Child of the World: Montessori, Global Education for Age 3-12+

by Susan Mayclin Stephenson

The word "Montessori" is used today to describe schools that sometimes have little to do with authentic Montessori practices. In this book the author, who has almost fifty years of AMI Montessori teaching and consulting experience, briefly presents authentic Montessori practices for ages 3-6 (the primary class), ages 6-12 (the elementary class), and ages 12-18. There are details for preparing the Montessori learning environment and for using these ideas in the home. This is not by any means a Montessori course but a valuable introduction to real Montessori and an inspiration for learning more. "Stephenson’s volume is a wonderful resource for parents seeking thoughtful, sound advice on raising well-grounded children in a chaotic world. Presenting Montessori principles in clear and eloquent prose, Stephenson’s legacy will be a tremendous service to generations of parents to come."—Angeline Lillard, PhD, Professor of Psychology, U. of Virginia, author of "Montessori, The Science behind the Genius"

Genres: Parenting, Education, Nonfiction

174 pages, Paperback

First published February 9, 2013

Reviews

[Tibby]

I have read this book a couple times now and I always have mixed feelings about it. In general I think the Montessori method is really useful and well tailored to child development. But it can also get weirdly dogmatic and inflexible even in the light of new research on children and brain development.

This is not the book I would recommend for an overview of the method, but I find value in supporting Montessori ideas and principles in the home and how you approach parenting. On the other hand, because of this dogmatic moralizing Montessori people like to do, it has to be taken with a pinch of salt. If you're the kind of parent who reads books and then panics that you've messed up your kid and tries to do everything to the letter, I would avoid this text. But if you're looking for ways to incorporate and think about the value the Montessori method offers this is a good, quick read with some good ideas to find ways to use.

I do want to rant for a second about something that made me throw the book in disgust. She genuinely suggests that if a child lives in a bilingual home one parent speak one language and the other speak the second and they never mix languages because it confuses the child otherwise. Which is frankly nonsense. That's not how language acquisition works and it's not how bilingual homes work either. I hate this particularly because there is a lot of hand wringing in mainstream education circles over language development of bilingual children that is steeped in ignorance and racism and to see that in an alternative to mainstream education is frustrating. If it works for your family, great, but if that's not how language works in your home (and honestly not all children are bilingual because their parents speak two languages) then know that it's okay.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good overview, and I marked quite a few pages. Not particularly helpful to homeschoolers. In fact, some statements would seem to actively discourage it, emphasizing the importance of teacher training for the methods to work. Kind of rubbed me wrong, but I understand why they might feel that way. If I had a Montessori school for upper elementary (ages 6-12) nearby, I wouldn’t be trying to homeschool. Ugh.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview on how to make the Montessori philosophy a part of your home life. Informative but not overwhelming in scope.

[Sylvie Barak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice introduction to Montessori

I’ve become fascinated with Montessori since my son started at a Montessori preschool last August. I didn’t initially know much about the method, but this book has been a great introduction and has helped me understand a lot about my son and his fabulously improved behavior and concentration since starting school.

[Loryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a practical explanation of such a rich concept

Montessori is not easily explained as it is so multifaceted. Yet Susan Maycli Stephenson makes the practice of Montessori accessable to both parents and educators.

[Pallavi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for parents of young children.

[Catherine Ching-lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource for those who want to understand the Montessori philosophy and method of education.