Educating the Human Potential: The American Montessori Society Podcast

What does a Montessori classroom actually look like—and what is really happening beneath the freedom, movement, and choice? In this conversation, Biff and Nicole take on some of the most common questions and misconceptions they hear about Montessori. Is it a chaotic free-for-all? Is it overly strict? Do children get enough academics? Are Montessori students prepared for the “real world”—or for tra...

What do children actually think about school? For this special conversation, we hand the microphones over to two very honest critics: nine-year-old twins Ishaan and Ayaan. After years in Montessori and a recent transition to a new school, the third graders have plenty to say about how they learn, what they love, what they miss, and what they would change. Their answers are funny, thoughtful, occas...

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 co...

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...

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 s...

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 Coma...

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 pre...

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 year...

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...

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 occupatio...

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 unconventi...

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 understa...

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: Th...

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’ ex...

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....

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 decad...

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 und...

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 includi...

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: humanpotential@amshq.org Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman , a licensed educationa...

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 Mon...

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 e...

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 pow...

What does it really mean to support parents who are stretched thin—and how can schools, communities, and families work together to ease the load? In this conversation, hosts Nicole Coman and Biff Maier get real about the universal experience of parental overwhelm and the many pressures today’s caregivers carry. Nicole and Biff explore: Why naming your stress and reaching out for connection is ofte...

What shapes a lifetime in education—and what keeps someone devoted to it for more than half a century? In this episode, longtime educator and AMS Living Legacy honoree Charles Terranova looks back on 55 years in Montessori, sharing the unexpected twists, transformative mentors, and unforgettable children who defined his journey. Hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coleman speak with Charles about: How a c...

What if your greatest limitation became your most powerful creative force? In this episode, Phil Hansen , internationally recognized multimedia artist and TED speaker, joins hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman to share how a hand tremor reshaped his art, his mindset, and his life . From painting with worms and karate chops to creating art he deliberately destroys, Phil’s story is a masterclass in re...