Minds on Montessori

Dear Mr. Geoffrey Canada, Thank you for pushing tirelessly to help children succeed. I think your approach of working with the child, family, and community more fully addresses the challenges that low-income students face.  I'm writing because I feel strongly that the Harlem Children's Zone would benefit from the institution of a Montessori program.  Montessori is a comprehensive, time-tested philosophy of education that is all but entirely backed up by modern psychological research (see Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Lillard).  Montessori is becoming popular in some urban areas as we speak and has been popular in others for many years .  The last chapter of Montessori: Modern Approach by Paula Polk Lillard focuses on why Montessori is important today, particularly in low-income communities.  I believe that Montessori is the education that all children deserve.  As a recognized education leader, you are uniquely...

April 22, 2013 Dr. William F. Tate Department of Education Washington University in St. Louis One Brookings Drive St. Louis, MO 63130-4899 Good morning, Dr. Tate: I'm writing to recommend that the Washington University's Department of Education create a dual degree program with the Montessori Training Center of St. Louis.  The program could allow students to earn their Master's of Arts in Education with a specialization in Montessori Education while completing their AMI Primary training with Montessori Training Center of St. Louis.  Similar partnerships already exist between the University of San Diego and The Montessori Institute of San Diego , the University of Hartford and the Montessori Training Institute of New England , and Loyola University Maryland and the Washington Montessori Institute . Montessori is a comprehensive, time-tested philosophy of education that is all but entirely backed up by modern psychological research (see Montessori: The ...

March 6th, 2013 President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Obama: I’m writing today in response to your State of the Union Address, specifically the part on early childhood education and the pledge to make high-quality preschool options available to every American child.    As you know, the early childhood years from birth to age six are the most active and critical years for human growth and development.    Studies show that children cultivate 85 percent of their intellect, personality, and skills by age five. Unfortunately, only 3 in 10 American preschoolers are enrolled in a high quality preschool program.   This means that we are squandering the opportunity of these pivotal developmental years, and that the majority of educational investments reach children when they are developmentally less capable of learning.   Montessori Philosophy In response to the pledge f...

I. Essential Service, Quality Control James Heckman, Nobel Laureate economist from University of Chicago, has shown that investments in early childhood produce greater returns than at any other time in life .   Heckman delivers clear evidence that each dollar invested in early education produces a 10% annual return – supporting his larger message that prevention is more effective than intervention at stopping the cycle of poverty. The Early Head Start and Head Start programs make this investment through holistic education for disadvantaged children ages 0 to 3 and 3 to 5.   The mission is to build strong cognitive, academic, social and behavioral foundations through enrichment not available in the home.   Currently, Early Head Start and Head Start programs follow different curricula.   Child outcomes vary depending on curricula, suggesting a need for quality control.   President Obama recently mandated Head Start school evaluations, and starting in Dece...