Sir Ken Robinson jokes that when he goes to a dinner party and says he works in education, the conversation stops.

“Of course,” he says, “if you’re in education, you aren’t invited to dinner parties.”

When you say that you work in Montessori education, polite looks of curiosity often follow; not many people know about Maria Montessori and her educational methodology, which was developed more than a century ago. Although there are literally hundreds of Montessori schools throughout the world – and many of those are in your town – people remain puzzled by them. They may not look like the schools of their youth.

As a devoted Montessori educator, I am surprised when I find information about Montessori education outside of Montessori publications. If you are wondering how Dr. Montessori devised her method of educating young children or if you are curious about how it works, take a few minutes to read this.

As the author (Austin Matte) ponders the wonder of Montessori, he shares his awe of her ability to develop such a robust educational method “simply through the meticulous observation of young children over time, carried out by one person.”

Matte goes on to write that “more recent studies have revealed that these principles are in line with the way we learn. Designing her approach with the way children learn and develop better enables them to engage with and take ownership of their learning. This, I believe, is a major oversight with the way children are currently educated.”

Montessori education is an example of what is possible for children. It is the model that today’s educational systems are seeking, and it is just around the corner.