori School. NEW: Extended Primary Day …
Contributed by Shelby Driskill The search for books that say “spring” has taken me rather far afield: warm weather muddy fun resulting in more baths inspired the selection of Mo Willems’ The Pigeon Needs a Bath! and there are many books about new friends and old, relationships that are often on children’s minds as they transition to a new schedule. Several titles deal with …
Since September, we’ve created several video introductions to the areas of the TMS classrooms. In December we brought you Ms. Charlene’s tour of the Sensorial area. In February we featured the Language curriculum across the Toddler, Primary, and Elementary programs. This month, in preparation for the release of our math video, we wanted to share some of the wonderful resources that …
Contributed by Shelby Driskill, TMS Great Books teacher (Elementary) Early in the school year, a story in the New York Times Magazine caught my attention: “Steve Jobs Was a Low-Tech Parent.” In response to some criticisms he had raised about the new iPad, the author, tech journalist Nick Bilton, received one of Jobs’ hard-hitting phone calls. “So, your kids must love the …
