Resources for your Family
As a member school of these organizations, NSM families are invited to take part in their virtual workshops and other resources.
Age-Specific Characteristics
These resources provide insights into age-specific characteristics and “sensitive periods” in your child’s development, along with practical ways you, as a parent, can support them at home.
Sensitive periods are the times during human development when children and youth are biologically ready and receptive to acquiring a specific skill or ability, and are therefore particularly sensitive to stimuli that promote the development of that skill. A Montessori teacher prepares the environment to meet the developmental needs of each sensitive period.
- Children at the Infant & Toddler Levels (Birth Through Age 3)
- Children at the Early Childhood Level (Ages 2 ½ – 6)
- Children at the Elementary Level (Ages 6 – 12)
- Youth at the Secondary Level (Ages 12 – 18)
Montessori at Home
We know that learning happens both inside and outside the classroom. You can easily bring its principles into your home—and doing so can be an invaluable bridge to reinforcing what your child learns at school.
From “The Prepared Environment” to nurturing their inner motivation, here are some ways to build connections that will serve them for life!
American Montessori Association Virtual Parenting Course
You and Your Child’s Montessori Education: Early Childhood
This course is designed for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach.
Registration is now open for the Fall cohort.
- Registration Deadline: October 2, 2025 or until full
- Program Starts: October 6, 2025
- First Live Class: October 18, 2025
- Program Ends: November 16, 2025
Live Zoom sessions are held each Wednesday, from 8:00 – 9:00 PM (ET).
Discounts available to our families as part of NSM’s certification and membership to the American Montessori Society.
PAIS/ISACS Virtual Parenting Series
Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) is once again partnering with the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) to offer our school their Virtual Parent Series. This is a complimentary program for NSM Families, Faculty, & Staff!
PRE-REGISTRATION ZOOM LINKS FOR EACH WEBINAR
- NSM Families can access the pre-registration link in our weekly newsletter, SNAP.
- All individuals intending to attend the live presentation or access the recording and resources in the Lobby must complete the Zoom Registration Form to receive their unique personal event ticket. Please note that access is restricted to a single device at any given time.
September 25, 2025, 7:30-8:30pm
School Skills: Setting Kids Up for Success
Please join us for a talk in which Dr. Lisa Damour will address how to help children and teenagers manage uncomfortable emotions, adapt to new challenges, and cope with stress effectively. She also will cover when it’s time to worry about how a child or teen is doing at school and, under those circumstances, what to do. All are welcome.
Presenter: Lisa Damour
Lisa Damour, PhD is the author of three The New York Times bestsellers: Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, which have been translated into 23 languages. She co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, works in collaboration with UNICEF, and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association. Damour authored the monthly Adolescence column for The New York Times, is a regular contributor to CBS News, and created Untangling 10to20, a digital library of premium content to support teens and those who care for them. She maintains a clinical practice and speaks around the world on the topics of child and adolescent development, family mental health, and adult well-being. Damour also works with industry leaders on topics related to adolescent mental health and was a consultant to Pixar on the film Inside Out 2.
October 28, 2025, 7:30-8:30pm
How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Impacted Everything + What We Can Do About It
Jonathan Haidt wrote The Anxious Generation with a firm belief that the challenges confronting our children and our families are solvable. However, addressing these challenges requires understanding the traps we have fallen into, so we can see the escape routes. The main escape routes are four new norms: delay smartphones until high school, delay social media until 16, phone-free schools, and more independence and play in the real world. Haidt will share the research that underpins the book and leave parents with inspiration and concrete plans to facilitate change in their families and communities. All are welcome.
Presenter: Jonathan Haidt
Jonathan Haidt, PhD is a social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and taught for 16 years at the University of Virginia. In his most recent book, The Anxious Generation, he brings to light the “great rewiring of childhood” in which play-based childhood has been replaced by phone-based childhood. Haidt continues to push reforms to put an end to the youth mental health crisis through his public health campaign, The Anxious Generation. Haidt also is the author of The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, and of The New York Times best-sellers The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, and The Coddling of the American Mind (co-authored with Greg Lukianoff). He was chosen by Prospect magazine as one of the world’s “Top 50 Thinkers.”
