Category Archives: ACA Blog

Choosing the right educational experience for your child is a decision that’s as bewildering as it is important. Local public schools are convenient and the teaching methods are familiar to most parents, but there are other time-tested teaching philosophies worth exploring. The primary among these is the Montessori Method of education, used worldwide for over […]

Even the most active kids may balk at going outside during a sudden stretch of frigid weather. Long daily walks, hikes through the woods, and bike rides aren’t quite as fun when there’s a risk of frostbite. But what do you do with your kids when they’re cooped up, bored, full of energy, and begging […]

The broiling days of summer are finally over! With temperatures and humidity dipping into the comfort zone, winter is one of the loveliest times of the year in Austin, Texas, offering up a host of outdoor and indoor family entertainment. This year, enjoy the season by indulging your kids and yourself in some of Austin’s […]

Consider the Montessori Method of childhood education: Though the philosophy is a hundred years old, well-tested and established, it still has the feel of something delightfully revolutionary. Perhaps that’s why so many Silicon Valley moguls send their children to Montessori schools…or perhaps it’s simply because there are so many profound advantages of a Montessori education. […]

Back when Dr. Maria Montessori observed children in turn-of-the-century classrooms, the educational methods she ultimately developed upended contemporary ideas about how young students develop and learn. Her child-centered learning philosophy thus required a different sort of teacher, someone specially-trained to apply the philosophy in the classroom. Check out these four ways the Montessori Method views […]

If you’ve ever observed a Montessori classroom in action, particularly a group of three-to-six-year-old children, you may be struck by how very calm and organized the classroom is. The children work independently, with little conflict, and with great patience and respect for one another and the work they are doing. It’s all part of the […]

Montessori classrooms are known for their wide-open design, unique materials, glorious lighting, and sense of order. The construct is intentional. Baked into the Montessori Method of education is the idea of presenting children with a “prepared environment.” Each classroom is minutely designed for the age grouping to maximize safety and appeal as well as encourage […]

Dr. Montessori once said that a teacher’s greatest success is when “the children are now working as if I (the teacher) did not exist.” This may sound odd to those who were raised in classrooms with rows of seats, in schools whose methods focused on drills, tests, and unbending structure. But Dr. Montessori’s methods were […]

Parents are surprised, and sometimes taken aback, to discover that each Montessori classroom consists of three-year age groupings. Accustomed to classes that consist of kids within a very narrow age range, you may wonder if having your three-year-old in a class with kindergarten-age children is a good idea. It’s not just a good idea, it’s […]

If you’ve ever visited a Montessori classroom in action, you might be struck by how calmly the school day progresses, in large part due to the children themselves. The students know where to place their backpacks and hang their jackets. They know when it’s time to play and where each toy belongs. When it’s time […]