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 this episode, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman go inside Fisher-Price’s legendary Play Lab with Dr. Corinne Eggleston, Senior Manager of the Fisher-Price Play Lab, to unpack why the company returned to wood, how the team designed a Montessori-inspired product line, and what decades of play research reveal about how children really learn.

Hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman talk with Fisher-Price’s Corinne Eggleston about:

• Why Fisher-Price decided to reintroduce wooden toys, and what they learned in the process.
• How the Fisher-Price Play Lab tests toys with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in two purpose-built labs (complete with one-way glass and a raised floor), and why children’s feedback drives every iteration.
• What authentic Montessori design required (not just the aesthetic), including school ethnography and iterative reviews with AMS.
• Why Fisher-Price became the first recipient of the AMS Montessori Seal of Excellence, and what that signals to parents and educators.
• How the Fisher-Price team balances free play and guided play, plus the included “Play Tips” booklets that help caregivers support at home.
• What Fisher-Price’s decades of play research reveal about how children learn best.

With warmth, insight, and a behind-the-scenes look at toy design, this episode shows how a beloved company rediscovered timeless materials, grounded pedagogy, and child-led innovation.

Find the Fisher-Price Wood Montessori Collection on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/7FBCFC47-7280-4E85-8608-15D8CCAA7BDE

Find out more about the AMS Montessori Seal of Excellence and learn how to apply here: https://amshq.org/seal

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 educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: humanpotential@amshq.org

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 role of trust, honesty, and consistency between parents and educators.

Through stories from their own school experiences, they discuss:

• Why consistency between home and school is key to student growth
• How open communication builds trust and reduces stress for families, teachers, and children
• Strategies for navigating difficult conversations, from academic struggles to behavior concerns
• The importance of listening to parents’ perspectives, and why transparency matters on both sides
• Practical tips for schools and families to sustain healthy communication

With warmth, candor, and lived experience, Nicole and Biff remind us that when parents and educators work together, children gain the stability and support they need to succeed—in school and beyond.

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 educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: humanpotential@amshq.org

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 speaker Erik Wahl, joined by his wife and creative partner, Tasha Wahl, share their deeply personal story of losing everything, redefining success, and building a home that doubles as a life studio.

Hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman talk with Erik and Tasha about:

• Why Erik defines art as thinking – and how that perspective can liberate learners of all ages
• The role of risk-taking, ego-checking, and “painting for the trash can” in sparking creativity
• How discipline and structure can fuel, rather than limit, imagination
• The Wahl family’s unconventional traditions for raising curious, resilient children
• Creating spaces, physical and emotional, that welcome both joy and suffering
• The importance of originality, emotional expression, and embracing imperfection in an AI-driven world
• How their “river with banks” metaphor mirrors Montessori principles: structure as the foundation for creative freedom, much like Montessori’s balance of order, independence, and exploration

With humor, candor, and hard-won wisdom, Erik and Tasha invite us to see creativity not as a talent for the few, but as a lifelong practice that can transform how we teach, parent, and live.

Learn more about Erik Wahl:
https://www.theartofvision.com/

Buy Erik Wahl's book:
Unthink: Rediscover Your Creative Genius
https://www.amazon.com/Unthink-Rediscover-Your-Creative-Genius/dp/0770434002

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 educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood

Contact us: humanpotential@amshq.org