Episode Details
Back to EpisodesMonumental Moment in Montessori
Description
What happens when the two pedagogical standard bearers in Montessori come together around a shared vision for education?
Denise Monnier of the Montessori Public Policy Initiative joins Biff and Nicole with Mary Beth McCormack and Dr. Lisa Roy to discuss the development of the U.S. National Montessori Curriculum, a collaborative effort involving the American Montessori Society and the Association Montessori Internationale USA. Designed to help policymakers and advocates better understand Montessori education, the free, open source resource aims to make it easier for Montessori programs to navigate state requirements and expand access, particularly in public education and publicly funded preschool.
Together, they discuss:
- Why a shared national curriculum became necessary
- How AMS and AMI worked across their differences to identify common ground
- Why the curriculum is designed primarily as a tool for advocacy and policy
- How public Montessori programs can better serve children with different learning needs
- What Colorado's universal preschool program can teach us about access and family choice
- Why the curriculum supports, rather than replaces, high quality Montessori teacher preparation
At its heart, this project is about making Montessori education easier to understand, recognize, and access. It is also a reminder of what becomes possible when people with different perspectives come together around a shared purpose.
Contact Us: humanpotential@amshq.org
Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.
For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/
And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood