Discusses the importance of Montessori's Practical Life exercises for building character and self-esteem, more concern for others, better understanding for academic learning, and a self-nurturing, respectful classroom community. Considers aspects of movement and silence exercises for developing the child's contemplative and reflective nature that…

Roslyn Davis Williams (1921-1997), a Montessori parent who became a leader in American Montessori education, followed a long tradition of Black educators who sought to end the scourge of racial segregation in America. In 1967, facing the imminent closure of her daughter's Montessori preschool program, Williams (along with other parents) founded…

Derreck Kayongo is an entrepreneur and the former CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. He founded the Global Soap Project (now acquired by Clean the World), a humanitarian aid organization for collecting discarded and unused soap from thousands of hotels worldwide, reprocessing it, then distributing it to in-need populations…

Due to the steady growth of Montessori in the public sector over the past 20 years, the question of whether authentic Montessori can be implemented in public schools is often raised. To try to shed light on this question, in 2011, the authors began a research study of more than 315 South Carolina public school classrooms (with approximately 7,500…

To many people, the ultimate goals of a Montessori education do not fall in the measurable domains of subject matter or mastery of specific techniques. Instead, the outcomes of Montessori education that really matter are, to some extent, intangible. Many Montessorians believe that children work to fulfill inner directives, and it is during such…

Only when we look at education from birth and follow the inner development of the child from the beginning can we truly see the child's psychological progress. Montessori states that personality cannot develop fully without freedom; even the formation of healthy social life requires freedom to associate, not coercion. The early childhood level…

In this article, the author reflects on a trip to Italy where she visited Dr. Montessori's birthplace in Chiaravalle.

Montessori environments offer concrete learning materials, with controls of error embedded in their design, that support independence, engage the child's interest, and provide individual challenges. Yet, over time, Crystal Dahlmeier has observed changes in some Montessori environments: worksheets taking the place of hands-on work with materials;…

As an expression of personal and group identity, recognizing holidays conveys to others what teachers and their school value. Each child constructs a complex identity through experiences with their environment, "including" the holidays observed and valued by their family and broader culture. When a school community represents a child's…

Montessori was very specific about the value of observation. Observation may feel like a never-ending chore--a routine that is difficult to fit into the day that results in data that is difficult to use once collected. No matter the reason, observation can inspire feelings of discomfort, inadequacy, and confusion. Viewed from this perspective,…

This article presents and analyses a didactic proposal based on manipulative material (Knobless Cylinders) used in a Montessori classroom of 3-6-year-old pre-schoolers. Choosing this material is justified in relation to the competencies/strategies/skills used during the development of mathematical patterning. Numerous studies emphasise the…

This articles describes the beginnings of the American Montessori Society (AMS). The AMS was founded in 1960, in Greenwich, CT. Its small office was located above a bakery. Founder Nancy McCormick Rambusch described the stresses of the young organization, one that was "trying to keep ahead of the mounting mail and unanswered telephone calls,…

As an assistant editor in the Photography department at the New York Times, the author manages a team of seven visual editors who assign photographers to stories all over the globe. Recently, one of her team members approached her to let her know that the amount of violence he was subjected to was having an effect on his mental state. It made the…

How often do you tell white lies? When the "New York Times" ran an article linking children's lying with their cognitive abilities (Stone, 2018), the authors decided to examine this phenomenon through the lens of Montessori philosophy. Consequently, the authors delved into the related research on lying, executive function, and prosocial…

Background: Poor dietary habits in childhood can lead to obesity and chronic diseases later in life. Increasing children's nutrition knowledge and liking of fruits and vegetables are key factors in improving diet quality. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a nutrition program on knowledge, liking and intake of fruits and…