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…

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…

Montessori teachers in public schools navigate a system daily that often does not align with their pedagogy, and district policies push them to stray from high-fidelity implementation. Using Weick's sensemaking theory and literature on Montessori teacher identity, I contend that Montessori teachers' identity plays a crucial role in how, or if,…

This study aimed to examine the opinions of Montessori educators on the digital assessment tool they use in terms of 21st-century teacher skills. The study sample covered 14 Montessori educators working in early childhood classes in public and private preschool educational institutions, located in Barcelona and Istanbul, where the Montessori…

Montessori education was developed over 100 years ago, and persists as a marginal 'niche reform' of the standard model. Here I discuss two unresolved dichotomies in early childhood education -- the tension between work and play, and between structure and freedom. I explain how Montessori collapses and thereby resolves the dichotomies, and does so…

Environmental education, a growing field, is recognized as a crucial element in combating climate change for current and future generations. Although environmental education seeks to offer children a holistic worldview of nature while striving to inspire young thinkers, it is missing from most classrooms, specifically Montessori schools. The…

Action research is particularly suited to a Montessori classroom as it is a way to systematically and scientifically approach classroom concerns to solve problems and bring about positive change. Action research requires skill in observation, as the teacher-researcher identifies and documents changes that he or she would like to see in the…

Common methods of measuring discipline disproportionality can produce contradictory results and obscure base-rate information. In this paper, we show how using multilevel modeling to analyze discipline disparities resolves ambiguities inherent in traditional measures of disparities: relative rate ratios and risk differences. One previous study…

This article provides photographs, quotes, and a timeline that traces Maria Montessori's legacy.

How Does Learning Happen: Ontario's Pedagogy for the Early Years, the early childhood education framework for Ontario (Canada), aims to guide early-years programs across the province by recognizing children as competent, capable, and curious individuals from diverse backgrounds. The policy highlights the significance of ensuring inclusive learning…

Numerous students across the United States are observed as being disengaged and bored in several of their learning experiences. Similarly, innumerable students also self-report being bored and disengaged. Over 40% of South Carolina (SC) students in Grades 3-8 report being compliant, disengaged, or mixed in all three domains (behaviorally,…

Elementary students transferring from traditional education classrooms to a Montessori school lack executive function skills (EFS) and struggle with academic performance and disrupt classes. The specific problem is the lack of strategies and support from school administrators to address an overwhelming number of new elementary Montessori students…

It is aimed in this study to analyze the effects of the Montessori education method on children with Down syndrome and autism having special training who have received and not received Montessori education through the Eurofit test batteries selected for motor skills and physical fitness. A total of 20 male children with Down syndrome and autism in…

Childhood adversity and trauma are pervasive and have powerful, far-reaching consequences for health and well-being. Recent years have seen increased recognition of the need for trauma-informed practice, which aims to promote understanding, healing, and the prevention of retraumatization. Historical data show that the early Montessori schools were…

This article is a conversation with Juliet King, EdD, the AMS 2022 Living Legacy. Dr. King began her career in South Florida some five decades ago, teaching in Miami-Dade County when public schools were beginning to desegregate. She transferred to an inner-city school with a Title I Montessori program; this was her first introduction to the…