Margaret H. Loeffler examines why there is a need for a new examination of Montessori ideas and practices as they relate to the children of the 21st century. She argues that it is imperative that Montessori educators and Montessori parents reexamine its basic principles as well as its methodology to assess its fit with the needs of 21st-century children. Following a century of successful classroom practice in a variety of cultures, Montessori's ideas are still regarded by most educators as out-of-the-mainstream, difficult to understand, and lacking in recognition of contemporary children's interests and needs. She proposes that Montessori educators and allies must make every effort to change these perceptions. Their belief in Montessori education as a possible solution to some of the problems in culture faces today requires them to recognize that they have a critical job to do in persuading the wider educational world that Maria Montessori's basic educational principles are made for the 21st century. This is an abridged version of an article that appeared in "Montessori Life" in 2001.