Before you start...

Dear reader,

This article is an account of my exploration of the Montessori teaching community. I hope you enjoy it! “Following the Child,” the title I chose, is a phrase that summarizes the philosophy of Maria Montessori, the founder of the Montessori educational movement. She believed that children are naturally motivated to learn, and it is the work of teachers to let them do so in freedom. My hope is that anyone interested in the Montessori method of education will gain a deeper understanding of its underlying values and why it is important to society in general.

I first heard of the Montessori approach to education through a friend, Sandra Besselsen, who at the time had recently chosen to enroll her children in a Montessori school. The idea intrigued me, and when I chose to research Montessori teaching, I reached out to her again. Since we spoke two years ago, she had become a certified Montessori teacher. She was more than happy to share with me about her work, and she even roped another Montessori parent into an interview for me.

Initially, my research was fairly formal. I found articles written by ethnographic researchers, historical information on Maria Montessori, and summaries of the Montessori method. I used some of the methods we discussed in class for research (including a synthesis matrix) but nothing that comes to mind from the Information Literacy modules. This research was interesting, but sometimes dry. The formality of it was not very enjoyable to me, but necessary. Once I became more educated on the backdrop of the present-day Montessori community, I conducted an interview with Sandra Besselsen and Marie Prutcher that made the Montessori method come alive. My understanding of the Montessori method shifted from a formulaic set of ideals to a practical picture of movement and learning in a classroom. Although the heady research I began with deepened my understanding of the Montessori method, I found the less formal sources more helpful in understanding the Montessori community as it is now.

The interview with Sandra and Marie was certainly the most enjoyable portion of this project for me. It gave me a window into the passion and excitement they have for educating children and made me want to continue learning about the Montessori community. It was during my conversation with Sandra and Marie that I began to realize what Montessori education might have to offer the world, and the potential benefits it holds.

My article wraps up with a discussion of the value of Montessori’s method, namely that mainstream educators and politicians need to listen to the voice of the Montessori community. The connections I discovered during this portion of the research were surprising even to me, and I believe they make this project more valuable than my previous larger works. I hope that readers kind enough to spend their time digesting this project come away with a greater respect for the Montessori community of today.

Many thanks,

Raina E.