[Olpc-open] Montessori madness...

[Bert Freudenberg]

On 12.10.2009, at 10:55, Martin Langhoff wrote:

> On Mon, Oct 12, 2009 at 10:18 AM, Sameer Verma <sverma at sfsu.edu>  
> wrote:
>> I've been reading "Montessori Madness" for a few hours now, and I  
>> find
>
> Another good one is "Montessori Today"
> http://www.amazon.com/Montessori-Today-Comprehensive-Education-Adulthood/dp/080521061X
>
> The funny thing is that since I've been exposed to Bryan Berry's
> poignant "theory" of education, I can't help looking at Montessori and
> thinking that it is excellent, but not

[insert "just" here]

> because Montessori's approach
> and materials are inherently better.
>
> It is excellent because
>
> - Montessori teachers are teachers who are clearly smart and
> passionate about education, and the school environment (principals,
> etc) share the smarts and the passion.
>
> - Parents sending kids to a Montessori school are smart and
> passionate about education.
>
> - The group of kids is small and manageable, so the smart and
> passionate teachers can work their magic.
>
> And that wins. They could teach with computers, or abacuses or post it
> notes or books written in Esperanto. It's all a catalyst that brings
> the 3 (purely human!) elements above together. Indirection. A social
> mind trick.
>
> Of course, I like most of Montessori's approach. But remove the human
> elements and... poof! it's effects will be gone. Montessori strategies
> in a crowded group with an unenthusiastic teacher have very slim
> chances.

While this rings true the Montessori materials *are* definitely  
helpful to let kids explore a wide range of topics on their own (after  
an introduction by the teachers or older children of course). You  
don't find these materials in a regular school.

- Bert (Montessori parent) -