Fully Implementing the Montessori Method
Montessori in the public sector
For over a century, keen observers of childhood development have understood a fundamental truth: humans are born with an innate capacity for learning, and the seeds of genius are present in every child. This wisdom forms the foundation of the Montessori method, a philosophy that champions the unlimited potential of each young mind.
The challenge is to fully implement the method within the constraints of the larger education system. The majority of Montessori programs in the United States are independent schools largely serving families with the means to pay for the tuition-based programs. There has consequently been no shared method for how to build sustainable Montessori institutions in the public sector. A complex and holistic model like Montessori goes against the grain of the current public education system - one designed to avoid complexity. The Montessori model requires unique autonomies and attention to structures for schools to outlast the passionate people and communities that come together to build them.
In The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Montessori wrote, “Society has built up walls, barriers the new education must cast down, revealing the free horizon. The new education is a revolution, but without violence. It is the non-violent revolution. After that, if it triumphs, violent revolution will have become forever impossible.”
Our organization takes up this challenge: to energize a peaceful revolution through the implementation of the Montessori method in public schools accessible to all. Join us in a community of practice. Whether you're a teacher, a parent, or an advocate, our community welcomes you. Together, we build on the belief that education is the source of a social revolution that will lead to a more peaceful world.
Experience the transformative power of the Montessori method and join the revolution!
We Support Building Resilient Schools
We believe that the full implementation of the Montessori approach is not only achievable in the public sector, but a necessity in forwarding the positive academic and socio-emotional growth in every Montessori school community
Three core elements
If we are truly committed to a revolution through education, we must ensure that the time and energy that goes into creating public Montessori schools is not lost through mission creep, the removal of the Montessori program or complete school closure. This means our public Montessori schools need to be resilient, and built with the ability to withstand and recover from difficulty.
District policies that may be not aligned with Montessori program structures, and a lack of professional development to specifically support the needs of Montessori teachers are just two examples of the many challenges schools may face. PMAI provides support to help schools fully implement Montessori education.
There are three core elements surrounding the work of building resilient schools:
Constructivism is at the root of the method. Most schools apply the behaviorist approach to learning. The belief is facts and information are separate from the learner and are something to be acquired.
By contrast, constructivism sees learning as creating meaning from experience. This thinking rests on the idea that learners acquire knowledge through active engagement within a prepared environment - meaningfully structured learning spaces where everything has a purpose and a place.
Equity in education, particularly racial equity, is at the forefront of today’s conversations. What is the impact of implicit bias and forwarding a dominant cultural worldview in the classroom?
Fairness and inclusion are necessary if we are committed to an education for peace. Every child deserves to feel safe, represented, and accepted in an environment that encourages sharing family culture and traditions, and celebrates the diversity and beauty of the world around us. What are the policies at your school that may keep the status quo within your community of educators?
Coaching as a means to fully implement the Montessori method. As part of the prepared environment of the Montessori school, adults are arguably the single most valuable component of a thriving school - their time, energy, gifts, skills and commitment define the experience and outcomes for children.
Montessori-trained coaches support adults and allow the elements in the school system to come into balance.
Dr. Maria Montessori
“Adults must defend children. We adults must see the real humanity in children, the humanity which will take our place one day, if we are to have social progress. Social progress means that the next generation is better than the one before.”
The PMAI framework for building resilient public Montessori schools
One School: The schools our children deserve are vibrant ecosystems in which every part supports the whole.
A Montessori education is an aid to life for all of its members, big and small. School leadership and coaches manifest the method through coordination of roles and responsibilities to serve the unlimited potential of each of its members.
Honest talk: Open, clear communication is an essential component of building a lasting community. As prepared adults in service to the prepared environment of the entire school we must live into the method, providing opportunities for observation, reflection and respectful conversation.
Strong Systems: Structures and routines for schools that hold children at the center are essential for developing resilient Montessori schools. Therefore, creating systems for navigating the three-part relationship between public school requirements, our Montessori method, and the needs of our community rests at the foundation.
Montessori in Action: Building Resilient Montessori Schools
Montessori in Action, written by PMAI executive director, Elizabeth Slade, offers a cohesive and ambitious vision of school culture and the actionable guidance you’ll need to make that vision a reality. This book is a valuable resource for fully implementing the Montessori method. You’ll discover what it means to be a resilient Montessori School, how to operate as a unified community, and how to set measurable and clear goals that move you toward your ultimate objective.
Learn more about this book and its corresponding tools at https://resilient-montessori.com/ .
