Abstract/Notes: Though Montessorians have existed in the United States for nearly a century, a distinctly American version of the system did not begin to take hold until the late 1950s. What was referred to at the time as the "second spring" was actually a remarkable moment not just for Montessori education, but also for American culture at large. For the Montessori movement, the years 1959 to 1963 witnessed rapid growth, turmoil, and the establishment of educational, political, and ideological patterns that still influence the movement today. In this article, the authors trace what happened in those years, why it happened, and the impact those events had on the subsequent development of Montessori education in the United States as they look at the historical context surrounding those events in order to provide a richer understanding of the origins of the American Montessori identity. A closer look at the early years of the movement reveals a complex story of two strong personalities, Mario Montessori and Nancy McCormick Rambusch, who shared a deep commitment to the Montessori ideal, and who squabbled endlessly over how to realize that ideal.

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Abstract/Notes: Improving academic achievement for students of color has long been the subject of debate among advocates of education reform (Anyon, 2013; Breitborde & Swiniarski, 2006; Payne, 2008). Some scholars have advocated for the Montessori method as an alternative educational approach to address some chronic problems in public education (Lillard, 2005; Murray, 2011, 2015; Torrance, 2012). Montessori programs are expanding in public schools (National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, 2014c) at a time when the American public school population is more racially diverse than ever before (Maxwell, 2014). A review of the literature reflects a lack of consensus about the efficacy of Montessori elementary instruction for students of color in general, and lack of attention to outcomes for African American students specifically (Dawson, 1987; Dohrmann, Nishisda, Gartner, Lipsky, & Grimm, 2007; Lopata, Wallace, & Finn, 2005; Mallet & Schroeder, 2015). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of reading and math instruction for third grade African American students in public Montessori, traditional, and other school choice settings, using end-of-grade standardized test scores from a large, urban district in North Carolina. Stratified sampling was used to select demographically similar traditional and magnet schools for comparison. Group mean reading and math test scores were compared using factorial MANCOVA and MANOVA procedures. African American students at grade three were found to perform at significantly higher levels in both reading and math in public Montessori schools than in traditional schools. No statistically significant difference was found in math achievement between African American third grade students in public Montessori and other magnet programs, although the Montessori group did achieve at significantly higher levels in reading. This suggests that the Montessori method can be an effective pedagogy for African American students, particularly in reading. Based on these results, recommendations are provided for policy, practice, and future research.

Language: English

Published: Charlotte, North Carolina, 2016

Abstract/Notes: The complex history of Montessori’s Method spreading in the United States was signed by some misunderstandings connected with the reform of the american education system. The Method wasn’t understood in its specificity, but it appeared, in the same time, an alternative or an application of the tradition of Froebel’s Kindergarten. In those years the American pedagogical reflection tried to create an alternative to the continental tradition. For this reason the Progressive Education critized Montessori (i.e. Kilpatrick) for her spiritual and metaphysical premises but this movement couldn’t realize this project and it was inevitably connected with the tradition of European Activism.

Language: Italian

ISSN: 2039-4039

Abstract/Notes: El Boletin, Fall 2010

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Abstract/Notes: El Boletin, April 2006

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Language: English

Published: [Illinois]: Illinois Montessori Society, 1963

Abstract/Notes: El Boletin, Fall 2006

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Abstract/Notes: El Boletin, Spring 2010

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Abstract/Notes: El Boletin, Fall 2009

Language: English

ISSN: 1071-6246

Language: English

ISSN: 0952-8652