by John Chattin ©McNichols, Ph.D.

As a former Montessori teacher and now as a Montessori teacher educator, I'm always being asked to give a clear and detailed outline of Montessori--usually during the last 15 seconds of an elevator ride, or at a party with music blaring.

One of the reasons it's so difficult to explain Montessori is the number of topics that could be considered. There are some people, one in particular, who have that last name; there are a number of books by and about Dr. Montessori and her work; there are a number of organizations, such as schools, training centers, and societies or associations; and finally, there is the Montessori method, what it is that goes on (or should go on) in Montessori schools. Any one of these is hard to cover adequately in the elevator. A year's study is usually considered the right length of time for a person to learn enough about Montessori to begin "doing Montessori" in a classroom. But let's break the topic into these four areas and outline what there is to be discussed in each one.

First, the people: Dr. Maria Montessori (l870-l953) was Italy's first woman doctor of medicine, an extraordinary person by anyone's standards. She founded the first Montessori school (Casa dei Bambini, or Children's House) in Rome, in l907. The two best biographies of her life are excellent introductions to her work: E. M. Standing's Maria Montessori; Her Life and Work is less critical, but contains more information on the actual method. Rita Kramer's Maria Montessori; A Biography, is more recent and more concerned with Montessori in her other roles--feminist, social reformer, etc.

Dr. Montessori's son, Mario Montessori, was, until his death in l98l, the lifetime head of the Association of Montessori Internationale (AMI), the organization that she founded in 1929 to carry on her work. Maria Montessori's grandson, Dr. Mario Montessori, Jr., is a psychologist less directly concerned with the running of the AMI and Montessori schools.

Secondly, there are a number of books by and about Dr. Montessori and her work, in addition to the two biographies already mentioned. One of the many similarities Montessori has with Jean Piaget is that it is often easier for someone to begin with works about them, rather than reading them in their own words.

The following by Montessori are recommended in addition to the biographies:

The Montessori Method (Montessori, l967, Shocken Books)

The Absorbent Mind (Montessori, Delta, l967)

From Childhood to Adolescence (Montessori, Shocken, l973)

A much larger reading list can be found in the publications list of the American Montessori Society, 281 Park Avenue S., New York 10010. The AMS is one of several organizations whose primary role is the spread of information about Montessori and her methods. The oldest is the AMI; their international headquarters is in Amsterdam (AMI, Koninginneweg l6l, l075 CN, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.) They publish Communications and can provide a list of AMI affiliated schools and accredited training centers here and abroad.

The other major organizations in the United States, mentioned above, are the American Montessori Society, founded in l960 and the National Center for Montessori Education, a newer organization. The Society has over 50 affiliated training programs across the country, and provides services to members, including sale of books and Montessori materials. American Montessori Society teacher education programs are accredited by a separate organization, the Accreditation Council for Childhood Education Specialist Schools (ACCESS). The AMS publishes Montessori Life (formerly called The Constructive Triangle), a quarterly journal. The NCME publishers the Reporter, and has some 15 teacher education programs associated with it nationwide. NAMTA, the North American Montessori Teachers Association, is aligned with the AMI. NAMTA publishes the Quarterly (a journal), and operates a media service. Their address is 11424 Bellflower Road, N.E., Cleveland, Ohio, 44l06.

Insofar as schools are concerned, independent schools (those not affiliated with any organization) probably outnumber all the schools affiliated with all organizations put together. While many unaffiliated schools are excellent, there is no legal way to prevent any unscrupulous person from labeling any early childhood program "Montessori." In any metropolitan area, there are a few schools so labeled, without trained teachers, Montessori materials, or the faintest idea of Montessori methods. More consumer awareness on the part of the parents is the only answer to this problem. The same situation exists with Montessori teacher education programs, and expensive, insubstantial, "quickie" programs frustrate many well-meaning students each year.

In looking at schools in my area and around the country, by far the most common type of school is one that serves 3 to 6 year olds, and is unaffiliated with any national Montessori organization. The AMS records show that it affiliates the largest number of schools, some 400 to 750 annually. Newer Montessori organizations also affiliate schools, although the standards for affiliation may not be as stringent or the affiliation program may not be reinforced with periodic on-site school visits.

The most common Montessori school is still the traditional grouping of 3-, 4-, and 5- year olds that Montessori first worked with. As more training programs become available for working with other age groups, these are beginning to increase. With new schools opening to serve older children, and existing schools adding on elementary programs, the 6-9 and 9-12 levels of Montessori are probably growing at least as quickly as the 3-6 level.

One important component of growth in elementary Montessori is the public Montessori schools; approximately 100 districts in the U.S. have some sort of Montessori program. These are usually elementary programs, and some, such as the Dallas Independent School District, Cincinnati, and Buffalo, N.Y. programs, continue beyond grade 6. Secondary programs are still few and far between, although this is an area that many schools are planning for. The recent availability of Montessori teacher education programs for this level should be an impetus for further growth here.

Programs dealing with children younger than three are also enjoying a growth surge, due again in part to the fact that training in Montessori methods for this age level is now available at several locations around the country. The dramatic growth in this area is also partly the result of demographics: the new baby boomlet and the large numbers of families seeking high quality programs for their children have certainly contributed to this growth.

In describing the various parts of the Montessori method, I have divided the information into three levels . The first level is that of theory and philosophy, the background of Montessori's ideas which are the rationale for her model of education. Montessori had a clear theory of development, primarily a constructivist theory similar to Piaget's. This area contains her theory of 4 planes (or stages) of development, her idea of sensitive periods, and so on.

Another important area in Montessori's theory and philosophy is the area of child learning. This includes her ideas on the importance of manipulative materials, of isolation of difficulties, the importance of concentration, her ideas on reinforcement, and so on. In the area of reinforcement, for example, her ideas anticipated the concept of "competence motivation," the notion that children can be motivated to work through a desire to become better at a skill, without external rewards such as praise from adults.

A final key part of Montessori's theories concerns the goals of education. Every philosophy of education must include this. Montessori sought to develop independence, responsibility, and respect for others. The source of the information at this level of theory and philosophy is Montessori's writings and also the lectures on Montessori theory that are a part of any good Montessori teacher education program.

The ideas of Montessori at this top level (theory and philosophy) determine the content of the next level, the Montessori model . The model level contains the information on the ideal Montessori classroom. One key area here is Montessori's ideas on the environment. This includes macro-environment (classroom design, furniture, shelf height, for example) and the micro-environment (the Montessori materials). Another important area is the teacher. Teacher behaviors are specified in this, the model level. A final area of the model concerns Montessori's ideas on appropriate behavior for the child: the expectations that are reasonable for a teacher to hold.

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