The Open Classroom
Wellington Pontes-Filho • November 19, 2024

From Materials To Milestones - Experiencing Learning In Our Multilingual Montessori Classrooms.

The Open Classroom event at The Renaissance International School (TRIS) offers parents a unique opportunity to experience their child's learning journey and engage with our school's mission to provide a supportive, multidisciplinary, and international environment where students can reach their full potential. Parents step into their children's shoes to experience firsthand their world of learning, exploration, discovery, and growth. They witness how teachers nurture curiosity and independence and instill the joy of learning in these important foundational years.

During the event, elementary teachers lead interactive lessons that immerse parents in the Montessori philosophy and classroom experience. Parents participate in hands-on activities, such as conducting science experiments, solving math problems using Montessori materials, creating a "Timeline of Life" to explore the evolution of life on Earth, and engaging in French and Spanish language lessons. These immersive activities provide a deeper understanding of the Montessori curriculum,  the multilingual immersion program, and the range of academic skills students develop in our Elementary Program.


At the end of the event, parents ask teachers and administrators about the curriculum, classroom routines, and how to incorporate the Montessori approach at home to support their child's growth. This event fosters a deeper connection between school and home and promotes a better understanding of our program by offering parents to partake in their students' learning journey. 

If you haven’t attended yet, we highly encourage you to attend the next event—it’s a fantastic opportunity to connect with teachers and gain a deeper appreciation for our Montessori Elementary program. You’ll leave excited about your child’s educational experience at TRIS.

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