

Roots and Wings Montessori Podcast
Jess Davis
For Montessori educators, Roots and Wings is a podcast offering classroom strategies, professional development, Montessori philosophy, and community building. Dr. Montessori said, "The greatest gifts we can give children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence." Join Jess Davis of Montessori Minds Consulting and fellow Montessorians to explore what has made the Montessori method a highly effective education and movement for social change for over 100 years!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 1, 2025 • 50min
Positive Discipline and Parent Communication with Chip DeLorenzo (Feb 2024)
Title: Positive Discipline and Parent Communication
Guest: Chip DeLorenzo, Co-author of Positive Discipline in the Montessori Classroom
Host: Jess Davis, Montessori Minds Consulting
This episode is part two of a two-part series on Positive Discipline. What is unique about Positive Discipline is that it has been intentionally aligned with Montessori principles in the book Positive Discipline in the Montessori Classroom. Today we have one of the authors of this book with us, Chip DeLorenzo.
Chip has been a Montessori educator since 1995. He is the co-author, with Dr. Jane Nelsen (author and co-founder of Positive Discipline), of Positive Discipline in the Montessori Classroom. As a teacher trainer and school consultant, Chip has worked with thousands of Montessori teachers and parents in teaching the principles and practices of Positive Discipline through various workshops and lectures. He is the former Head of School of the Damariscotta Montessori School, where he spent 20 years as a school leader and teacher. Chip holds Early Childhood, Lower and Upper Elementary AMS certifications, and has worked extensively with Montessori Adolescent students.
Today Chip will be offering guidance on building relationships with students' families and using Positive Discipline as a communication framework.

Jan 2, 2025 • 58min
Positive Discipline in the Classroom with Chip DeLorenzo (Jan 2024)
Guest: Chip DeLorenzo, co-author of Positive Discipline in the Montessori Classroom
Host: Jess Davis
This episode is part one of a two-part series about one guiding system, Positive Discipline.
Chip DeLorenzo has been a Montessori educator since 1995. He is the co-author, with Dr. Jane Nelsen (author and co-founder of Positive Discipline), of Positive Discipline in the Montessori Classroom. As a teacher trainer and school consultant, Chip has worked with thousands of Montessori teachers and parents in teaching the principles and practices of Positive Discipline through various workshops and lectures. He is the former Head of School of the Damariscotta Montessori School, where he spent 20 years as a school leader and teacher. Chip holds Early Childhood, Lower and Upper Elementary AMS certifications, and has worked extensively with Montessori Adolescent students. Connect with Chip at ChipDeLorenzo.com for more information.
Positive Discipline is used as a foundational approach to classroom and school discipline in many Montessori schools throughout the United States because of its continuity with the Montessori principles of respect and independence.
Positive Discipline is based on the work of Alfred Adler and Rudolph Dreikurs, contemporaries of Maria Montessori. The primary goal of the approach is to help create a social/emotional environment where children are given the tools to to succeed in becoming responsible, respectful and capable members of their communities and families.
In today's episode, Chip covers
-What is Positive Discipline?
-The importance of building relationships of mutual respect with children
-The Mistaken Goals chart
-The 4 Steps to Follow-Through
-Using PD as a tool to align practices across classrooms within a school

