In his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence, well-known psychologist and author Daniel Goleman first brought to light the concept of social and emotional intelligence. He argues that human competencies such as self-awareness, self-discipline, persistence and empathy are of much greater consequence than IQ in life. Goleman consistently found that IQ (tested intelligence) contributes only about 20% to financial and personal success, and the other 80% is highly correlated with social-emotional abilities.   What is emotional intelligence?   Self-awareness – Observing yourself

“Remove anything that could hurt a child – dangerous sewing needles, sharp knives, breakable glasses.”  This is the instinct of many caregivers, in order to keep our children safe.  But is this really the best way to protect our children?  Obviously none of us wants to see our children hurt.  But Montessori believed true safety comes from educating and empowering our youngsters, so that they are in control and can use dangerous tools confidently, without fear.   Reports prove that

Maria Montessori spent many years studying and observing children and the development of their brains. Her understanding of this process improved drastically over her years as an educator, and we now know that there are essential planes of brain development that every child goes through. These planes are critical to understanding how to support a child’s growth and development, and they provide a framework for parents and educators to make informed decisions about the care and education of their children.

Children’s Book A New Alphabet for Humanity Offers a Joyful Upgrade to Our ABC’s.   Families love this Vibrant and Mindful book that children are asking to read again and again. Have you read it yet? We have been following along in our classrooms each month, focussing on each word and the lessons they offer. Starting in the new year, our words of focus were Forgiveness and Gratitude.   We have expressed Forgiveness as a way for each person to feel

Having a belief in one’s own personal capability (self-efficacy) is essential for success in life.   Feeling capable is more than just having confidence in our acquired academic knowledge and skills; it is the deeper confidence in our own minds that makes it possible to acquire knowledge and skills and achieve success. Our perception of personal capability influences our ability to identify options, apply problem solving skills, and make wise decisions based upon values and principles. This sense of personal

We forget, you know. Forget to appreciate. We get complacent, move through our days as if everyone lived and learned as we do, in such surroundings as ours. We get mired in occasional challenges and lose sight of the big picture. We forget that our children are independent learners, free to explore their own interests, develop their own individual skills at their own rate, using materials designed by an educational genius (Maria Montessori), who discovered the right tools for each

It is important to the well-being of our children for us to understand the difference between fantasy, imagination and creativity. Our confusion of these abilities can be detrimental to their progress:   Fantasy: a retreat from the real world through mental conception of unreal images Imagination: a way of mentally visualizing what one has learned of reality Creativity: imagined (real) facts are presented in an original way   Thus the exercise of a child’s imagination, expressed in role playing (such

This month, most of us have had an opportunity to talk about war heroes, and honor them for the sacrifices they made, so that we could have a free and peaceful country to live in. Along the same line of thought, consider talking to your children about collecting their own heroes.   An aspect to focus on for this month could be the courage it takes to live life fully, no matter how difficult the circumstances. Talk about the courage

When children, however young, are included in the family decision making process, they begin to see themselves as active rather than passive members of the family. They begin to problem-solve and think beyond just their own immediate needs. As this process continues, they begin to see themselves as creators of change rather than victims of society. This leads to giving them a better sense of their purpose in the family, in the community and in the Universe.   In the

As the new school year begins, it warms our hearts to observe our new little ones gradually relaxing in their new environment, as they feel safe and loved.   Actually I observe a tangible difference in comfort levels between many of today’s children and those who first entered our school in 1985.  There seems to be a general increase in anxiety and a wariness of what could cause them harm.  It is vitally important to their well-being that we do