The Montessori Method Is Making Its Way To U.S. High Schools

The concept of the "Montessori method," an individualized approach to learning typically utilized in preschool and elementary schools, has the potential to be successful at the high-school level as well, according to the headmaster of a secondary school currently testing this method.

"This is still a new concept, but the idea of implementing Montessori education at the secondary level has matured," stated Tim D. Seldin, the headmaster of the Barrie School of Silver Spring, Md. This Montessori school has a three-year-old secondary program. Speaking at the annual conference of the American Montessori Society, Seldin mentioned that Montessori education at the secondary level is not just theoretical, but is now a reality.

The conference, which drew approximately 700 Montessori educators and parents of Montessori school attendees, celebrated the society’s 25th anniversary. Building upon the teachings of Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, the secondary program aims to cultivate independence and self-esteem in students by fostering the development of practical skills alongside academic excellence. According to Seldin, the 135 secondary students at the Barrie School participate in internships, care for farm animals, and acquire entrepreneurial skills. He conveyed that unlike most schools that isolate children from the world, they strive to actively involve students in the world around them.

The American Montessori Society (AMS) currently has 701 schools, 2,221 teachers, and 4,777 other interested individuals as members. The society acts as an information network for these schools, promotes the Montessori method in public and private schools, and endeavors to maintain the integrity of Montessori education in the United States. According to Martin Michel, a spokesperson for AMS, there are presently over 4,000 Montessori schools in the United States, a significant increase from about 3,000 five years ago. Of these schools, 40 are public schools.

While the Barrie School is the first and only Montessori secondary school officially acknowledged by AMS, Seldin mentioned in an interview that around 40 other Montessori schools across the country are experimenting with junior or senior high-level programs. The demand for teachers trained in the Montessori method in these schools prompted Seldin to establish a teacher training program at the Institute of Advanced Montessori Studies, which operates under the patronage of the Barrie School. A similar training program is expected to commence soon through the Dallas Montessori Elementary Training Program, utilizing the secondary division of the Lakemont Montessori Academy in Dallas, Texas, as its laboratory. Both training programs are authorized by AMS.

Seldin believes there is a growing interest in Montessori secondary education. Five years ago, when he held a session on the future of secondary Montessori education at the AMS conference, no one attended. However, he now attracts between 50 and 75 people to his sessions at Montessori workshops nationwide. His session at this conference was attended by around 30 individuals.

"The primary reason for establishing Montessori high schools across the country is the demand from parents," Seldin asserted. "Montessori parents are dissatisfied with what they witness in public junior and senior high schools. Many of them have an innate feeling that their children will lose everything they have learned in our schools and that their values will be permanently altered."

"Parents are content with the education provided in our schools," stated Tracey Herrington, the director of the Alfred Montessori School in Alfred, N.Y. "They desire their children to continue with our program." However, until recently, Montessori practitioners had limited options to offer children beyond the age of 12. Many Montessori schools now offer programs through the elementary grades, but some parents opt to transfer their children to traditional schools before they turn 12, believing that the transition will be easier at a younger age.

As a result, Montessori educators are recognizing the need to expand their programs to encompass high school education, thereby curbing attrition rates.

Pioneering the Movement

At the start of the 20th century, Maria Montessori, the first female physician in Italy, made an insightful discovery through careful observation: children learn the most during their formative years, specifically within the first six years of life. Drawing on this theory, she developed what Montessori educators refer to as a "prepared environment," a well-structured arrangement of learning materials within a non-competitive atmosphere. This approach to learning is often described as a "laboratory" or "hands-on" method, wherein children of different ages work together in the same classroom at their own pace and level of understanding, with minimal guidance from adults.

Lynn A. Vogel, a teacher at the West Side Montessori School in New York City, explains the beauty of the Montessori method as a delicate balance between structure and freedom. Montessori teachers, or rather facilitators and directors in their own right, provide children with engaging activities while guiding them towards their individual needs. Instead of instructing, they allow children to teach themselves.

The Significance of "Practical Life"

A fundamental element in this approach is what educators commonly refer to as "practical life." Through these activities, children learn essential life skills by practicing and performing everyday tasks, such as zipping, buttoning, and household chores like mopping floors, polishing wood, and cooking.

Aside from acquiring these basic skills, children in Montessori schools also develop independence, creativity, and a healthy sense of self-esteem. However, while Maria Montessori devised an intricate curriculum and approach at the elementary level, both she and her followers never ventured beyond the theoretical realm in terms of secondary education. David Seldin, an expert in Montessori education, acknowledges that some purists believe it to be sacrilege to attempt such a feat. Nevertheless, Paul M. Epstein, a teacher at Barrie and a trainer at the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies, believes in adhering to Montessori’s teachings while also recognizing the need for adaptation in a changing world.

Observing and Responding to Children’s Needs

Epstein emphasizes that Montessori’s approach focused on observing children to understand their needs, and from there, she designed a curriculum and environment to nurture and satisfy those needs. At the secondary level, Epstein explains that the goal is to listen to high school students, acknowledge their desires, and provide them with what they truly need to develop as individuals. This involves promoting psychological and economic independence through a curriculum designed to support these goals. While there have been advancements in this direction, Epstein acknowledges that there is still much work to be done, but reassures that they are only at the beginning of this journey.