Dec 4, 2024 • 42min
Public Montessori with Principal Kathy Lause (Dec 2024)
Join me in a discussion with public Montessori principal Kathy Lause of School 91 in the Indianapolis Public Schools district as we talk about the highs and lows, benefits and challenges of being school leader of a public Montessori school.
Kathy shares details on two "big ideas":
1. Creating documented agreements about what Montessori schools look like in the district, with a unified voice among Montessori building leaders
2. Building relationships at the district level, including inviting leaders in to experience your school
Kathy also shares the table of contents for the Montessori guidebook co-created by Montessori building leaders and approved by the school district. Content list is included below to help you think about what could be included in your district guidebook, with leadership support:
Dr. Maria Montessori
IPS Montessori Origins and History
Mission and Vision
IPS MONTESSORI VISION
IPS MONTESSORI MISSION
Philosophy and Pedagogy
General Montessori Information
Certification and Professional Development
Follow the Child
Character and Academic Education
Peace
Grace and Courtesy
Responsive Classroom
Race Equity and Global Mindset
Concentration and Independence
Intrinsic Motivation
A Carefully Prepared Environment and Montessori Materials
Work Plans & Work Cycles
Multi-Age Environment
Montessori Classroom Assistants
Preparation of the environment
Observation
Support with Procedures
Curriculum
Curricular Areas
The Montessori Spiral Curriculum
Cultural Subjects Early Childhood
Cultural Subjects Lower & Upper Elementary
First Great Lesson – Coming of the Universe and Earth
Second Great Lesson – Coming of Life
Third Great Lesson – Coming of Humans
Fourth Great Lesson – The Story of Writing
Fifth Great Lesson – The Story of Numbers
Practical Life Early Childhood
Practical Life Lower & Upper Elementary
Math Early Childhood/sensorial
Math Lower & Upper Elementary
Language Early Childhood
Language Lower & Upper Elementary
Sensorial Early Childhood
Montessori Albums and Curriculum Maps
Data & Assessment
Assessment Principles
Observation
Individualized Assessment
Holistic Assessment
Family Involvement
Assessment Tools
Work Plans
Checklists and Rubrics
Standardized Testing
Aligned District and State Assessments
Reporting
Grades and Report Cards
MTSS
MPTA (Montessori Parent Teacher Association)
Inclusion Policy
Philosophy and Guiding Principles
Individualized Education
Respect for Diversity
Collaboration
Inclusive Curriculum
Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs)
Teacher Training and Professional Development
Physical Accessibility
Communication
Social Inclusion
Assessment and Accountability
Documentation
Resource Allocation
Essential Elements for Montessori in the Public Sector
Adults
Environment
Leadership and Organizational Development
Family Engagement
Assessment
Sources

Nov 1, 2024 • 1h 25min
Montessori Inclusion with MMPI (Nov 2024, E 005)
In today's episode about Montessori education, we talk to Montessori inclusion experts Catherine Massie and Barbara Laborsky from the Montessori Medical Partnership for Inclusion. We discuss the history of inclusion in Montessori, the modern evolution of the Montessori inclusion movement, and what resources exist to support teachers and school leaders in building more inclusive, welcoming, and supportive classrooms for all children.
Host: Jess Davis, Lead Consultant, Montessori Minds Consulting
Guests: Catherine Massie and Barbara Laborsky
Have a question, comment, or suggestion for a show? Email info@montessorimindsconsulting.com

Oct 1, 2024 • 43min
Effective Teacher Evaluation with Dr. Vanessa Rigaud (Oct 2024) E004
Join host Jess Davis and guest Dr. Vanessa Rigaud to discuss what works and what doesn't in teacher evaluation, strategies for supporting teacher capacity, tips for building a positive culture around teacher evaluation, recommendations for evaluative tools, and more.
Host: Jess Davis, Lead Consultant, Montessori Minds Consulting
Guest: Dr. Vanessa Rigaud, Xavier University
Vanessa M. Rigaud, Ed.D. is an Associate Professor
and Program Director at Montessori Institute in the
School of Education at Xavier University. Dr.
Rigaud received her Ed. D. in Executive Leadership
at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. She
has an MS in Elementary Education from Hofstra
University and a BA in International Relations and
Political Science from Long Island University. Her
research engages with curriculum development,
culturally responsive teaching, and the intersections
between Montessori-based research and teacher
education. Dr. Rigaud has presented at various
conferences and published articles/books nationwide
and internationally.
To contact Dr. Rigaud for speaking or consultation inquiries, you can email her at rigaudv@xavier.edu
Episode Resources:
Dr. Rigaud's Publications
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10643-022-01353-y
https://www.amazon.com/Towards-Anti-Racist-Educational-Research-Movements/dp/1666900133/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2OCFCN56J5UVM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.t7_SeH0DRJ3bnjmpWgjhD2wvsjYQbJ1WOU7DXOwFBA_GjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.JoJKTq0nn6v6ZYWTuGDl3qbM9sJmY7xfcbSz8jSK1GA&dib_tag=se&keywords=vanessa+rigaud&qid=1725390550&sprefix=vanessa+rigaud%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-2
Recommended Evaluative Tools
Teachstone-https://teachstone.com/class/
DERS-https://www.ders-app.org/
Danielson-https://danielsongroup.org/framework/

