Elizabeth Tingle never planned to become a Montessori teacher, but her path seems to have led her there all along. With decades of experience behind her, Elizabeth Tingle discovered that Montessori aligned perfectly with the values she'd been teaching by for years.

Hosts Nicole Coman and Biff Maier talk with Elizabeth about:

• Elizabeth Tingle’s early calling to teach and how a fifth-grade teacher inspired her to embrace every child’s uniqueness
• The challenges and insights from 14 years working with students facing significant emotional and behavioral needs
• How Montessori philosophy resonated with her belief in personalized, respectful education
• The transition from token-based behavior systems (like earning points or prizes) to intrinsic motivation, and the importance of regulation, trust, and flexibility in learning
• Why understanding behavior as communication is key to unlocking student potential

Elizabeth’s story is a testament to how deep respect for the individual child, and a willingness to adapt, can lead to transformative teaching and learning.

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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]