About Montessori

We've gathered a lot of links to reliable information about Montessori and the Montessori method.

Great Montessori Links

• Montessoriguide.org
• MariaMontessori.com
• The International Montessori Index
• NAMTA
• PDF Files from the Centenary Committee of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
• What is Montessori Education?
• Clinical Research on Outcomes of Montessori vs. Traditional Education
• A timeline of Dr. Montessori's life
• Differences: Montessori v. mainstream education
• A Brief Biography of Dr. Maria Montessori
• Michael Olaf's Essential Montessori
• Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood and The Discovery of the Child.
• Angelina Stoll Lillard, Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius.
• Lillard, A.S. (2006). Students Prosper with Montessori. Scientific American.

Teacher Training

AMI training is the only training I have found that consistently prepares adults to guide the child. Well-controlled scientific research has only found clear benefit to the Montessori method when it is implemented according to the pedagogy taught by AMI (the organization Maria Montessori founded).  Other organizations may have individual trainers who are superb but overall, their training centers are inconsistent in preparing the adult. If you are considering becoming a Montessori guide, please do not compromise on the type of training you give yourself!

 

More info on Teacher Training options from Teach Montessori!

 

Teaching as Guidance

From the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector (NCMPS)

Timeline of Maria Montessori's Life

The radical work of Montessori in the culture of 'safety'

Address of Irene Fafalios at the 2017 International Montessori Congress in Prague.

Montessori overview from MariaMontessori.com

A Normalized Classroom (AMI Montessori School, West London)

Montessori/Common Core Alignment

Stanislaus Dehaene: Montessori & Cursive are Good for the Brain

This is an excerpt from a longer talk on reading and the brain (watch it... fascinating).

 

 Montessori & Literacy

 

Social Life & Independence

The clip below is from Sesame Street. It is a little reminder of how much work it is to learn how to manage clothes when we are children. But the children aren't upset by work as if it were a burden...they love it. It sustains their attention and they feel true accomplishment when they succeed. This is how self-efficacy, more essential than self-esteem, grows. In Montessori classrooms, children are given specific lessons on how to button, zip, and tie but they are also supported as they learn to manage their own coats and shoes every day.

Control of Error

Montessori materials have a built-in control of error: this means children can discover and fix their own errors without the need of adult intervention. Think about yourself. When you learn something, is it because someone else found your mistake and fixed it or because you found your own mistake and figured out how to fix it yourself?

Concentration

From the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector (NCMPS)

Executive Functions

From the Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University

Practical Life Overview

From LePort Schools

 

Sensorial Overview

From LePort Schools

 

Mathematics Overview

From LePort Schools

 

Montessori for Aging & Dementia

Examples of the positive change that have happened upon introducing the Montessori approach to assisted living homes.

Learn more about how the Montessori method can be applied to empower those living with Dementia. From Brush Development, an AMI approved course.

Awesome Child Development Videos from Susan Stephenson

AMI trained from birth through adolescence, sat in on the A to I Training of the Trainers course, world traveler bringing Montessori to everyone, and my amazingly patient mentor and friend.

 

Cosmic Education

Read this article, written by Susan Stephenson, about the child's discovery of a global vision.

Aid to Life.org

Awesome, practical advice for parents of young children. No more tantrums!!!

 

Montessori in the Home

Guidance from Voila Montessori

 

One parent's experience

 

Edison's Day Video

If you are going to invest in a video to learn more about implementing Montessori in your own home or to help people in your community or school learn about it, this is the one to buy (then donate it to your library or school when you've worn it out). I have met Edison and his wonderful family many times over the years and their family just warms my heart each time. It is possible to have a truly happy home that encourages the optimal development of each member of the family. Here is an example to help guide anyone with small children.

 

A Parent's Perspective

If you haven't met Trevor Eissler, find a way to do so. He is a guy's guy who wouldn't go in for any touchy-feely kumbaya stuff...and his whole life changed when he brought his children to Montessori school.

AMI School Directory

Use this to find an AMI school near you. You can also search for other Montessori schools and then ask if their teachers are AMI trained.