Baan Dek Montessori

My whole world changed the day you were born. How do we honor a child on her birthday?

One of the hallmarks of a Montessori classroom is Individualized Education. What is it? Why would we do this? How do we implement it? Listen here and find out!

Mrs. Jamie Bauer has been been on maternity leave, and chats with us about reflections since becoming a parent. Being a Montessori teacher is different from parenting, and there are amazing and important qualities to each role.

There are holidays throughout the year. Some require looking up beloved recipes on yellowed cards and hanging of decorations and long car rides. Some you only know about because social media or the Google Doodle informs you. Holidays are a wonderful opportunity for stories and conversations with your child, and even establishing new traditions in your family.

Change is an inevitable part of life. Things change -- big things, like moving, and small things -- like who is picking you up from school. How can we help children be comfortable with change? Why isn't this easy yet?

We all want to help -- our children, our friends, strangers in need. Help is an expression of empathy, and binds us in community. When isn't help helpful? Why do adults help children, even when they don't need it? What other ways can we assist a child, without overtly doing something for her?

In the final episode in our series about Guiding Principles at Baan Dek, Charlotte Wood discusses principle #5, We Prepare the Environment. The Prepared Environment is a phrase used to describe the Montessori classroom, a space curated especially for children of a certain age. What else can be a Prepared Environment? How do we adjust the content, furniture, time, accessibility of a space for young children?

Charlotte Wood discusses the fourth Baan Dek Guiding Principle, We Create a Culture of Empowerment. We build each other up. We will the good in one another. We expect greatness, and we help manifest our best selves.

In the third of this series of five podcasts, Charlotte Wood discusses the Guiding Principle of "We Communicate Effectively."

We have five guiding principles at Baan Dek. In the last episode, we discussed the first principle, "We're always learning." In this episode, we discuss the second principle, "We can always improve."

We came up with five guiding principles at Baan Dek. This first podcast in the series explores the concept of "We're all learning." As a school, we expect the children to always be learning, but we also have adopted that concept as fundamental for ourselves as guiding adults.

At Baan Dek, we're always trying to improve as an organization. We believe in growth so whole-heartedly, it's a fundamental part of our culture. Charlotte Wood discusses some of the ways we seek personal and professional growth, in the classroom and as a school, individually and as teams, for the benefit of all at Baan Dek.

Independence with Toileting is such an important milestone in a child's life. Each child is unique, and will come to self-toileting on their own path, much as they do with speaking or with walking. Charlotte Wood and Jamie Bauer discuss some helpful tips, as well as tools they employ in the classroom to help children be successful with toileting.

Jamie Bauer and Charlotte Wood talk about how we can help young children prepare for a life rich with literacy.

Jamie Bauer and Charlotte Wood chat about some of the ways you can help your young child prepare for school.

Ms. Jones and Ms. Wood chat about students moving into the Montessori Primary classroom.

Ingrid Geiger and Charlotte Wood chat about some of Ingrid's experiences as a Montessori Parent

A few of our staff at Baan Dek sing a selection of favorite songs.

Mrs. Bauer and Ms. Wood discuss the accreditation process for the Montessori Toddler Program

Ms. Wood and Mrs. Bauer discuss the importance of tenacity in learning and as a life skill.