Montessori Parent Education
Parkside is commited to providing our families with a variety of opportunities for Parent Education about Montessori. We ask that families take advantage of all opporunities to deepen their understanding of the Montessori Method. We will update this page with links and resources throughout the year.
For a quick read on a variety of Montessori Parent Education Topics, you can find the American Montessori Society Family Connection Newsletters HERE.
New to Parkside Parent Montessori 101 Onboarding
These resources were compliled by Parkside's Montessori coach to help incoming families begin their Montessori parent education journey. Target audience is families who are enrolling/just enrolled into Parkside and veteran families looking to deepen their understanding.
Videos
Parent Perspective of Primary Curriuclum and Experience
What Does a Public Montessori School Look Like?
Montessori: The Elementary Years
CMS Lower Elementary - A Day in the Life
CMS Upper Elementary - A Day in the Life
Blog Posts
Reflecting Back on a Montessori Child’s Journey
Montessori 101 - Montessori Basics for Parents
Informational Documents from the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector (NCMPS)
More information on the Primary and Elementary Classroom
Three-Year Age Spans in Montessori Classrooms: The Benefits of a Full Upper Elementary Cycle
Characteristics of a Montessori Secondary (Middle/High School) Program
Article: The Ultimate Guide to Incorporating Practical Life at Home
An article published by the American Montessori Society in the summer of 2024 to help inform parents about the Montessori curriculum area known as "Practical Life", as well as provide ways you can support practical life in your own home. Target audience - "Primary Families" in PK/TK/K.
Parent Montessori Books and Podcast Resource Bank
This is short list of books and podcasts that are geared to help parents better understand Montessori. They are intended to help supplement Parkside’s effort of providing ongoing parent education and helping parents understand their child’s education model. The list is not exhaustive! Please consider it as a starting point.
Have a parent facing Montessori education resource you love that is not on this list? Email principal Tahai! (ntahai@smfc.k12.ca.us)
Good Montessori Books for Parents to Read
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Montessori, The Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Stoll Lillard
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Montessori from the Start by Paula Polk Lillard and Lynn Lillard Jessen
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Montessori: A Modern Approach: The Classic Introduction to Montessori for Parents and Teachers ?
Good Montessori Podcasts For Parents
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The Montessori Notebook podcast:: a Montessori parenting podcast with Simone Davies (toddler/primary focused - might get more elementary, once a quarter)
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Montessori in Action Podcast (interview leaders at various public Montessori schools)
October 19, 2022 - The NCMPS' Essential Elements Review - Embracing Continuous School Improvement
The National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector visited our campus in the spring and completed a review to identify areas where our school is excelling and those where we could still use improvement. A NCMPS representative presented the findings of the school review to our parent community. Please check out the slide show and video recording from that night on the right side.
April 5, 2023 - Montessori in the Home
The National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector hosted a virtual session surrounding "Montessori in the Home." The goal of the session was to provide Parkside families with practical ways to bring the Montessori philosophy into their homes. Please check out the slide show and video recording from that night on the right side.