Educating the Human Potential: The American Montessori Society Podcast

Episódios

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  Teaching in the Age of AI with Samantha Gleisten 07.09.2026 53min

  What happens when artificial intelligence becomes part of how children learn, teachers work, and we relate to one another? Samantha Gleisten believes the answer isn't simply learning how to use new tools—it's strengthening the human capacities that should guide how we use them. Samantha brings her experience as a Montessori educator, digital citizenship teacher, and AI developer to a conversation about what education can contribute in an AI-powered world. She explains why relational int...
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  Finding Alignment, Not Balance with Katie Keller Wood 24.08.2026 50min

  What if the problem isn't that we're failing to find work-life balance—but that we're chasing something that doesn't exist? Katie Keller Wood joins Educating the Human Potential to rethink one of the most persistent ideas in modern life. Drawing on her Montessori work and her book Alignment, Katie argues that our lives aren't a scale where work and life compete for equal weight. They're more like a mosaic: a collection of pieces that shift, grow, and change across different seasons of our liv...
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  Horizons National's Summer Advantage 10.08.2026 41min

  Across the country, Horizons National is helping change that. With more than 70 affiliated programs, the national nonprofit partners with schools to provide high-quality summer learning experiences that help students stay engaged academically while opening doors to new opportunities. At Lexington Montessori School, Director Maricarmen Sullivan and longtime Horizons student Mayelis Burgos-Sanchez share what that looks like in practice—and why its impact extends far beyond the classroom. Togeth...
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  The Best Part of Summer Camp? Parents Aren't There! 27.07.2026 58min

  What happens when children spend time away from home—and why do so many parents find that harder than their kids do? In Educating the Human Potential's first-ever returning guest episode, psychologist and bestselling author Michael Thompson returns for a timely conversation about why summer camp remains one of childhood's most powerful developmental experiences. Together with Nicole Coman and Biff Maier, he explores why homesickness is a normal part of growing up, how camp fosters resilience ...
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  Fostering Independence: Why Autonomy Matters 13.07.2026 42min

  What does it really mean for a child to become independent? For many parents, independence means tying shoes, getting dressed, or completing tasks without help. But in this conversation, Biff and Nicole explore a deeper question: What if true independence is about more than doing things alone? Drawing on Montessori philosophy, they examine how autonomy, choice, responsibility, and thoughtfully prepared environments help children develop the confidence and self-direction they'll carry througho...
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  Seeing Potential: How Great Teachers Change Lives with Clint Pulver 29.06.2026 42min

  What if the moments that change a life are often small, intentional acts of belief? In this inspiring conversation, Biff and Nicole are joined by Emmy Award-winning speaker, drummer, and bestselling author Clint Pulver to explore how mentorship, connection, and presence shape the stories children and adults tell about themselves. From the teacher who handed him his first pair of drumsticks to years spent studying workplace culture, Clint shares why people thrive when they feel seen, heard, an...
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  When Calm Becomes Contagious: The Emotional Blueprint We Give Children 15.06.2026 30min

  What happens when children borrow not just our words, but our emotions? In this thoughtful conversation, Biff and Nicole explore how children learn emotional regulation by watching the adults around them. Drawing from Montessori principles, psychology, and real-life parenting experiences, they discuss why our reactions matter, how children absorb the emotional climate around them, and what we can do when we inevitably lose our cool. Together, they discuss: • Why children learn emotional regul...
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  Seeing the Child Differently: An OT Perspective in Montessori 01.06.2026 53min

  What happens when Montessori education and occupational therapy come together? In this thoughtful and deeply practical conversation, Biff and Nicole sit down with a Montessori educator and occupational therapist Tia Gamelin to explore how movement, sensory regulation, emotional development, and environment all shape the way children learn. Together, they discuss: • The connection between occupational therapy and Montessori philosophy • Why behavior is often communication — not defiance • How ...
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  Growing More Than Food: What a School Farm Teaches Children 18.05.2026 53min

  What if some of the most powerful lessons children learn happen outside the classroom walls? In this episode, Biff and Nicole sit down with Montessori educator and school farmer Elise Washburn to explore how farming can become a living classroom — one that nurtures independence, observation, responsibility, and a deeper connection to the natural world. Together, they discuss: • Elise’s unconventional journey into Montessori, from California’s redwood forests to Rwanda and ultimately to the sc...
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  The Science of Learning with Jared Cooney Horvath 04.05.2026 48min

