I work for an education company based in SoCal that is deeply influenced by Maria Montessori and committed to mainstreaming her philosophy of education. Montessori's life was a harrowing, inspiring, and epic adventure. Seriously, this woman needs a bio-pic starring Meryl Streep and directed by Peter Weir! (Until then, I found this documentary on YouTube fascinating.)
The transcripts of her 1946 London course is, I think, actually an excellent introduction to Montessori's unique perspective on human development and what wholistic early education requires. The book is formatted into 33 approachable, brief, substantive talks. I'm told that these lectures also became the foundation of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)'s primary course.
The transcripts of her 1946 London course is, I think, actually an excellent introduction to Montessori's unique perspective on human development and what wholistic early education requires. The book is formatted into 33 approachable, brief, substantive talks. I'm told that these lectures also became the foundation of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)'s primary course.
Guidepost Montessori at Alicia in Laguna Hills, CA
To this day, Montessori-influenced schools can be found in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. As of 2014, it's estimated that over 14,000 Montessori schools exist with tens of thousands of additional practitioners at home or in traditional schools. Montessori school graduates include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, bestselling author Gabriel García Márquez, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, NBA star Steph Curry, and countless other innovators. If you're looking for what an authentic Montessori school looks and feels like, I strongly recommend liking and following Guidepost Montessori, one of the largest families of schools serving over 1600 students. They also offer Spanish and Mandarin language immersion classes. [JG]
WHO WAS MARIA MONTESSORI?
Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori (1870-1952) was an Italian physician and educator who devised a new philosophy of education from decades of experience teaching poor children in Rome. She wrote volumes on her scientific pedagogy, the materials and lessons she designed for infants, toddlers, and older children, and the importance of wholistic education to achieve and maintain global peace.
During WWII, Montessori was forced to flee her then-Fascist home to India, where she continued to teach and refine her ideas for seven years. Her legacy in her adoptive country is enormous: the world's largest Montessori school is in Lucknow, India with 2,500 teachers and nearly 40,000 enrolled children. To this day, Montessori-influenced schools can be found in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asian, and Australia. As of 2014, it's estimated that over 14,000 Montessori schools exist with tens of thousands of additional practitioners at home or in traditional schools. This woman needs a bio-pic starring Meryl Streep and directed by Peter Weir! (Until then, I found this documentary on YouTube fascinating.)
During WWII, Montessori was forced to flee her then-Fascist home to India, where she continued to teach and refine her ideas for seven years. Her legacy in her adoptive country is enormous: the world's largest Montessori school is in Lucknow, India with 2,500 teachers and nearly 40,000 enrolled children. To this day, Montessori-influenced schools can be found in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asian, and Australia. As of 2014, it's estimated that over 14,000 Montessori schools exist with tens of thousands of additional practitioners at home or in traditional schools. This woman needs a bio-pic starring Meryl Streep and directed by Peter Weir! (Until then, I found this documentary on YouTube fascinating.)
"If a small child mixes with cultivated people who discuss scientific and lofty things, the child absorbs all the words; he absorbs the most difficult technical words. A child can absorb thousands of words."
— Maria Montessori, Solving the Social Problem
— Maria Montessori, Solving the Social Problem
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