Abstract/Notes: As Pope Francis challenges Catholics to become missionary disciples, Church members have the opportunity to shape the institutions that influence our youth by empowering laypeople to model the faith with love and enthusiasm. Many within the Church have recognized a need to re-vitalize Catholic schools as enrollment continues to decline and teachers and students come from increasingly secular backgrounds. Catholic schools today are also experiencing increases in numbers of non-Catholic students and staff. A persistent question involves the meaning of “Catholic” in “Catholic schools.” In an increasingly plural society, what distinct ethos do we offer to our own people but also to society? In this context of crisis the purpose of this ministry project was to offer hope of galvanizing a Catholic ethos for a particular school, the Franciscan Montessori Earth School (FMES). The genesis of the project lies in the culture of the Montessori pedagogy, but its tools may be helpful to other Catholic schools. The project sought to form the lay staff at FMES in the Catholic ethos, with a focus on dialogue and communion, to become more aware of God’s love in the educational process and open more space in the daily life of the school for spiritual development. Given that the school community is composed of people from diverse religious or non-religious backgrounds who also value and respect Montessori pedagogy, the linchpin of the project was the pedagogy—a way of entrance to understanding a Catholic vision of education. The research showed an openness to the idea of spiritual development, growth in understanding the Catholic vision of the pedagogy that gives the school its particular charism, and willingness to try new concrete practices that acknowledge the spiritual needs of young people and adults alike. The project also revealed a hesitancy among staff about religious elements of spiritual development even as they were open to considering the role of interreligious dialogue at a Catholic school. The project opened up new ideas for fostering Catholic identity in a way that respects religious differences.

Language: English

Published: Washington, D.C., 2022

Language: English

Archive: Seattle University, Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons, Special Collections

Language: English

Language: English

Abstract/Notes: In an effort to explore the ways in which Montessori curriculum and public schools are cooperative or mutually exclusive, I will examine the principles of the Montessori philosophy as set forth by Dr. Maria Montessori in the areas of learners and learning, the learning environment, the curriculum and instructional strategies, and student assessment. After examining these sectors of the Montessori method, I will discuss theoretical possibilities in adapting the Montessori method to the American public school system in the early 21st century. For the purpose of this paper, I will refer to the author of the Montessori method, as "Dr. Montessori" and call the general method or portions thereof as "Montessori."

Language: English

Published: Nashville, Tennessee, 2007

Language: English

Published: Newtown, Australia: Nursery School Teacher's College, 1980

Abstract/Notes: Dr. Angeline Lillard discusses her new research on the benefits of a Montessori education.

Language: English

Published: Dec 16, 2021

Abstract/Notes: Draft AMS position paper

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Language: English

Language: English