The Absorbent Mind [Paperback]

Maria Montessori (Author), John Chattin-McNichols Ph.D. (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1995

In response to the crisis in American education, more than five thousand public and private schools across the nation have adopted the timeless Montessori Method of teaching, of which this book is the cornerstone. Written by the women whose name is synonymous worldwide with child development theory, The Absorbent Mind takes its title from the phrase that the inspired Italian doctor coined to characterize the child's most crucial developmental stage: the first six years.

A new foreword by John Chattin-McNichols, Ph.D., President of the American Montessori Society, places this classic book in a contemporary context, offering an intelligent discussion of current thinking in child education.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This book deserves careful reading, for the author’s views are as relevant (and revolutionary) now as when they were first proposed.”—New York Times Book Review

“Startling insights...she is an inspiring teacher . . . educators of all persuasions will find her book alive with ideas.”—Library Journal

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Italian

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks (October 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805041567
• ISBN-13: 978-0805041569
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

90 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars this book will change the way you see children, February 12, 2003

By 

Erica L. Andersen "melvin990" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Absorbent Mind (Paperback)

This is Montessori's last book, and the most in-depth discussion of her theory based on decades of scientific observation of children. It discusses the special mind of the child, and how nurturing the special potentialities that only children have is the only way to change (and save) humanity. Montessori's theories are particularly interesting today in light of recent neurological discoveries, especially those related to critical periods and language.

This is a very dense book, and requires a good deal of concentration and time to read. I would recommmend The Child in the Family as the first book for one wanting an overview of Montessori ideas.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a guide for my life, February 5, 2001

By 

Anne L. Lange (Norfolk,, Ne United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Absorbent Mind (Library Binding)

I first read The Absorbant Mind" in 1969, It changed the way I raised my children, how I valued their "work" of being children, and how I now work with the mentally ill. I find myself often reviewing the concept that all people really do the best they can, and that using her respect of others, and her method,of going from concrete to abstract concepts is a useful baseline. Dr. Montessori never wasted words in this book, I had to concentrate on each sentance, or I'd miss something. I thank my sister, a Montessori teacher, for introducing it to me, she is Joanna Taylor, who taught for 3o years in SLC.

83 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Scientific Synopsis of Her Research, September 14, 1999

By 

Michelle E. Riehl (Farmington, Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Absorbent Mind (Paperback)

The first half of this book is not for the general lay-person, or someone looking for a quick overview of the Montessori Method. Granted, the text was translated from Italian into English, and may have something to do with readability, but I found it dry and pedantic, and almost gave up reading. The second half of the book is a little easier to read and filled my need (a general idea of what Montessori was all about, and help deciding if this was something I wanted to pursue for my child). While this book is not very specific in how she applied her method, the second half did give me an idea about what she believed in and advocated. Some of her statements seem outdated, and when you realize that her research was conducted in the early 1900's, and she's writing about schools during the period between our two World Wars, it's easier to take some of her statements in context. It also makes me wonder whether subsequent research may have rendered some of her findings obsolete.