Sep 11, 2024 • 1h 5min
Montessori Advocacy with MPPI (Sept 2024) E003
Learn about how public policy affects both private and public Montessori teachers, schools, and families. Hear how advocates make positive change through collaboration meet Denise and Vyju from the Montessori Public Policy Initiative (a joint nonprofit advocacy organization from AMS and AMI/USA).
Host: Jessica Davis
Guests: Denise Monnier and Vyju Kadambi from the Montessori Public Policy Initiative
Resources:
MPPI website (great advocacy tools!) https://montessoriadvocacy.org/
MPPI conference information
https://montessoriadvocacy.org/events/
The Montessori Essentials publication
https://montessoriadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/MontessoriEssentials.pdf

Sep 4, 2024 • 55min
Observation with Dr. Paul Epstein (Sep 2024) E002
Join host Jess Davis of Montessori Minds Consulting in conversation with Dr. Paul Epstein (professor, coach, trainer, Montessorian, and author) about observation as a tool in the Montessori classroom.
Learn why observation is essential (and challenging), understand the C.O.R.E. method of observation, get tips on different ways to record observations, and more.
Dr. Epstein will be presenting a keynote, master class, and breakout session at the United Montessori Schools of Indiana's 15th Annual Montessori Conference, in Jess's home state, in September of 2024.
His paper, Work Needs Play is available on the AMS website at this link:https://amshq.org/Blog/2023-08-25-Work-Needs-Play
Dr. Epstein's bio:
paul@paulepstein.us
• Transformational family coach.
• Teacher and administrator trainer.
• Education author and influencer.
• Former university professor.
• Student of children throughout the world.
Paul is a highly regarded international and inspirational speaker working to bring transformative
learning experiences to educators and parents throughout the world.
As the education director at Designs for Lifelong Learning, Paul leads initiatives that empower
Montessori school owners, administrators, and educators. For Paul, Montessori education is a way of
life. He has worked in Montessori education as a teacher, school administrator, university professor,
teacher trainer, administrator coach, researcher, consultant, and author.
Paul’s doctorate is in cultural anthropology, and he is an AMS early childhood and secondary certified
classroom teacher. Paul is the author of An Observer’s Notebook: Learning from Children with the
Observation C.O.R.E. He is also the co-author of 60 Days Montessori Observation Notebook and The
Montessori Way, a definitive work on the Montessori experience.
Host: Jess Davis, Lead Consultant and Owner of Montessori Minds Consulting
Guest: Dr. Paul Epstein

Sep 4, 2024 • 6min
Welcome to the Roots and Wings Montessori Podcast (Sep 2024) E001
Dr. Montessori wrote, "The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of independence and the wings of responsibility."
Join host Jess Davis and Montessori Minds Consulting as we explore topics from Montessori philosophy, classroom leadership, curriculum, and more. This podcast is designed to help build a community of learning among Montessori educators in the U.S. as we learn together, discuss, and share. Jess will be joined by expert speakers from the Montessori community for monthly episodes based on challenges and questions submitted by Montessorians like you. Follow the show to be notified of monthly episodes and bonus content.
Jess Davis (MEd, EL I-II) is lead consultant at Montessori Minds Consulting, a school leader at an AMS-accredited non-profit serving around 200 children ages 3-12, serves on state and national Montessori advocacy boards, and speaks and offers customized professional development nationally and internationally. To learn more about Jess, visit https://montessorimindsconsulting.com/ines-oldenburg/
Follow the Montessori Minds educator blog at https://montessorimindsconsulting.com/blog/
Subscribe to the monthly Montessori Professional Development newsletter https://montessorimindsconsulting.com/montessori-minds-professional-development-newsletter/
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