The Montessori Controversy [Paperback]

John Chattin-McNichols (Author), Bretta Weiss (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0827345178 | ISBN-13: 978-0827345171 | Publication Date: September 1, 1991 | Edition: 1

In this text information is provided on Montessori philosophy and teaching practices, including curriculum materials. Recent research on the effects of the Montessori school experience is also reviewed.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 1 edition (September 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0827345178
• ISBN-13: 978-0827345171
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #307,759 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

257 of 269 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE if you want to understand the Montessori world, September 23, 2000

By 

Neokanobi "neokanobi" (So.Cal, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Montessori Controversy (Paperback)

I want to thank the author for writing such a clear and eye opening book about the Montessori schools and methods, it really helped answer all of my questions about the Montessori world. As a parent my soon is now getting closer to his 2nd birthday. And unfortunately I see that the traditional Day Cares are not the best answer for his personal and academic growth. (trust me, he used to go to one of the best in the country) and we had checked with several others just to make sure.

I always heard about the Montessori schools and " how different " their teaching is and how more secure, self-confident, smart, aware their kids usually come out. But I also always heard the bad rumors about it. So I decided to investigate before changing my son current school to a Montessori one.

This book is written very clear to answer all those questions and the analysis that the author does regarding the "myths" that other people create about the Montessori methods, makes it very clear to anyone who is just starting from ground zero to understand more about the Montessori world.

After reading the book, I finally found a great Montessori school here in GA after looking at more then 8. The author also gives you some "hints" in what to look for when visiting a school. (that really helped alot).

My 2 CENTS for anyone who is starting to think about moving your kid to a Montessori school are the following:

1) Even though you will be paying a little bit more (according to the state that you are in it could have some exceptions regarding price, there are few states that have Montessori method teaching in a public school ) then a good day care, it will be worth it in the long run.

From 0 to 6 years old are the crucial ages to plant a good foundation in your kid. This maybe the most important investment that you will ever do in your life.

From 2 months to 3 years old:

Is what Montessori called: A second embryonic period occurs after birth during the first three years of life when the child's intelligence is formed, when the child acquires the culture and language into which he or she is born. It is a period when the core of personality, social being and the essence of spiritual life are developed.

From 3 to 6 years old:

Children of this age possess what Dr. Montessori called the Absorbent Mind. This type of mind has the unique and transitory ability to absorb all aspects physical, mental, spiritual of the environment, without effort or fatigue. As an aid to the child's self-construction, individual work is encouraged. The following areas of activity cultivate the children's ability to express themselves and think with clarity.

Note: There are Montessori schools that will go up to High School.

2) Also check if the school is AMI (Association Montessori International) certified. AMI was founded by M. Montessori and they go to every school that is affiliated every few years to ensure that the Montessori standards are being held or check if the school is AMS (American Montessori Society) certified.

Unfortunately now a days you will find a lot of schools that will say they are Montessori and some can really have a good Montessori teaching curriculum (even though they are not affiliated) but if the school have the AMI or AMS is away to ensure that you should have in that school good quality in the Montessori methods.

3) Also look in several Montessori schools (not just one) and ask the teacher to show you the classroom and some of their teaching methodology. ( You need to get a good gut feeling that this is the right school for your kid, no matter if they are AMI or AMS certified). Make sure that you visit a school during a school session and see if the kids are happy and busy with their work and the environment is a peaceful and harmonic one .

4) Lastly check out this book and do a search in your favorite search engines for the names below under AMI or AMS web sites they have list of all the schools that are certified in your state.

Association Montessori Internationale

American Montessori Society

Good luck and I'm sure you will be seeing the results in your kid very soon.

97 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Balanced & insightful discussion of the M. method and issues, July 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Montessori Controversy (Paperback)

The Montessori Controversy serves as a valuable introduction to both the Montessori method and the issues surrounding it, historically and to the present day. The author, himself a Montessori educator, gives a balanced account of Montessori's detractors and supporters and provides reasoned and enlightening answers to many common questions regarding the method. These questions, left unanswered by Montessori advocates and educators, have led to many misconceptions and myths about Montessori. While attempting to dispell these misconceptions, the author calls on Montessori advocates and educators to create a fair and common dialogue with education researchers and non-Montessori educators to explore the strengths and weaknesses of the Montessori method. The author writes, "it is time for Montessori's ideas to be given their first real test. That will come about only as Montessorians realize that they must do more than teach their own classrooms, that they must docu! ment what they do and show whether or not it is effective. It will also require the mainstream of education to be willing to give Montessori a fair test. And both sides must approach this with open minds, a desire to communicate across different orientations and jargons, and an understanding that both groups have the best interests of the child at heart" (p.31). This book is valuable to both prospective and current Montessori parents, Montessori educators, and anyone else interested in exploring these important issues. The book is well written, insightful,and accessible to anyone, whatever their background or level of expertise in the field of education.

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Polemic, but enlightening, April 7, 2005

By 

P. R. Stabile "stabilpa" (Schaumburg, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Montessori Controversy (Paperback)

First, the author is not a disinterested and objective party --- he is a strong advocate for the Montessori method.

That said, there is a place and a need for Montessori advocacy. Montessori was a mystery to me before I read this book, and the author did his job of advocating and demystifying Montessori well.

Chattin-McNichols does not go into too much detail about the method itself, but rather surveys the scant studies of the effects, describes the history, and explores the state of Montessori in the United States today. In this way, he gives the reader more of a gut understanding of what Montessori is all about and what they can expect from it.

The goal of Montessori is not, nor was it ever, to produce super-geniuses. Instead, children who go through Montessori are supposed to become self-assured and well-adjusted individuals who know how to learn on their own, enjoy learning for their whole lives, and who learn at their own pace. This, I think, is a more admirable goal.

The prose-style of the book was clear enough. Due to all the references, footnotes and citations, however, this book has a very academic feel to it. It was almost as if I were reading someone's thesis for their Master's of Education degree. This doesn't detract from the book's quality --- it just gives it a different feel. And it certainly supplied me with a lot of other sources from which I can learn more.