What if music could unlock a child’s full potential—and transform the way we teach? In this episode, Biff & Nicole sit down with educator and musician Frank Leto, who shares his half-century-long journey of inspiring creativity, confidence, and curiosity in children through music.

Together, they explore:

• Frank’s unforgettable and life-changing discovery of Montessori education.
• Translating powerful teaching tools through the power of music.
• Stories of transforming shy or hesitant learners into confident performers.
• The intersection of music, culture, and human development in the classroom.
• Practical tips for educators, parents, and music lovers to engage and empower kids.

Warm, candid, and deeply inspiring, Frank shows that music isn’t just an art—it’s a catalyst for growth, joy, and lifelong learning. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or lover of human potential, his insights will leave you energized, motivated, and ready to make a difference.

https://www.frankleto.com/  

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]

What does it really mean to support parents who are stretched thin—and how can schools, communities, and families work together to ease the load? In this conversation, hosts Nicole Coman and Biff Maier get real about the universal experience of parental overwhelm and the many pressures today’s caregivers carry.

Nicole and Biff explore:

• Why naming your stress and reaching out for connection is often the first step
• How schools can serve as a trusted extension of the family
• The role of community, vulnerability, and “finding your people”
• Why children often “hold it together” all day—only to fall apart at home
• How modeling emotional awareness teaches kids to do the same
• The impact of burnout, and why parent self-care isn’t optional
• Ways to create balance, reset expectations, and prioritize what truly matters

With honesty, humor, and deep empathy, Nicole and Biff remind us that no one is meant to parent alone—and that overwhelm isn’t a failure, but a human signal to seek support.

If YOU feel overloaded, stuck, or simply need someone to listen, we invite you to reach out. This episode is both a comfort and a call to community for every parent trying to do their best.

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]

What shapes a lifetime in education—and what keeps someone devoted to it for more than half a century? In this episode, longtime educator and AMS Living Legacy honoree Charles Terranova looks back on 55 years in Montessori, sharing the unexpected twists, transformative mentors, and unforgettable children who defined his journey.

Hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coleman speak with Charles about:

• How a chance visit to a Montessori classroom changed the course of his life
• The influence of early mentors who modeled humility, humanity, and deep respect for children
• Why observation, experimentation, and prepared environments remain central to authentic Montessori practice
• Ways language, tone, and presence shape children’s confidence and concentration
• The shifts he’s witnessed across decades in education—and why child-centered learning still feels revolutionary
• Powerful stories from his own classrooms that reveal the courage, curiosity, and vulnerability of young learners

With warmth, humor, and remarkable honesty, Charles invites us to consider what children truly need from adults—and how the smallest interactions can have lifelong impact. His reflections remind us that education is both a science and an act of love, and that every classroom holds the potential for transformation.

Charles Terranova is an educator, teacher instructor, storyteller, and beloved figure in the Montessori community.

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]

What if your greatest limitation became your most powerful creative force? In this episode, Phil Hansen, internationally recognized multimedia artist and TED speaker, joins hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman to share how a hand tremor reshaped his art, his mindset, and his life. From painting with worms and karate chops to creating art he deliberately destroys, Phil’s story is a masterclass in resilience, curiosity, and reinvention.

Together, they explore:

• How embracing constraints can spark innovation rather than stifle it
• The connection between intrinsic motivation and creativity—in children and adults
• The surprising role of failure and play in lifelong learning
• Why Phil believes we shouldn’t wait for inspiration—we should just start

With humor, vulnerability, and insight, Phil reminds us that creativity isn’t about perfect conditions, it’s about using what you have, right now, to make something extraordinary.

More on Phil Hansen:

https://www.philinthecircle.com/

Watch Phil Hansen’s TED Talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrZTho_o_is

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]

What happens when a child who once asked to be homeschooled grows up to become a Montessori educator, and a Montessori parent? In this episode, Montessori teacher Cassandra Duggan traces her winding journey from anxious second grader to public-school teacher and autism interventionist, through a brief stop in Waldorf, and finally into Montessori, where follow the child, intrinsic motivation, and multi-age communities transformed her practice and her own daughter’s love of school.

Hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman talk with Cassandra about:

• Advocating for herself at eight, learning at her own pace, and why comfort and autonomy in the environment matter
• Nannying, teacher prep, and working as an Autism Interventionist in inclusion settings
• The pressures of standards-based education (pacing guides, rushing, one-size-fits-all) versus following the child
• A mid-career reset: Waldorf, Covid, and discovering Montessori through her daughter’s school
• Starting at a Montessori school with no prior training, then embracing Montessori materials, student freedom, and the multi-age model
• Why she’d choose Montessori for her younger self, and how her daughter thrives (yes, even with a classroom dog)
  
  

Warm, candid, and illuminating, Cassandra shows how purpose and practice align when we trust children, and redesign school around their developmental needs.

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]

What happens when hip-hop, spoken word, and student support meet in higher education? In this episode, Donovan Livingston, award-winning educator, spoken word poet, and creator of the viral Harvard speech Lift Off, shares how culture and community can transform student success. Now director of College Thriving at UNC–Chapel Hill, Livingston bridges music, equity, and education to help students find their voice and their place.

Hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman talk with Donovan about:

• How the golden era of 90s hip-hop shaped his love of lyricism, and why the celebratory energy of the early 2000s inspired him to see music as both political and joyful.
• Why UNC’s new College Thriving requirement for all first-year students blends growth mindset, stress coping, and campus resources to help 4,000 students a year build resilience and belonging.
• The growth of UNC’s hip-hop program, from beat-making labs to rap ensembles to global diplomacy projects, that values MCs, DJs, graffiti, and breakdancing alongside Beethoven and Mozart.
• How community cultural wealth and storytelling help students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, see their neighborhoods, families, and lived experiences as essential sources of knowledge.
• What it means to use hip-hop as a platform for equity, asking students to confront questions of privilege, gender, and power while carving out space for women, queer artists, and neurodivergent peers.

