Ask a Montessori Teacher: Holding Boundaries Without Breaking Curiosity

 

One of the hardest tensions in Montessori is this:
we carefully prepare environments to attract children — and then we ask them to wait.

We design materials to be beautiful, purposeful, and inviting. And then we are surprised when a child reaches for something they haven’t yet been shown how to use, or uses a material in a way that wasn’t intended.

This moment — right here — is where Montessori is often misunderstood.

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When a child takes a material without a presentation, it isn’t usually defiance. It’s interest. Curiosity. Readiness brushing up against structure.

In mixed-age classrooms, this tension often resolves itself. Second- and third-year children model the rhythm of the room. They remind younger children what is available and what comes next. The community begins to hold itself.

But not every classroom has that balance every year.

And when it doesn’t, the adult must step in — not to control, but to guide.

Sometimes that guidance sounds like:
You haven’t had a lesson on that yet.

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 Are you needing some support with how to structure your classroom? As a Montessori teacher, I understand that feeling of overwhelm! I have created a detailed lesson plan to 'hold your hand' through each day.  These lesson plans can either be used to jump start how to create the rhythm of the classroom (monthly) or I have a full year plan that can then be used for a 3 year cycle.

Montessori Daily Lesson Plans 

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Weekend Reset as a Montessori Teacher | Asian-Inspired Nachos, Yoga, Kindness Week & Resell Wins

 

In this vlog, I’m sharing a little bit of everything — real life as a Montessori teacher, small business owner, and mom.

🍜 Trying a new E-Meals recipe: Asian-inspired nachos (with pork, wontons, edamame, carrots & sesame!)

🧘‍♀️ Finally making it to yoga after weeks of resistance

🎨 Painting clay figurines + talking about creative blocks

📚 Planning lessons: Living vs. Non-Living (with three-part cards + objects)

🎀 Our school’s Kindness Week ribbon project

🎂 February classroom plans (Celebration of Life, Chinese New Year, conferences)

📦 Poshmark vs. eBay reselling strategy + why patience matters

📖 Library refresh for the classroom

This video is about rhythms — food, work, creativity, self-care, parenting a 20-year-old, and running a classroom at a startup Montessori school.

I also share: How I structure kindness recognition in the classroom Why intentional self-care takes effort What I’m learning about business strategy through reselling Why sometimes cake for breakfast is allowed.

If you’re a teacher trying to build balance, a Montessori educator, a creative navigating resistance, or someone building side income while working full-time — you’re in the right place.

✨ I’ve also started writing weekly long-form posts on Substack about Montessori life and mentorship. It’s free — link below if you'd like to read along.

Thanks for spending the weekend with me.

Are you needing some support with how to structure your classroom? As a Montessori teacher, I understand that feeling of overwhelm! I have created a detailed lesson plan to 'hold your hand' through each day.  These lesson plans can either be used to jump start how to create the rhythm of the classroom (monthly) or I have a full year plan that can then be used for a 3 year cycle.

Montessori Daily Lesson Plans 

Montessori INSPIRED Lesson Plans 

 

LOOKING FOR ART LESSONS FEATURING DIFFERENT ARTISTS? 

Link to my FREEBIES

Ask a Montessori Teacher: Why Montessori Doesn’t Stop at the Classroom Door

 

One of the hardest parts of teaching in a Montessori environment has nothing to do with the children.

It’s the adults.

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Not because they don’t care — but because schools are complex ecosystems. Children move between classrooms, playgrounds, lunchrooms, and specials, often supervised by adults who were never trained in Montessori philosophy.

And yet, children are expected to behave as if expectations never change.

Consistency is not control — it’s safety

Children feel safest when the world makes sense.

When the expectations in the classroom suddenly disappear outside, children don’t become “more free.” They become unsure. They test boundaries not because they are defiant, but because the environment has shifted.

This is where the classroom teacher quietly becomes a bridge.

The invisible work teachers do

In many schools, there are adults I think of as auxiliary teachers — playground attendants, lunch aides, specials teachers.

They may not plan lessons, but they are deeply involved in children’s daily experience.

Aligning with them matters.

When children know that expectations are shared — that they are not allowed to act one way with one adult and another way with someone else — trust is built. The message becomes clear: the adults are united in keeping you safe.

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Are you needing some support with how to structure your classroom? As a Montessori teacher, I understand that feeling of overwhelm! I have created a detailed lesson plan to 'hold your hand' through each day.  These lesson plans can either be used to jump start how to create the rhythm of the classroom (monthly) or I have a full year plan that can then be used for a 3 year cycle.

Montessori Daily Lesson Plans 

Montessori INSPIRED Lesson Plans 

 

LOOKING FOR ART LESSONS FEATURING DIFFERENT ARTISTS? 

Link to my FREEBIES

 

 

A Montessori Teacher’s Coffee Chat: Readiness, Burnout & Letting Go

 

In this coffee chat, I’m sharing honest reflections from my Montessori preschool classroom—what’s working, what’s not, and what I’m learning about readiness, expectations, and work–life balance.

With family conferences approaching, I’ve been thinking deeply about questions many teachers quietly carry:

– Are children truly ready for kindergarten?

– What happens when students don’t naturally gravitate toward academic work?

– How much should we guide

—and how much should we let go?

I talk about counting songs, rainbow letters and numbers, the beauty (and cost) of Montessori materials, and the reality of teaching children who haven’t yet developed a love of numbers or letters. I also reflect on burnout, conference prep, assistant teacher dynamics, and how teaching can quietly consume your entire life if you let it.

This video is for Montessori teachers, early childhood educators, and anyone trying to find a healthier relationship with their work—without losing the joy of teaching. If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

How do you pull back without giving up?

#MontessoriTeacher #TeacherLife #EarlyChildhoodEducation #TeacherBurnout #WorkLifeBalance #MontessoriReality#montessori #teachervlog #teacherlife #worklifebalance #dayinthelife

Are you needing some support with how to structure your classroom? As a Montessori teacher, I understand that feeling of overwhelm! I have created a detailed lesson plan to 'hold your hand' through each day.  These lesson plans can either be used to jump start how to create the rhythm of the classroom (monthly) or I have a full year plan that can then be used for a 3 year cycle.

Montessori Daily Lesson Plans 

Montessori INSPIRED Lesson Plans 

 

LOOKING FOR ART LESSONS FEATURING DIFFERENT ARTISTS? 

Link to my FREEBIES