Educating the Human Potential: The American Montessori Society Podcast
Episodes
The Science of Boys: How They Learn, Feel, and Grow with Michael Thompson
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Information, Not Labels: Understanding Child Evaluations
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Educating the Human Potential, hosts Biff Maier and child psychologist Nicole Coman discuss how evaluations can help families bette...
Montessori Deep Dive: Educating Teachers Who Shape the Future Worldwide
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when Montessori moves beyond the classroom — and begins transforming the adults who guide it?In this Montessori Deep Dive, hosts Biff M...
The Volatile Gift: Rethinking ADHD with Dr. Ned Hallowell
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, world-renowned psychiatrist and ADHD expert Dr. Ned Hallowell challenges everything we think we kno...
The Conversations That Brought Us Here — and the Ones to Come
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Season 2 of Educating the Human Potential begins with reflection and anticipation.In this premiere episode, hosts Nicole and Biff look back on meaning...
Our Next Chapter: Season 2 of Educating the Human Potential
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 yo...
The Child Who Found His Voice: The Journey of Governor Josh Green
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 Po...
What Children Are Really Telling Us: Psychology, Behavior, and Human Development
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if children’s behavior is communication—not something to fix, but something to understand?In this episode of Educating the Human Potential, B...
The Montessori Music Maestro: Stories from Frank Leto
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
You’re Not Alone: Supporting the Overwhelmed Parent
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
A Life Devoted to Children: 55 Years of Montessori with Charles Terranova
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Li...
Embrace the Shake: Phil Hansen on Turning Limitations into Creativity
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if your greatest limitation became your most powerful creative force? In this episode, Phil Hansen, internationally recognized multimedia artist ...
Montessori Deep Dive: Teacher Cassandra Duggan on Her Homeschool Roots, Traditional Classrooms, and the Freedom to Learn
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a child who once asked to be homeschooled grows up to become a Montessori educator, and a Montessori parent? In this episode, Montes...
Lift Off in Education: Donovan Livingston on Hip-Hop, Belonging, and Thriving
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when hip-hop, spoken word, and student support meet in higher education? In this episode, Donovan Livingston, award-winning educator, spo...
Inside the Fisher-Price Play Lab: Why Fisher-Price Embraced Montessori and Returned to Wood
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when one of the world’s most iconic toy makers goes back to its roots – and invites Montessori experts to help chart the future? In t...
Building Trust: Why Parent-School Communication Matters
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why is strong communication between home and school essential for a child’s success? In this episode, hosts Nicole Coman and Biff Maier explore the ...
From Loss to a Life of Creativity: Graffiti Artist Erik Wahl and Tasha Wahl on Life as Your Art Studio
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if art wasn’t just something you make—but a way you think, live, and heal? In this episode, internationally acclaimed graffiti artist and spe...
The Real Maria Montessori: Historian Erica Moretti on the Woman Behind the Method
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Maria Montessori was a visionary—but she was also human, complicated, and far more radical than the myths suggest. In this episode, Erica Moretti, a...
Rethinking School: Ulcca Joshi Hansen on Equity, Technology, and the Future of Learning
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if our education system isn’t broken—but just built for a different era? In this episode, Ulcca Joshi Hansen—author of The Future of Smart,...
Let Kids Be Kids: Olympian Dominique Dawes on Intrinsic Motivation, Healing, and Rethinking Youth Sports
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can sports empower children—and what happens when they don't? In this episode, Olympic gold medalist and mother of four Dominique Dawes ref...
The Future Is Human: Eric Rodriguez on Technology, Montessori, and the Power of Purpose
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if technology didn’t replace our humanity—but helped us deepen it? In this episode, Eric Rodriguez—engineer, keynote speaker, and facilitat...
Montessori Deep Dive: One Teacher’s Journey to Montessori
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth Tingle never planned to become a Montessori teacher, but her path seems to have led her there all along. With decades of experience behind h...
A Boy Erased: Garrard Conley on Surviving Conversion Therapy and Growing Up Gay in the Bible Belt
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if the people you trust most try to change who you are—and call it love? In this episode, Garrard Conley, author of the bestselling memoir Boy ...
Leading with Purpose: Anita Hanks and the Future of Montessori Education
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does a second-generation Montessori child become a transformational leader in the movement? In this episode, Anita Hanks, newly appointed Presiden...
From Burnout to Balance: Suneel Gupta on Small Adjustments with Big Impact
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do we stay energized, focused, and fulfilled in a world that constantly demands more? In this episode, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman are joine...
Life After Montessori: High School Seniors Reflect on the Impact of Their Early Education
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when Montessori students leave their multi-age classrooms and step into the world of traditional high schools? In this episode, two senio...
The Joy of Foraging: Alexis Nikole Nelson on Food, Nature, and Her Montessori Roots
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does a childhood spent exploring nature shape a lifelong passion? In this episode, Alexis Nikole Nelson—award-winning forager, chef, and social ...
The Power of Social Identity with Dr. Jay Van Bavel: How Groups Shape Learning, Bias, and Belonging
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does social identity influence the way we learn, form biases, and navigate the world? In this episode, Dr. Jay Van Bavel, NYU professor and coauth...
Why Rules Fail: The Montessori Approach to Raising Disciplined Children
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are traditional discipline methods setting children up for failure? In this episode, hosts Nicole Coman and Biff Maier challenge the outdated, top-dow...
Raising Kids in a Hypersexualized Digital World with Dr. Sharon Maxwell & Chelsea Maxwell
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How can parents and educators help kids develop healthy relationships, navigate social media, and build self-control in a world designed to capture th...
Lisa Ling on Journalism, Curiosity, and the Power of Storytelling
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning journalist Lisa Ling has spent her career uncovering untold stories and bringing hidden perspectives to light. From reporting in war zon...
Introducing Educating The Human Potential
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is education preparing children for the world they’ll inherit—or the world of the past? In this premiere episode, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coma...