Clark Montessori Junior and Senior High School was the first public Montessori high school in the US. Marta Donahoe and Dean Blase outline the roots and founding principles of Clark Montessori in the context of Montessori pedagogy. Woven throughout this discussion of the Montessori high school environment are guiding principles that Clark adopted…

Mary Verschuur writes about coming to America in 1962, recruited by Nancy McCormick Rambusch. In this article, she reminisces about the sheer sensation of practicing a new vocation in an unknown location with materials imported in wood crates from Europe and many materials needing to be handmade. A Montessori life in retrospect is worth telling,…

Tom Loew says that East Dallas Community Schools have been creating beautiful and functional environments for decades, but developing Bachman Lake Community School was more than creating a school. They also had to establish a community center, scale up staff quickly, service a wide number of families, leverage Montessori training and related…

Joachim Dattke inspires the reader to consider how a truly inclusive society is beneficial for both typical children and children with disabilities. Five essential components are defined for planning inclusive schools, and the key features of a Montessori model are discussed. The first inclusion-by-design school in the world (Munich, Germany),…

Connie Black takes a broad view as she makes the case for the all-day Montessori. She assembles Montessori historical literature to give authenticity to a full-day program that is true to Montessori's "aid to life." The Montessori prepared environment provides "care" day in and day out and includes a focus on practical life as…

Emily Shubitz appreciates the Nido and all of its facets and is well aware of the pioneers--Adele Costa Gnocchi and Silvana Montanaro--as she emphasizes the Nido being a developmental force rather than just a babysitting source. Her list for creating a Nido environment is thoughtful, extensive, and inclusive: home-like wood furniture, soft rugs,…

Cheryl Ferreira vigorously pursues the Montessori principles that are implicit for preparing a classroom where "children find all that is needed to work at self-formation and to maximize their inner potential." The Montessori philosophy is precisely conveyed as Cheryl Ferreira details the specific elements and principles, both physical…

Although Montessori education is often considered a form of playful learning, Maria Montessori herself spoke negatively about a major component of playful learning--pretend play, or fantasy--for young children. In this essay, the author discusses this apparent contradiction: how and why Montessori education includes elements of playful learning…

Discusses the basic discoveries of Montessori's Casa dei Bambini. Considers principles of Montessori's organizing theory: the absorbent mind, the unfolding nature of life, the spiritual embryo, self-construction, acquisition of culture, creativity of life, repetition of exercise, freedom within limits, children's discovery of knowledge, the secret…

Reviews the early history of Montessori education from the Italian State Orthophrenic School to the opening of the original Casa dei Bambini in San Lorenzo, Italy on January 6, 1907. Includes a synopsis of Maria Montessori's progressive revelations of the child's developing self over the past century. (JPB)

Describes the German land schools, focusing on the Country Home School founded in 1898 and other early rural German educational experiments as a backdrop for an examination of Montessori's formulation of Erdkinder. Recommends a systematic historical study of ideas and writing surrounding the genesis of Erdkinder so that contemporary implementers…

Surveys constructivism and developmental psychology, including work by Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner, Gardner, Kamii, and DeVries. Considers the influence of Montessori pedagogy on early childhood education in contrast to its neglect in professional literature. (JPB)

Describes the founding of an experimental school in 1936 in Laren, Holland by Maria Montessori, which began to synthesize the cultural materials based on children's capacity for hearing and absorbing language. Discusses young children's responsiveness to learning scientific names for leaf forms. Cites this experience as evidence for her theory of…

Describes the conceptual framework for an urban Montessori high school in Holland in 1945. Includes information on implementing fundamental Montessori principles, scheduling, materials, organization of subject matter, use of group mentors, and democracy in school. Focuses on how the school increases adolescents' moral strength with living and…