  What if the way we think about learning… is wrong? In this episode, Biff and Nicole sit down with neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath to break down what science actually tells us about how the brain learns—and why so many common approaches fall short. Drawing from research and real-world application, Horvath challenges popular assumptions and offers a clearer, more effective framework for understanding how children absorb, retain, and apply knowledge. Together, they explore: What’s really hap...
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  Helping Teens Navigate Stress and Anxiety with Lisa Damour 20.04.2026 49min

  What if anxiety isn’t something to eliminate—but something to understand? In this episode, Biff and Nicole sit down with clinical psychologist and bestselling author Lisa Damour to unpack the science of stress, anxiety, and adolescent development. With clarity and compassion, she reframes anxiety not as a problem to fix, but as a natural and necessary part of growing up. Together, they explore: The difference between healthy stress and harmful anxiety—and why both matterWhy avoidance actually...
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  The Science of Boys: How They Learn, Feel, and Grow with Michael Thompson 06.04.2026 51min

  What do boys really need from the adults who teach and raise them? In this episode of Educating the Human Potential, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman sit down with renowned psychologist and author Michael Thompson, whose decades of work have focused on boys’ development, friendships, emotional lives, and school experiences. Together they explore how developmental differences can shape boys’ experiences in school, why some boys disengage from learning, and how educators and parents can ...
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  Information, Not Labels: Understanding Child Evaluations 24.03.2026 1h 3min

  In this episode of Educating the Human Potential, hosts Biff Maier and child psychologist Nicole Coman discuss how evaluations can help families better understand a child’s learning, behavior, and emotional development. Together they explore the differences between educational, psychological, and neuropsychological evaluations, and how these tools can provide valuable insight rather than labels. In this conversation, they discuss: Why parents sometimes hesitate and how to think about diagnose...
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  Montessori Deep Dive: Educating Teachers Who Shape the Future Worldwide 09.03.2026 49min

  What happens when Montessori moves beyond the classroom — and begins transforming the adults who guide it? In this Montessori Deep Dive, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman sit down with educator and global teacher educator Natasha McKenzie, whose journey into Montessori began unexpectedly in an international classroom and grew into a career supporting educators across continents. Drawing on decades of international experience, Natasha shares how Montessori adapts across cultures while maintain...
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  The Volatile Gift: Rethinking ADHD with Dr. Ned Hallowell 23.02.2026 1h 1min

  In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, world-renowned psychiatrist and ADHD expert Dr. Ned Hallowell challenges everything we think we know about attention, learning, and human potential. Drawing from decades of clinical experience — and his own life with ADHD — Dr. Hallowell reframes ADHD not simply as a disorder, but as a complex condition that can become a profound strength when understood and supported. He shares stories from his childhood, his work with children and families,...
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  The Conversations That Brought Us Here — and the Ones to Come 09.02.2026 55min

  Season 2 of Educating the Human Potential begins with reflection and anticipation. In this premiere episode, hosts Nicole and Biff look back on meaningful moments from Season 1, revisiting conversations that shaped the journey and sharing memories from a remarkable group of guests. From psychology and well-being to creativity, identity, and lifelong learning, this episode highlights voices including Dr. Nick Mian on what children are really telling us through behavior; Suneel Gupta on small a...
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  Our Next Chapter: Season 2 of Educating the Human Potential 02.02.2026

  A quick message from Nicole and Biff as we prepare to launch Season 2 of Educating the Human Potential. Season 2 debuts next Monday, the 9th. Thank you for listening and being part of our 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 "Montesso...
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  The Child Who Found His Voice: The Journey of Governor Josh Green 19.01.2026 55min

  What happens when a child is truly seen—and supported—at exactly the moment it matters most? In this very special episode of Educating the Human Potential, Biff and Nicole are joined by Hawaiʻi Governor Josh Green, who shares a deeply personal story of how Montessori education helped change the trajectory of his life. After beginning his early childhood unable to hear or speak, Josh entered a Montessori classroom at just two and a half years old—where educators recognized his potential and he...
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  What Children Are Really Telling Us: Psychology, Behavior, and Human Development 05.01.2026 1h 5min

  What if children’s behavior is communication—not something to fix, but something to understand? In this episode of Educating the Human Potential, Biff and Nicole are joined by Dr. Nick Mian, a developmental psychologist whose work bridges mental health, child development, and education. Together, they explore how psychology can deepen our understanding of children’s emotional lives and learning experiences. In this conversation, you’ll hear about: How child development shapes behavior, emotio...
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  The Montessori Music Maestro: Stories from Frank Leto 15.12.2025 46min

  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 i...