With warmth and conviction, Donovan highlights the power of culture, community, and creativity to help students thrive.

Watch Donovan Livingston's Harvard Graduate School of Education Student Speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XGUpKITeJM

Buy Donovan Livingston’s book:
Lift Off: From the Classroom to the Stars
https://www.amazon.com/Lift-Off-Classroom-Donovan-Livingston/dp/0399591370

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]

What happens when one of the world’s most iconic toy makers goes back to its roots – and invites Montessori experts to help chart the future? In this episode, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman go inside Fisher-Price’s legendary Play Lab with Dr. Corinne Eggleston, Senior Manager of the Fisher-Price Play Lab, to unpack why the company returned to wood, how the team designed a Montessori-inspired product line, and what decades of play research reveal about how children really learn.

Hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman talk with Fisher-Price’s Corinne Eggleston about:

• Why Fisher-Price decided to reintroduce wooden toys, and what they learned in the process.
• How the Fisher-Price Play Lab tests toys with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in two purpose-built labs (complete with one-way glass and a raised floor), and why children’s feedback drives every iteration.
• What authentic Montessori design required (not just the aesthetic), including school ethnography and iterative reviews with AMS.
• Why Fisher-Price became the first recipient of the AMS Montessori Seal of Excellence, and what that signals to parents and educators.
• How the Fisher-Price team balances free play and guided play, plus the included “Play Tips” booklets that help caregivers support at home.
• What Fisher-Price’s decades of play research reveal about how children learn best.

With warmth, insight, and a behind-the-scenes look at toy design, this episode shows how a beloved company rediscovered timeless materials, grounded pedagogy, and child-led innovation.

Find the Fisher-Price Wood Montessori Collection on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/7FBCFC47-7280-4E85-8608-15D8CCAA7BDE

Find out more about the AMS Montessori Seal of Excellence and learn how to apply here: https://amshq.org/seal

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]

Why is strong communication between home and school essential for a child’s success? In this episode, hosts Nicole Coman and Biff Maier explore the role of trust, honesty, and consistency between parents and educators.

Through stories from their own school experiences, they discuss:

• Why consistency between home and school is key to student growth
• How open communication builds trust and reduces stress for families, teachers, and children
• Strategies for navigating difficult conversations, from academic struggles to behavior concerns
• The importance of listening to parents’ perspectives, and why transparency matters on both sides
• Practical tips for schools and families to sustain healthy communication

With warmth, candor, and lived experience, Nicole and Biff remind us that when parents and educators work together, children gain the stability and support they need to succeed—in school and beyond.

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]

What if art wasn’t just something you make—but a way you think, live, and heal? In this episode, internationally acclaimed graffiti artist and speaker Erik Wahl, joined by his wife and creative partner, Tasha Wahl, share their deeply personal story of losing everything, redefining success, and building a home that doubles as a life studio.

Hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman talk with Erik and Tasha about:

• Why Erik defines art as thinking – and how that perspective can liberate learners of all ages
• The role of risk-taking, ego-checking, and “painting for the trash can” in sparking creativity
• How discipline and structure can fuel, rather than limit, imagination
• The Wahl family’s unconventional traditions for raising curious, resilient children
• Creating spaces, physical and emotional, that welcome both joy and suffering
• The importance of originality, emotional expression, and embracing imperfection in an AI-driven world
• How their “river with banks” metaphor mirrors Montessori principles: structure as the foundation for creative freedom, much like Montessori’s balance of order, independence, and exploration

With humor, candor, and hard-won wisdom, Erik and Tasha invite us to see creativity not as a talent for the few, but as a lifelong practice that can transform how we teach, parent, and live.

Learn more about Erik Wahl:
https://www.theartofvision.com/

Buy Erik Wahl's book:
Unthink: Rediscover Your Creative Genius
https://www.amazon.com/Unthink-Rediscover-Your-Creative-Genius/dp/0770434002

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]

Maria Montessori was a visionary—but she was also human, complicated, and far more radical than the myths suggest. In this episode, Erica Moretti, author of The Best Weapon for Peace: Maria Montessori, Education, and Children’s Rights, joins hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman to explore the radical roots of Montessori’s legacy.

Together, they discuss:

• Montessori’s early activism and interactions —including with Mussolini and the Vatican
• Moretti presents Montessori as a trailblazing champion for children's rights, whose work was in harmony with the growing humanitarian and internationalist movements of the early 20th century
• Why Moretti believes Montessori never stopped being a feminist—even as her public image softened
• The challenges of writing a twelve-year biography while becoming a mother herself
• Why Montessori’s White Cross initiative, which aimed to provide caring support for children affected by war, was overlooked during its time

With academic rigor, expert insight, and personal reflection, Erica Moretti reintroduces Montessori as a bold, imperfect woman whose work on peace, education, and children’s rights remains urgent today.

Erica Moretti is associate professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY, and a scholar of pacifism, humanitarianism, and displacement in modern Italy.

Find Erica’s book on Amazon or wherever you buy your books.
The Best Weapon for Peace: Maria Montessori, Education, and Children's Rights

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Weapon-Peace-Montessori-Education/dp/0299333140/

Contact Us: [email protected]

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: [email protected]