Montessori Makers Group writing now lives in one place: our Substack.

“Self-care” has become the educational buzzword of the decade — and Montessori teachers are over it. It’s not that they don’t believe in caring for themselves. It’s that they’re tired of being told to solve systemic problems through personal effort. No amount of bubble baths or meditation apps can fix a structure that burns people out by design. When a teacher is asked to do the work of three people, “self-care” becomes a cruel joke. When the systems themselves are unsustaina

Montessori educators know that peace begins with the prepared environment. But when it comes to adult systems — communication, leadership, workload, feedback, and trust — too many schools are trying to model peace on empty tanks. The classrooms are beautiful. The philosophy is sound. The children are thriving.But behind the scenes, the adults are running on burnout. We can’t keep pretending that’s sustainable. The work of peace can’t depend on people who are exhausted, overex

Leadership transitions are inevitable in every Montessori school. But whether they become moments of breakdown or breakthrough depends entirely on preparation. Too often, schools treat a leadership change like a crisis to survive rather than a process to design. The focus narrows to logistics — search committees, announcements, onboarding — while the real work, the cultural  work, goes untouched. When a Head of School leaves, it’s not just one role changing hands. It’s a full

Montessori schools across the country are asking the same urgent question:How do we keep great teachers? The answer isn’t mysterious. It’s right in front of us — in the way we think about pay, benefits, and the systems that sustain the people who make Montessori work possible. The truth is, Montessori doesn’t have a teacher shortage. It has a retention problem. We’re losing brilliant, mission-driven educators — not because they’ve stopped believing in the work, but because th

In Montessori education, we talk a lot about peace. We talk about empathy, inclusion, and respect for the child. But peace isn’t the absence of conflict. It’s the presence of justice. And that means equity can’t be an add-on. It can’t be something your school gets to “when there’s time.” It must live in every layer — from governance to classroom practice — because peace without equity is performance, not progress. Too often, schools treat equity as a side project: a committee

Most Montessori schools don’t fall apart because of poor mission statements or weak pedagogy. They fall apart because of the quiet, daily chaos that builds when systems are missing — or too dependent on a few overworked people to function. We don’t talk about this enough. The chaos isn’t loud. It’s subtle. It’s the kind that hides behind good intentions: the unread emails, the late feedback cycles, the hiring processes that start from desperation instead of alignment. It’s th

By late October, the early glow of September has dimmed. Montessori classrooms that felt vibrant in the first weeks of school often begin...

Fair pay is not a “nice to have” in Montessori leadership — it’s a non-negotiable if we want staff to stay, grow, and thrive. Yet many...

By October, many Montessori leaders are stretched thin. The excitement of September has worn off, and the demands of the year are...

As leaders, it’s easy to think of our school communities as one large whole. We talk about “staff culture” or “parent community” or...

Every Montessori school has a mission statement. These statements are often beautiful: they speak of peace, independence, justice,...

By September, most classrooms are finding their rhythm. But every leader knows the signs when a class just isn’t clicking: children...

We all know the feeling: that parent whose emails always come with a tinge of urgency or apprehension. Or the one who lingers at pickup...

In today’s Montessori landscape, hiring is no longer just about finding someone with the right credentials. It’s about finding someone...

A values-driven guide to telling your school’s story clearly, authentically, and effectively Marketing in a Montessori school might sound...

At Montessori Makers Group, we know that Montessori education is about more than just what happens in the classroom—it’s about...

Why Adult Growth Is Essential—and How Montessori Makers Group Can Help You Build It In Montessori education, we talk often about the...

The first weeks of school set the tone for the entire year. Here’s how Montessori leaders can support their guides with purpose,...

Montessori education is rooted in a deep commitment to the development of the whole child. From the youngest children in the prepared...

Effective communication is the backbone of any successful Montessori environment. It enables educators to guide students, facilitates...