"The Montessori Observer" is mailed four times each year, in March, May, September and November, to Society members throughout the world. The purpose is to provide news and information about the Society's work in Montessori education, and to extend awareness. This issue contains a feature article, "Home-School Relations," by…

The role of the Skalel family and their founding of Whitby School in 1958 were the spark that started the Montessori movement in the United States. Ann Skalel was impressed with the Montessori method, having seen it in practice in Ireland, that she wanted to start such a school in Greenwich, CT for her grandchildren. Tragically, Skalel and her…

In 2002, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) adopted a policy committing itself to develop all schools in the district as community learning centers. In Pleasant Ridge, one of Cincinnati's most racially and socio-economically diverse neighborhoods, the community set itself to the task of rebuilding what had been a failing school that reflected little…

Maria Montessori envisioned an educational approach that could serve as a transformative agent for peaceful and positive change in the world; in fact, she dedicated her adult life to perfecting teaching methods and strategies congruent with that vision. Montessorians today continue to share that vision, but they also wrestle with modern realities.…

One of the major components of Dr. Montessori's plan for peace education is a curriculum that de-emphasizes nationalism. The "big picture" of the cultural curriculum encourages the perspective that people are citizens of Earth first, and only secondarily American, Japanese, Polish, or other nationalities. Through the fundamental needs…

Ukraine had been under Soviet domination for 75 years. Its institutions, including its educational system, were guided by rules established in Moscow. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, the country had opportunities to reinvent itself. In this article, the author discusses the Ukrainian Montessori Project, a successful partnership between…

This article explores the benefits and challenges of a Spanish language immersion preschool from the perspective of a non-Spanish speaking African American family. Data explored include the decision to enroll, reactions from peers and family, home-school communication issues, language development, and family involvement. In addition,…

At Montessori schools, students are given tasks called "practical life" exercises. In these exercises, students learn to take care of themselves and their environment. Students at the Robert Goddard Montessori School are also familiar with the drill of workbooks, testing sheets, and homework--features that would never be part of a…

This research addressed the question of how the spiritual experience of young children might be supported in early childhood educational settings. Qualitative case study research took place in three different contexts: a Montessori casa, a Rudolf Steiner kindergarten and a private preschool. Children aged 2 1/2-6 years, their parents and teachers…

Attention to spirituality is proposed to be a means of restoring and supporting well-being in early childhood educational contexts. In Aotearoa, New Zealand, the spiritual dimension is included in the early childhood curriculum "Te Whariki". This holistic approach to education supported research in three different early childhood…

When Maria Montessori addressed two wildly enthusiastic American audiences at Carnegie Hall in December 1913, she thrilled the parents in attendance, but sent a shock wave through the educational establishment. Instead of accommodating skeptics from the teacher-training institutions seated there that night, she appealed directly to parents who…

The act of collaboration is important when improving communication between administration and teachers, guiding school personnel to collectively clarify teaching and learning outcomes, and facilitating school stakeholders to engage in strategic institutional planning. As necessary as collaboration is, adults often do not know how to collaborate…

This article describes the Language Center Montessori School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where students are learning in a language-immersion Montessori environment. The school offers a choice to parents--Spanish immersion or French immersion--but Montessori comes with both. The school's motivation for promoting bilingualism is to improve…

In this article, the author discusses how the JUCONI Foundation in Puebla, Mexico is helping children. (JUCONI is an acronym for "Junto con los Ninos", or "Together with the Children)." This Mexican nongovernmental organization (NGO) has been successfully working with distressed families and children in Puebla since 1989. For…

This article discusses the importance of thinking about and identifying what one wants in a school--and deciding whether or not these are realistic expectations. One might want to consider the core values that attracts one to Montessori, and observe, when visiting a school, to see how these are expressed in the school day. The author points out…