A kind and gentle North Austin community school
During these first two weeks of 2026 we have been discussing Martin Luther King, Jr.’s messages, focusing on his words of love, kindness and friendship. Children under age 6 are known for their concrete thinking. Abstract thinking and large, complex thought and reasoning is still under development. As we know from our readings in The Whole […]
We regularly speak about the importance of consistency in the lives of young children. From school drop-off to lunchtime procedures to bedtime, routines help kids find comfort and a sense of place in our busy day-to-day lives. Indeed, Dr Montessori established that it is through the repetition of everyday tasks that children learn best. How […]
At the end of his very, very busy day off Ferris Bueller reminds us that “life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” For many of us in Austin, October is a busy month, what with two weekends of ACLFest and the Grand Prix. […]
Walking a maze that they created
Every August, after weeks of preparation by our wonderful teachers, we welcome returning students back to school. They return to a classroom with many of the materials they know well from last year, and some new stuff to spice up. And so they did return last week. After weeks of preparation it’s so refreshing to […]
“The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six.” –Maria Montessori As we head into the heat of another Austin summer, the children are cheerfully milling about the classroom this week. We can’t help but notice how much the […]
Academics at all levels have researched how we learn. There are myriad pedagogies that we won’t get into here. (It probably goes without saying but we like Montessori best!) One aspect within the question of how we learn is “What happens when mistakes are made?” Carol Dweck made famous the phrase “growth mindset” in her […]
Imagination in full display on our playscape
If you’ve ever seen a two-year-old work her way around a room and pick up nearly every item within reach, then you know the appeal that simple objects have to a young child. Everyday items can be so attractive for the child to look at, to pick up and carry around. Over a century ago, […]
We are now two weeks past Halloween and two weeks until Thanksgiving. While October in Austin is a busy time with ACL Festival, Formula 1 and Halloween (and we usually spice up the month with our camping trip), October pales to the excitement of the weeks from Thanksgiving through New Years. At school, we embrace […]
The sun may be scorching outside, and we wish we could spend more time on our playground, but it is SO nice to be back! The classroom is again buzzing with activity. Summertime can be a chaotic. We travel, go to various summer camps, grandparents visit. It’s hot outside, so we go to movies, stay […]
Every morning we prepare for our work time with a brief yoga session. Some are surprised that these active, wiggly, questioning 3-, 4-, and 5-year olds can sit for a few minutes of quiet breathing, movement and stretching. But clearly these kiddos themselves understand the rewards because they ask for it daily! After our early […]