Montessori in Action Podcast
Engaging conversations with Montessori practitioners
Season 3, Ep. 7:
The Tensions Implementing Montessori
Our next episode is a conversation with Victoria Johnson, who shares the results of her research, Education Anywhere: A Constructivist Grounded Theory study of Montessori Around the World. In this study, Victoria spent multiple years exploring the experiences of individuals and communities connected with diverse Montessori environments across the globe. Her research has produced some insightful theoretical models that help us understand the deeper meanings and processes of diversity and adaptability within Montessori from a worldwide perspective. Together we discuss important aspects of these findings, including the tension we often experience between authenticity and adaptability in our journeys of Montessori implementation.
Inspired by her own childhood education—which largely took place in rural environments outside formal classrooms—Victoria has pursued educational approaches that honor child agency, self-initiated growth, and connections to real-life experiences. After earning a B.A. in Communications and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, she discovered Montessori education through her own experiences as a parent of four. After completing courses for 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 through an AMS training center, she earned a Ph.D. in Global Family Health and Wellbeing. She currently serves in an academic role for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, overseeing a project pursuing inclusive and equitable teacher preparation pathways.
Resources:
Full Research Study: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1432&context=cehsdiss
Visuals of models discussed in the podcast: