Montessori Interview – Bangalore, India/Trinidad, California
This 11-question interview by Madhuri Prasad from Bangalore (Bengaluru), India, appeared in social media recently. For my last blog post of the year I am sharing it with you with the hopes that it brings parents and other educators closer together as we work to help the world become a better place in the future.
In my exclusive interview with Susan Stephenson, a distinguished figure in Montessori education, we delve into her remarkable journey into the world of Montessori, her inspiration behind the “First Montessori Books” series, and the invaluable insights she has gathered during her extensive career. Join us as we explore the core concepts and messages conveyed through her renowned books, and how Montessori principles adapt to the challenges of the 21st century. We also discuss the importance of practical life skills and self-directed learning, the advantages of mixed-age classrooms, and the significant challenges facing Montessori educators today. Finally, Susan shares her vision for the future of Montessori education and recounts her most transformative experiences throughout her five decades as an educator and author.
1- Could you share the story of your personal journey into Montessori education?
I was in graduate school to become a professor of philosophy — a major changed from medicine after traveling around the world for 4 months and seeing greed and poverty I did not know existed.
My 3-year-old daughter started in an AMI Montessori school in San Francisco, California and the change was striking. I realized that — although I found schooling mostly boring and controlling and never wanted to be a teacher — whatever was happening in this Montessori school had amazing potential for peace and compassion in the world. Asking the head of the school “where is the best place in the world to learn to do this?” I was told to go to the AMI training center in London, England. My husband and two young children had very little money, but we managed to do it for the year. It was the best decision of my life.
2- What inspired you to author the “First Montessori Books” series?
I was a teacher and administrator of my own school in Michigan. I did not have time to communicate in person as much as I wished to, so I wrote a monthly newsletter for parents. This was the beginning of my writing and the reason why my books are made available by Montessori schools and teacher training centers (not only AMI) all over the world. That is because they answer the questions asked by parents and others interested in education.
3- Over your extensive career, you’ve been a mentor and consultant to educators. What key insights or lessons have you gained from this role that you’d like to impart to aspiring Montessori educators?
Some of the best pieces of advice I received at the end of my first teacher training course were this:
— “After about two weeks you might find yourself with laryngitis because you have been talking too much. NOW you can practice authentic Montessori!” That was so right.
— Montessori does not believe in education as passing from the adult/book to the learner. Instead we create amazing environments, connect the learner to the environment through observation to discover just what is the best next lesson to present to this child, and then getting out of the way.
— Daily circle time, or scheduled regular whole-class groups have no place in authentic Montessori practice, with the exceptions of beginning a new class, groups lessons with a group of new students, and the 5 great lessons in the beginning of each year for a 6–12 class.
4- The “First Montessori Books” series is widely recognized. Could you discuss the core concepts or messages that you aimed to convey through these books, and how they have contributed to the Montessori community?
There are hundreds of core concepts and messages conveyed in the series of now 13 books. Each one tackles Montessori from a unique perspective, for a unique audience. As today there are many Montessori books on the market and much free advice on the Internet, I constantly hear that it is only my books, and those by Dr Montessori herself, who bring people back to true Montessori. I am pleased to have heard lately that when a person is going through the 9 year path to become an AMI Montessori teacher trainer, my own books quality as authentic course for quotes when they are writing their research and theory papers and lectures.
5- Montessori principles emphasize a child-centered, individualized approach to education. How do you see this approach adapting to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century?
I think that the traditional education system of the last 100+ years has produced obedient robots, focused on competition and money, and out of touch with the amazing potential, unique path, with which each person is born, We need independent thinkers today more than ever. We need people who can make intelligent choices and concentrate deeply, during which time they contact their innerselves, experience deep rest, and come out of these periods full of joy and compassion for others, able to see the other side and to work kindly and productively with others. The world has never before needed this focus in human development.
6- Montessori education places a strong focus on practical life skills and self-directed learning. How can these elements help students develop both academically and personally?
I suggest, in reply to this question, researching the work of neuroscientist Adele Diamond. Her research, especially on young children, proves that it is the support of executive functions that fulfills a person and predicts success in life. Practical Life skills, as taught in authentic Montessori classes, supports this. Here is a blog post to learn more about Dr. Diamond. CLICK: DIAMOND
7- Montessori classrooms often have mixed-age groups. Can you explain the advantages of this approach and how it supports the holistic development of children?
Putting people together, grouped by age, is a result of the “factory model” of education developed during the industrial revolution. It is unnatural. Think about your own friends? Are they the same age? Not in my life. Also, in a Montessori class, the experience of going to peers for help, and teaching others, is profound preparation for life.
8- In your experience, what are the most significant challenges that Montessori educators and schools face today, and how do you suggest addressing them?
