Montessori: The Science behind the Genius
by Angeline Stoll Lillard
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Book Summary Information
Author: Angeline Stoll LillardPhotographer: An Vu
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-03-10
ISBN: 0195168682
Number of pages: 424
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Book Reviews of Montessori: The Science behind the Genius
Book Review: start here, almost there
Summary: 4 Stars
I recommend this book to anyone interested in 'Montessori' education with three caveats (this is the bad stuff, the rest is good):
1. The author is certainly partisan and in favour of AMI. There are other interpretations of 'Montessori' (e.g. AMS, IMS) out there that should have received equal coverage in the text, but they didn't because the author is an acolyte of AMI.
'Montessori' is a somewhat contested term (i.e. not 'trademarked'), and this book could have offered a more catholic representation of the Church of Montessori. Consequently, it's certainly nowhere near being the 'last word' on what constitutes the method or the movement.
2. The research literature is sometimes dealt with in a somewhat Procrustean manner. Read the references carefully and do your own reading to ensure that you agree with the conclusions that have been reached. I realise that the selective quoting and interpretation of peer reviewed articles is part of the game when it comes to writing a book like this. However, when this reader chases up articles and finds that they don't quite say what the author claims that they do, one starts to question the objectivity of this appraisal of Montessori's 'genius' .
3. Whether or not the fundamentals (which seem to lie in Theosophy) of 'Montessori' education are even a matter for "science" is open to question. In any case, the materials in a Montessori classroom are often treated as the sacrements of the faith, rather than experimental equipment. A large number of the 'Montessori' method's practices are as yet 'not proven' by psychological science. So be prepared to read, "whether this is true has yet to be determined by empirical research' more than a few times. Even if scientists don't argue over exactly what constitutes science, philosophers of science do, it may be that the concept of science has moved on from Maria Montessori's time, and that the claims to 'scientific pedagogy' are anachronistic.
As the title suggests this work has hagiographic tendencies, yet on the whole it is mandatory reading for anyone interested in learning about 'Montessori'. For an evenhanded historical perspective of the woman, the method and the movement (and their problematic inseparability) I'd recommend Rita Kramer's biography.
As an introduction to Montessori's own writings, her "Handbook" is refreshingly concise (whatever you do, steer clear of her hazy, ghost-written, money-making-lecture-compilations).
If this all sounds too difficult, why not support the Montessorian dynastic principle (cf. Mario Montessori) and pick up A. Lillard's mum's book "Montessori Today" instead?
edits for readability
Summary of Montessori: The Science behind the Genius
Traditional American schooling is in constant crisis because it is based on two poor models for children's learning: the school as a factory and the child as a blank slate. School reforms repeatedly fail by not learning from the shortcomings of these models.One hundred years ago, Maria Montessori, the first female physician in Italy, devised a very different method of educating children, based on her observations of how they naturally learn. Does Montessori education provide a viable alternative to traditional schooling? Do Dr. Montessori's theories and practices stand up to the scrutiny of modern-day developmental psychology? Can developmental psychology tell us anything about how and why Montessori methods work?
In Montessori, now with a foreword by Renilde Montessori, the youngest grandchild of Maria Montessori, Angeline Stoll Lillard shows that science has finally caught up with Maria Montessori. Lillard presents the research concerning eight insights that are foundations of Montessori education, describing how each of these insights is applied in the Montessori classroom. In reading this book, parents and teachers alike will develop a clear understanding of what happens in a Montessori classroom and, more important, why it happens and why it works. Lillard, however, does much more than explain the scientific basis for Montessori's system: Amid the clamor for evidence-based education, she presents the studies that show how children learn best, makes clear why many traditional practices come up short, and describes an ingenious alternative that works. Everyone interested in education, at all levels and in all forms, will take from this book a wealth of insights. Montessori is indispensable reading for anyone interested in what psychologists know about human learning and development, and how to use it to improve teaching effectiveness.
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