Save the Date for the CMS Annual Spring Conference!! 

The Greater Cincinnati area is a true Goldmine for Montessori Education, with more than 50 private Montessori schools and five public Montessori Schools. Cincinnati is the birthplace of Sands Montessori, the first public Montessori school and Clark Montessori, the first Montessori High School. The variety of teacher training programs in the Greater Cincinnati Area has helped develop the love and passion for Montessori education that is felt throughout our community. It is truly a treasure to have such a wealth of history in Montessori Education! 

We are excited to announce Dee Coulter, a nationally recognized neuroscientist educator, as our featured keynote speaker.

We are currently accepting presentation proposals for our breakout sessions. Submit your proposal by October 1st.

Join us in the evening after our conference for a Gala Celebration - details coming soon! 

We hope you will join us at the 2013 CMS Spring Conference; together we can celebrate 50 years of Montessori Education in the Greater Cincinnati area!

By: Rosemary Quaranta, Elementary Coordinator and Upper Elementary Teacher at Seton Montessori School and Institute  

"If I had influence with the good fairy, I would ask that her gift to each child be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life." -Rachel Carson

Yes, a sense of wonder in children is what makes teaching so rewarding and so exciting. Daniel A. Kriesberg says that, "Wonder leads to a desire to know more, to gain knowledge and understanding. If we wonder about something, we begin to care about it." Isn't it true that nature has everything in it to create a sense of awe and wonder? It is complete and filled with seasonal changes, animals both small and large, rocks, wood, dirt, and plants. Connecting to our natural world also helps us understand the normal cycles and through our understanding of nature, we begin to have a deep respect and love for it. 

However, today, our children are often disconnected with nature. They have a loss of wonder and curiosity seldom seeing the new flower opening up or the beautiful clouds up above. Their world is daily being transformed and evolving, but they are blind to the beauty and the changes. Some children are even afraid of being outside (ecophobia) and uncomfortable with insects, dirt, leaves and sticks. Richard Louve's book, "Last Child in the Woods" gives examples of how devastating this lack of connection to nature is and how it effects our children. He coined the phrase "Nature Deficit Disorder" and he believes that a lack of time outdoors in nature results in a variety of behavioral problems in children. 

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By Kevin Vance, Assistant Principal, Mercy Montessori Center

When living and working with students in the 9 to 12 age range, you need to be prepared for almost anything! This time period encompasses wide-ranging and often explosive changes in a child's expression of emotions, physical body, and the manner in which they perceive and interact with their world, peers, and family. 

Rapid physical changes are characteristic of children in this age group. As students begin puberty, their physical being is changing very quickly and sometimes at unpredictable rates, which is developmentally appropriate. Some common physical characteristics that you may observe are: 

• a desire to push and discover their new physical limits 
• tiring more easily becoming restless and unable to sit for long periods of time 
• complaints of numerous aches and pains due to "growing pains" resulting from the rapid development of muscles needed for jumping, running, etc. 

Cognitive growth also makes huge leaps during this period. One major change seen during this developmental stage is the shift from concrete thoughts, such as the recall of facts and rules, to employing more abstract thoughts, such as the understanding of justice and integrity. Students at this age enjoy (and often delight in) challenging adult explanations as they search for their own understanding of the world and social norms. They inwardly enjoy adult-like assignments such as researching and interviewing, while they often outwardly whine about the added responsibilities and expectations. Children may worry about world events, family members' health, school work and/or peer relationships, but begin to develop successful mediation and problem solving skills when given ample room and support from caring adults to resolve issues for themselves.

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By Laura Saylor, Head of School, Central Montessori Academy

A quarter of a century ago, when I was a new teacher at a small school called The Children's Way (The former name of Central Montessori Academy) we offered half-day pre-primary programs only. In the 1980's there did not seem to be a need for full-day programs nor had anyone ever expressed an interest or need for an elementary program at our school. 

That was until a young mother, Rene' Steinkamp, came to visit The Children's Way looking for a Montessori school for her almost 3-year-old. She expressed to me how much she loved our school even though it was the furthest one from her home, yet there was a problem she had with the school. I listened eagerly for her to expand on her statement, wondering what she saw that I did not. She then shared with me that she wished there was an elementary program and asked if we planned on expanding. As if the stars were all aligned, she offered to help me start on a long journey. I do not remember the rest of the exchange that day, but I had no idea that her wish would become realized in less than two years. 

Central Montessori Academy, like so many schools, has evolved over time adjusting to the needs of our local and school community. In the past couple of decades, our school has added and expanded programs, moved and moved and moved, built buildings and playgrounds, and transformed from being a small parent cooperative to becoming an established independent Montessori school. 

As I now look back, I find it interesting how we as a society have changed with regards to our schools, our parenting, and our lives in general. The days of one parent working, with perhaps one parent staying home in the 1980's is nearly non-existent. Also, the trends from the 1990's and early 2000's of both parents working five days a week from nine to five has been pushed aside for more and more families. The lives of the families we see today are much more complicated and yet it seems that many families have more options within their professions to work from home or to flex their schedules around their family life.

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By Julia Preziosi, Executive Director, Northern Kentucky Montessori Center

Late summer is often a time that parents of preschoolers begin to worry about what to do for their child regarding school. Parents who are new to parenting have little experience with preschool education, and are often learning about these very pertinent concerns as their child grows and develops. It can be a confounding dilemma for the parent who doesn't know the difference between Montessori and other types of daycares and preschools. 

When I am introducing a new parent to the Montessori philosophy, I usually begin with describing the rationale behind the mixed-age grouping of children in a Montessori classroom. This one aspect of the Montessori philosophy is so huge in its impact, that it provides a great springboard into the other differences between Montessori and traditional preschool.

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