The Montessori Method

Here, Maria Montessori introduces a scientific approach to pedagogy. The Montessori schools which she established and developed are intended for children three to seven years of age. The children are allowed as much freedom as possible and are provided with "didactic materials" which are various artifacts which they can use to educate themselves. They are supervised by a single directress whose primary task is to observe the children and direct their efforts by explaining to them how various didactic materials are used (it's very simple, but nothing is obvious to a young child). This book offers some valuable concete advice, but its primary use to me was as an introduction to the approach of scientific pedagogy. The basic premises as I understand them are that (1) children have a natural desire to learn and (2) one can learn how to live in freedom only by being free. These premises are fully supported and fleshed out in the book. The Montessori method achieved startling results, with four year old children (on average) learning to be masters of themselves, disciplined, benevolent, self-confident, and capable of reading and writing. Every educator should be familiar with Maria Montessori's work.

Definitely a good ready!

This is such a great guide if you’re looking to incorporate Montessori education for your child! It reads more like a text book in its technicalities but is easy to follow along and can help answer any questions you might have. I recommend getting The Montessori Baby by Simone Davies as an accompanying book.

The book itself is great, if challenging. It loses a star for the cheap binding of this edition. As soon as I opened the book, I was fearful of it falling apart. I would invest in a more expensive copy to this book. One whose manufacturer respected the book as the classic that it is.

It seems so difficult to realize that Dr Montessori has formulated her educational model 100 years ago, developed all the didactic material herself ( without the aid of computers and technology), practiced her methods, revised her teaching and made all us educators a present of her writings; and yet so few schools and countries are making use of her methods - which, after years of research, modeling, systems and theories in the fields of education and learning, are I think the most effective way of teaching as yet discovered. A must for all educators. Only, there are numerous typing errors... The other drawback - she's a physician, so some passages are too technical for educators, full of medical jargon. Overall, the book is a masterpiece.

An excerpt that shows she does not mince words! "The situation would be very much the same if we should place a teacher who, according to our conception of the term, is scientifically prepared, in one of the public schools where the children are repressed in the spontaneous expression of their personality till they are almost like dead beings. In such a school the children, like butterflies mounted on pins, are fastened each to his place, the desk, spreading the useless wings of barren and meaningless knowledge which they have acquired. It is not enough, then, to prepare in our Masters the scientific spirit. We must also make ready the school for their observation. The school must permit the free, natural manifestations of the child if in the school scientific pedagogy is to be born. This is the essential reform."

I like to read source materials versus the modern interpretations. This is very dense if you are not buying for academic reasons. If you want a good distillation of Montessori principles, I preferred some of the modern updated Montessori parenting books which are summarized, organized in meaningful ways, and have pictures to demonstrate concepts.

This is an excellent book for someone interested in one of the best ways to educate a child. A great study!

These are the compilation of Maria's notes. It includeds everything, not just the methods and reasons for them. While it is easier to read than modern research papers that is essentially what you are reading.

A must read for all montessorians!

Love this book - a great way to learn about Montessori as a philosophy and methodology

This book is great form the point of view of content but it desperately needs an up to date translation.

My Fellow Citizens and English Speaking People around the World: Anyone, who is interesting in people who are in an absolute poverty, and would like to educate them, how to get out of it, please read Signora Monterossi's Method. This message is first and most of all to my fellow colleagues: teachers and professors. Anonymus