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We'd like to continue to introduce ourselves-- the team behind Goldenrod! Here is a Q&A with Olyvia Kuchta, one of our co-lead infant & toddler teachers. How did you find Montessori? I was searching for part-time work after completing graduate school in psychology. I had previously worked in traditional daycare settings, but I had never experienced Montessori. When I moved to Madison, I began work as a Montessori Assistant and this was my first introduction to Montessori. As

We'd like to continue to introduce ourselves-- the team behind Goldenrod! Here is a Q&A with Jenny Sholar, our primary teacher. How did you find Montessori? I found Montessori by accident, when I got a job at a Montessori preschool without knowing anything about the philosophy.  But as I worked more and more in a Montessori environment, I found that it really represented the best of what teaching can be-- respectful, encouraging, community-minded.  I love Montessori because i

When one thinks of Montessori, they often think of the early years branching out of infancy and exploring the life of toddlerhood. Maria Montessori studied development from infancy through the age of twenty-four and established the Four Planes of Development. After having a basic understanding of the Four Planes of Development, you’ll begin to see that Montessori practices can be implemented at home starting as early as infancy and all the way through your child’s educational

One of the cornerstones of the Montessori educational system is the mixed-age classroom.  Montessori classrooms are broken into age groups that span three years, which teachers often refer to as the “three year cycle.”  But what is the significance of these age groupings? These age groupings are based on Maria Montessori’s theories of education  She identified four distinct periods in child development, characterized by habits, tendencies, sensitivities and proclivities: ages

Children explore through their senses. As parents, it can be difficult to allow a child to explore everything through touch and even taste. Dr. Maria Montessori’s study and today’s neuroscience studies, showcase a strong hand-brain connection in our everyday understanding of the things around us. To support her students, Dr. Maria Montessori personally developed materials to support the hand-brain connection in her learning environments. We are here to help you understand the

Imagine an environment especially prepared for your child to thrive based on their individual curiosities and desires. One where your child can safely move about and navigate independently – touch and explore everything, within their reach – and a place where mishaps are practically encouraged. Are you picturing their bedroom, a shelf, or a play space you specifically designed for them with their safety in mind? Or maybe you are having a hard time thinking of a space specific

We’re halfway through our first summer at Camp Goldenrod!  This year we’re doing a mythology camp for elementary schoolers, and each...

Many people do not associate Montessori with infancy, but we can apply many of the core Montessori principles starting as early as...

We'd like to introduce ourselves-- the team behind Goldenrod! Here is a Q&A with Kate Schiffman, our elementary teacher. How did you find...

We'd like to introduce ourselves-- the team behind Goldenrod! Here is a Q&A with Katie Hayden, our head of school. How did you find...

Thanks to everyone who celebrated Mother’s Day with us this past weekend!  We loved seeing so many familiar faces, and we had a lot of...

Deeply concentrating on the knobbed cylinders. Maria Montessori tells a story in her writings about noticing a child very deep in...

As with many things in Montessori, the simple act of exposure is significant – meaning you don't need to beat yourself up for not putting...

Step into any Montessori classroom and it won’t be long before you see peace education at work.  In a primary classroom you might find a...

Hello world! Introducing Goldenrod Montessori, a new, non-profit, nature based Montessori school on Madison’s East Side serving children...