Montessori Silent Journey
Wellington Pontes-Filho • March 11, 2025

Our school community was thrilled to experience the "Silent Journey," a unique and insightful event showcasing the TRIS Montessori curriculum. This school year, the Silent Journey focused on the Trilingual Immersion Program we offer at The Renaissance International School. The Preschool/Kindergarten Programs offer Spanish or French and English immersion, and the Elementary Program offers Spanish, French, and English immersion with native-speaking Montessori guides.



Why the Silent Journey?

The Silent Journey isn't just a walkthrough; it's a carefully curated experience for parents that maps out a Montessori curriculum for children aged two to twelve and explains the Montessori philosophy and methodology behind the careful, child-centric, developmentally appropriate, and systematic approach to learning.



The Silent Journey Experience -  The Big Picture To The Nitty Gritty!

The Silent Journey offered an opportunity to:

  • Strengthen the school-home partnership: A better understanding of the curriculum and specific methodologies used in the classroom supports a child's learning journey and strengthens the essential partnership between home and school.
  • Experiencing the Learning Continuum: Parents walked through our classrooms, observing the sequential progression of our language curriculum from Toddlers (ages 2-3) to Elementary (ages 6-12). This presentation allowed them to see the holistic development of language skills across all levels and how language studies intertwine with all subject areas in the Montessori classroom.
  • Exploring Our Trilingual Immersion: Our program is built on the science of reading, emphasizing phonics and phonemic awareness. Parents could see how we cultivate these skills in our youngest learners. They also witnessed our unique approach to phonemic awareness, grammar, and parsing across English, French, and Spanish.
  • Witness the Montessori Method in Action: Parents observed how Montessori materials and principles work together in learning. They discovered the thoughtfulness and intentionality behind the Montessori Method. This included the vast array of materials for all language study components such as phonology, syntax, semantics, etc., how Montessori guides give lessons to introduce, reinforce, and retain concepts, and the design of materials and how they foster independence, promote self-directed learning, and nurture a love of exploration. They saw materials and methodologies that empowered their children to learn and practice concepts independently and at their own pace, becoming active drivers of their learning.
  • From Observer to Participant - Stepping into a Montessori Student's World: After their silent observation, parents received lessons from our Montessori guides and enjoyed the hands-on experience of being a Montessori student.
  • Understanding the Form and Function of Montessori Materials: Parents better understood the Montessori Language materials and how they enable a deep conceptual understanding of study areas.


Overall, the Silent Journey experience was a great success and helped parents gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the Montessori Method, with many parents remarking, "I wish I had learned the Montessori way!"



Peace and Montessori Education
By Renee Hites March 4, 2026
In a world that often feels rushed and fragmented, Montessori education offers something rare: a place where children are truly seen. It is an approach built not just on academic achievement, but on the belief that education, real education, has the power to change the world. Maria Montessori developed her method in the early twentieth century, but her deepest conviction was not about reading or mathematics. It was about peace. She believed that if we want a more peaceful world, we must begin with the child. " Establishing lasting peace ," she wrote, " is the work of education ." In a Montessori classroom, peace is not simply a topic that is taught. It is something that is lived. Children of different ages work alongside one another, learning to collaborate rather than compete. They develop independence, not because they are left alone, but because they are trusted. They are given real work that matters, real choices that shape their day, and real consequences that teach them to think carefully about their actions. This freedom, however, is always balanced with responsibility. Children learn to care for their environment, to resolve conflicts with words, and to consider the needs of others as naturally as they consider their own. Grace and courtesy are woven into the fabric of every day, not as rules imposed from the outside, but as habits grown from the inside. Montessori also understood something profound about the child's relationship with the world itself. Through Cosmic Education, the sweeping story of the universe, the Earth, life, and human civilization, children come to see themselves not as isolated individuals, but as participants in something vast and interconnected. They learn that every living thing depends on every other, that the air we breathe was shaped by ancient organisms, that the words we speak carry the fingerprints of countless civilizations. This perspective cultivates humility, wonder, and a deep sense of responsibility toward the world and toward one another. What you will see today in our classrooms is a reflection of that vision. The quiet concentration, the purposeful movement, the children helping one another: these are not accidents. They are the fruits of an environment carefully prepared to bring out the best in each child. Montessori education does not promise to solve the world's problems. But it does promise to raise children who are capable of empathy, who know how to listen, who find meaning in contributing to something greater than themselves. And in that promise lies something quietly extraordinary: the possibility that the children in these rooms might one day help build the more peaceful world we are all hoping for.
Afternoon In Elementary
By Wellington Pontes Filho February 12, 2026
An Afternoon in Elementary is a wonderful opportunity for preschool and Kindergarten families to experience the Montessori Elementary environment and learn more about this exciting next step in their child's journey. This event is designed to help parents understand how Montessori Elementary builds naturally upon the foundation established in the primary years. In Elementary, children continue to grow as independent, confident learners while engaging with big ideas in math, language, science, and cultural studies through hands-on materials, collaborative work, and guided exploration. This year, our An afternoon in Elementary event was again a great success, bringing together children and their parents for a variety of engaging activities. These activities were led by Elementary students, with the support and supervision of Elementary staff and parent volunteers. The participants enjoyed the wonderful freshly baked French bread, explored the wonders of magnetism through experiments, and discovered a love of botany at the gardening and pot-decorating stations. There was great excitement during the math relay and while sewing geometric shapes. In Elementary, we also care for the health of both mind and body, which was reflected in the sports relay station. Creativity shone through our arts and crafts and face-painting stations. It was gratifying to see our Elementary students confidently engage with the younger students with empathy and warmth, guiding them through each activity and sharing their enthusiasm throughout the event. Elementary parent ambassadors were essential to the event's success. They warmly welcomed Primary families, shared information about our Elementary Montessori program, answered questions, and guided children between activity stations. Their support of the Elementary teachers helped create a smooth, welcoming, and engaging experience for all. We know that transitioning to Elementary can bring questions about readiness, independence, and academic expectations. An Afternoon in Elementary offers a space to see how children are supported socially, emotionally, and academically, and how the Elementary environment nurtures curiosity, critical thinking, and a love of learning. We want to extend a sincere thank you to our community for participating in the Afternoon in Elementary event . Their curiosity, enthusiasm, and joy made the event truly special. Warmly, Wellington Pontes-Filho Elementary Program Director