Politically, in the USA, half of our population has no respect for education where a person learns to think for himself, and some even think that too much education can make a person a liberal politically. As a result, there is more focus on earning money than getting a good education. This attitude, and the outdated training of traditional teachers today creates a situation where education is not supported, and teachers are not respected. Also, in my experience, only about 10% of what I have observed in Montessori classes is authentic, so even Montessori lacks public support. My books aim at helping people like this understand the value of Montessori.
9- The Montessori philosophy encourages children to learn at their own pace. How can Montessori educators strike a balance between this principle and external expectations or standardized assessments?
I recommend exploring the contents of “Please Help Me Do It Myself: Observation and Record Keeping for Primary and Elementary Montessori.”
In this book, you’ll find an extensive discussion that delves into the intricacies of maintaining a delicate balance between allowing children to learn at their own pace, a fundamental aspect of Montessori philosophy, and the external expectations and standardized assessments that are often encountered in the educational landscape. This book provides a comprehensive guide that details the methods, strategies, and insights essential for Montessori educators and parents seeking to harmonize these two essential aspects of education. It offers a practical roadmap for navigating the challenges and opportunities presented by Montessori’s unique approach to child-centered learning.
10- What do you envision for the future of Montessori education? How can Montessori principles be integrated into mainstream educational systems for a broader impact?
In the early 1900s, when Montessori education was just beginning to spread around the world, there was a widespread expectation that the same remarkable results achieved in the first “children’s house” or Casa dei Bambini in the San Lorenzo slums could be replicated.
However, the actual outcomes varied significantly. It was ultimately realized that the quality of teacher training played a crucial role in these disparities. To address this challenge, Dr. Montessori directed her focus towards teacher training and established the AMI, or The Association Montessori Internationale, to uphold the highest standards in teacher education.
Today, a similar scenario is unfolding, driven by the ease of disseminating information via the Internet and the publication of books. Teacher training programs are becoming shorter, and diplomas are being conferred upon individuals who have not completed the rigorous Training of Trainers (TOT) program offered by AMI. Mainstream educational systems have attempted to integrate Montessori principles through these non-AMI-trained educators. Regrettably, such endeavors have often been found to lack authenticity and to be ultimately futile, resulting in a waste of both time and resources.
As I see it, the only viable solution is to adhere to the authenticity and rigor of AMI teacher training and the Training of Trainers program. This ensures that the integrity of Montessori education is maintained.
In my book titled “Aid to Life: Montessori Beyond the Classroom,” I share an experiment in which I taught in a traditional classroom in Peru without Montessori materials. This experiment offers valuable insights into how traditional educators can benefit from the principles of Montessori education.
11- Lastly, could you share a memorable or transformative experience from your five decades as an educator and author, where you saw the profound impact of Montessori education on a child’s life or a classroom’s dynamics?
The answer to this is impossible as I have seen many examples over and over for many years. Thousands of examples, in my own work with children from age 2–18, and in schools where I have observed and consulted. The miracle of truly authentic Montessori practice is just what keeps me excited and passionate about this work for more than 50 years now.
Interviewer: Madhuri Prasad
Madhuri is a software engineer who transitioned to early childhood education because, as many of us, she discovered a passion and aspiration to prioritize children’s holistic development. She has earned the AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) diploma at the 0-3 level, and AMI orientation certificates at primary and elementary levels, and is helping many parents in India to use Montessori information for their own children.
NOTE: As I read this last question/reply in Madhuri’s post I remember one serendipitous transformative experience that I would like to share:
One day an engineer and new mother from Iran visited the Montessori Center of Minnesota, in St. Paul. While there she purchased my book “The Joyful Child: Montessori, Global Wisdom for Birth to Three.” So impressed with these beginning-of-life Montessori ideas that she convinced the government of Iran to published it and to subsidize the cost so that many of her countrymen could benefit. The government followed her advice and provided it for the cost of US$1. Later I heard that it was also being used in Afghanistan where the written Farci language could be understood.
So, as I finish this last post of 2023, I hope the lesson to remember from this experience is that all of us, no matter how we are spreading Montessori wisdom—casual tips to a relative or neighbor; full time teaching; working as school administrator or Montessori teacher trainer; parent or grandparent enjoying peaceful collaboration in daily life with a child; suggesting a book for a friend, etc.—have no idea how these wise events, large and small, will influence others in the future.
There is so much to be done to support a generation of individuals who exhibit the skills fostered by authentic Montessori practice—concentration, compassion, cooperation, joy, and more. Even though it may seem that we are having little influence in the moment, there is huge potential for our work to benefit others and no effort is wasted.
Blessings,
Susan
Home page, CLICK: Susan
AMI Teacher training centers in Bangalore and around the world: CLICK: TEACHERS