The Willow Room

Alphabet books, reimagined.
Shop now

Ordinary alphabet books introduce children to the names of the 26 letters, in the same order as the alphabet song. Knowing the names of letters does not help children learn to read, and neither does singing the alphabet song. So why do publishing companies continue to create alphabet books that do not actually help children to read?

ABC Possibilities is a different kind of alphabet book series.

Based in the Montessori method, children are taught their letter sounds prior to learning the names of the letters. While it may seem counterintuitive, this approach helps children learn to read sooner. When children know the sounds letters make, they are ready to start stringing letters together to form short words.

This book series introduces children to a few sounds at a time, starting with those that they will encounter most frequently. As they progress through the series, children will learn basic consonant sounds and short vowel sounds. 

Cursive Version
Print Version

Check out our recent posts!

  • Real World Math Tasks
    Real World Math Tasks

    Maria Montessori challenged us to engage children with real work. While we often think about what this means in terms of practical life exercises, it is just as applicable to our work with mathematics. How do we get children to go beyond solving equations or even word problems but actually get them to engage in Read more

  • Managing Student Work
    Managing Student Work

    Everyone you talk to has their own system for keeping track of student work. I know teachers who have students use one large binder, one binder for each subject, a notebook for each subject, a notebook plus a folder for each subject, loose leaf paper… the choices can quickly become overwhelming. For me, the biggest Read more

  • The Montessori Event
    The Montessori Event

    I am honored to present at The Montessori Event for 2023. Many moons ago, when I was still teaching in a traditional public school, I became drawn to inquiry-based mathematics lessons. I knew I wanted students to go deep and find the answers for themselves. At Mount Holyoke College’s Master of Arts in Mathematics Teaching Read more

About The Willow Room

Named after Lena’s first classroom at the Children’s Tree Montessori School, The Willow Room is an educational blog and set of resources to support hands-on, inquiry driven learning in Montessori classrooms and homes.

Follow Me On