Montessori Academy: Weekly Bulletin Issue 31

"Montessori - Different Because It Works"
This was the headline in the St. Paul paper announcing the opening of Highland Park Montessori School in September, 1963. One could not ask for a better tagline. Companies pay millions of dollars to have creative agencies come up with a single line that represents who they are:
    Just Do It (Nike)
    Think different (Apple)
    We try harder (Avis)
    Don't leave home without it (American Express)
    Melts in your mouth, not in your hands (M&M)
    Montessori - Different Because It Works (Montessori Method)

That headline was published over 45 years ago and Montessori is still working and it is still different. There have been many educational models that have come in and out of fashion over the last 100 years. But Montessori is "Made to Stick" as described in the book of the same title by Chip and Dan Heath. The premise of the book is exploring why some ideas survive and others die.  By stick, they explain that "your ideas are understood and remembered, and have a lasting impact - they change your audience's opinions or behavior."

Why does Montessori stick all over the world? Why does it continue to be the fastest growing alternative method of education? Because it is as innovative, creative and effective today as it was 100 years ago.

It was made to stick.

In 1913 when Dr. Montessori first came to the United States, people from all sectors of society "were eager to hear Dr. Montessori explain how she was able to make children advance rapidly in learning, make them polite, self-reliant and charming by giving them complete liberty and without rewards and punishments." This was outrageously radical in 1913.

In 2009 many still wonder if and how this is possible. Visitors to Montessori schools are still surprised and amazed that toddlers set the table with glass dishes and wash and put them away after the meal, that three year olds offer them tea and snacks and proceed to prepare it themselves, that four year olds write long creative stories with movable alphabets, that five year olds can do all four mathematical operations using stamps or beads, and that many six year olds are accomplished readers.

    That is innovation. That is different. That is possible for all children.

How is this possible?

Advance rapidly in learning: Children teach themselves, using multi-sensory tools with the freedom to repeat until mastery is achieved.

Polite: Children live and work together in a mixed-age community and are taught the language and emotion of respect.

Self-reliant: The environment is child-sized in every respect allowing for independent functioning. They have the freedom and responsibility to make choices and develop the capacity to make wise choices.

Self-disciplined: When children are engaged and concentrated on an interesting piece of work freely chosen, they become calm and do not disturb others. The expectations are clear, fair and consistently adhered to every day.

Innovation is not limited to something new.

"Innovation - any new idea - by definition will not be accepted at first. It takes repeated attempts, endless demonstrations and monotonous rehearsals before innovation can be accepted and internalized.