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Doctoral Dissertation
The Growth of the Montessori Movement in the United States, 1909-1970
Available from: ProQuest - Dissertations and Theses
Americas, North America, United States of America
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Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study was to examine the growth of the Montessori Movement in the United States during the periods 1909-1921 and 1952-1970. The Montessori system was viewed as an innovation in American education and special attention was directed to the leaders of the movement and the role they played in its growth. The primary sources used for the initial period were the papers of Mabel Bell kept in the Bell Room of the National Geographic Society and the McClure Manuscripts housed in the Lilly Library at Indiana University. For the latter period, the following sources were utilized: American Montessori Society files, files of Whitby School, tape recordings from the American Montessori Society, interviews with Nancy Rambusch, Cleo Monson, John McDermott and correspondence with Mario Montessori and Margaret Stephensen. In addition to visits to the original Casa dei Bambini in Rome and modern Case in Italy, many Montessori schools in the United States were observed. The background of Dr. Montessori was discussed and the influences, principles and contributions of her method were examined. The period from 1909-1921 was analyzed with reference to the leadership of Maria Montessori, S.S. McClure, Mabel Bell, Helen Parkhurst and William Kilpatrick. The social, educational, political, theoretical and communications problems were examined to determine possible reasons for the demise of Montessori education in that era. The renascance [sic] of Montessori education in the United States (1952-1970) was examined with emphasis on the leadership of Mario Montessori, Nancy Rambusch, Margaret Stephenson, Cleo Monson and John McDermott. The areas of social, educational, theoretical and communications were studied for likely reasons for the resurgence of Montessori education in America. A paradigmatic schema was used to compare the role of the leaders in each period: Policy maker- Maria Montessori and Mario Montessori; Promoter- S.S. McClure and Nancy Rambusch; Organizer- Mabel Bell and Cleo Monson; Disciple- Helen Parkhurst and Margaret Stephenson; Professional Educator- William Kilpatrick and John McDermott. The qualities of leadership which led to the original demise of the Montessori Movement were: 1) Mistrust and lack of direct contact with United States educators and Montessori promoters by Maria Montessori; 2) Withdrawal of lecture and film rights from S.S. McClure by Dr. Montessori; 3) Dissolution of Montessori organizations by Mabel Bell and Helen Parkhurst because of lack of confidence in them by Maria Montessori; 5) Strong influence by William Kilpatrick (who did not believe in the Montessori method) on kindergarten teachers. The rebirth of the Montessori Movement was influenced by: 1) Mario Montessori's strong adherence to the original ideas of Maria Montessori; 2) Nancy Rambusch's proper use of leadership and timing and the formation of the American Montessori Society by her; 3) The organized efforts of the American Montessori Society and its teacher-training and public relations function by Cleo Monson; 4) The loyalty and knowledge displayed by Margaret Stephenson in running the Association Montessori Internationale teacher-training course in Washington; 5) the efforts of John McDermott to put Montessori in an American cultural context in teacher-training and professionalization of Montessori education. The writer finds strong indications for the thesis that it was the leadership which effected the growth of the Montessori Movement in the United States and recommends further research into other educational innovations in the United States such as the British Infant School Movement and Headstart with attention to the leadership.
Language: English
Published: New York City, New York, 1971
Article
Sixteen Activities for a Creative Movement Curriculum
Available from: University of Connecticut Libraries - American Montessori Society Records
Publication: The Constructive Triangle (1974-1989), vol. 4, no. 1
Date: Spring 1977
Pages: 27–37
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Language: English
ISSN: 0010-700X
Article
6th Annual Weekend Conference: "Movement and Music"
Publication: Montessori Quarterly, vol. 17
Date: 1981
Pages: 12
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Language: English
Article
The Montessori Movement
Publication: Communications (Association Montessori Internationale, 195?-2008), no. 2
Date: 1952
Pages: 1-13
Albert Max Joosten - Writings, Montessori movement
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Language: English
ISSN: 0519-0959
Article
Movement
Publication: NAMTA Journal, vol. 15, no. 2
Date: 1990
Pages: 15–21
North American Montessori Teachers' Association (NAMTA) - Periodicals
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Language: English
ISSN: 1522-9734
Book Section
Die Montessori Bewegung in Japan [The Montessori Movement in Japan]
Book Title: Die Montessori-Pädagogik und das behinderte Kind: Referate und Ergebnisse des 18. Internationalen Montessori Kongresses (München, 4-8 Juli 1977) [The Montessori System and the Handicapped Child: Papers and Reports of the 18th International Montessori Congress (Munich, July 4-8, 1977)]
Pages: 377-383
Asia, Conferences, East Asia, International Montessori Congress (18th, Munich, Germany, 4-8 July 1977), Japan, Montessori method of education - History
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Language: German
Published: München: Kindler, 1978
ISBN: 3-463-00716-9
Article
Prof. Günter Schulz-Benesch und die Montessori-Bewegung in Österreich [Prof. Günter Schulz-Benesch and the Montessori movement in Austria]
Publication: Montessori: Zeitschrift für Montessori-Pädagogik, vol. 36, no. 3
Date: 1998
Pages: 157-159
Austria, Europe, Günter Schulz-Benesch - Biographic sources, Western Europe
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Language: German
ISSN: 0944-2537
Article
[Montessori Educational Movements in the US: Introduction to the Public Schools]
Publication: Kyushu Educational Society Research Journal, vol. 28
Date: 1994
Pages: 78-86
Americas, Montessori method of education - History, North America, Public Montessori, United States of America
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Language: Japanese
Article
Il movimento Montessori in Italia [The Montessori movement in Italy]
Publication: Scuola e città: mensile di problemi educativi e di politica scolastica, vol. 4
Date: 1953
Pages: 8-9
Europe, Italy, Marziola Pignatari - Writings, Southern Europe
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Language: Italian
ISSN: 0036-9853
Book
Studien zur Montessori-Pädagogik I: Maria Montessori und die "reform-pädagogische Bewegung" [Studies on Montessori Education I: Maria Montessori and the "New Education Movement"]
Europe, Maria Montessori - Biographic sources, Montessori method of education - Criticism, interpretation, etc., New Education Fellowship, New Education Movement, Theosophical Society, Theosophy
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Language: German
Published: Freiburg, Germany: Herder, 1986
ISBN: 978-3-451-20919-2