Here, Maria Montessori introduces a scientific approach to pedagogy. The Montessori schools which she established and developed are intended for children three to seven years of age. The children are allowed as much freedom as possible and are provided with "didactic materials" which are various artifacts which they can use to educate themselves. They are supervised by a single directress whose primary task is to observe the children and direct their efforts by explaining to them how various didactic materials are used (it's very simple, but nothing is obvious to a young child). This book offers some valuable concete advice, but its primary use to me was as an introduction to the approach of scientific pedagogy. The basic premises as I understand them are that (1) children have a natural desire to learn and (2) one can learn how to live in freedom and only by being free. These premises are fully supported and fleshed out in the book. The Montessori method achieved startling results, with four year old children (on average) learning to be masters of themselves, disciplined, benevolent, self-confident, and capable of reading and writing. Every educator should be familiar with Maria Montessori's work.

wha s excelent revew about the book and was prity impresed about i

"A collection of speeches revealing [Maria Montessori's] conviction for peace to be obtained by means of education. Her starting point is her conviction that the child must be our teacher, moving on to consider the problems of human development. "--Nienhuis Books & Publications

A must read book for Montessori teachers and parents! And although no longer in print, try a used copy or go to your local library!

Maria Montessori believed that world peace could be attained if we teach peace to our students and children; in that we all have the same fundamental needs (food, shelter, clothing...) but that we as people obtain them differently according to our environments, not the color of our skin.

Montessori education teaches peace as tolerance, tolerance of other races, religions, and cultures. A must in this time of looming war!

This book is not out of print. It is available from Bookmasters 1800 538 6727 for 19.95

My son read this book after he completed the 3-year primary program. He really got a kick out of reading about the woman who started it. Now that he has finished his first year of traditional public schooling, he thinks Dr. Montessori was a very smart lady. He often voices a desire to go back to her type of classroom! This book is also a quick, easy read for parents who don't have much time, but have an interest in the woman, the philosophy, and the history of Montessori education.

This was a wonderful for my child. It had lovely illustrations and addresses important issues (such as war) in an appropriate way for a child. An inspiring story.

This is the book that opened Montessori's theories and achievements to me in a way her own writing never managed to. The Standings are not unbiased, having worked with Dr. Montessori --- but they do an excellent job of weaving Montessori's life story with her teaching discoveries and methods. If someone is interested in learning about the Montessori method, and can only read one book, this is the one. There is another biography by Rita Kramer that looks good, but I haven't gotten to it yet. Good luck!

Introduces the reader to Maria Montessori and her path to the Montessori Methods. Great pictures, and quick reading. This should be your first book about Montessori, or one that you use to introduce Montessori to others.

This is Montessori's last book, and the most in-depth discussion of her theory based on decades of scientific observation of children. It discusses the special mind of the child, and how nurturing the special potentialities that only children have is the only way to change (and save) humanity. Montessori's theories are particularly interesting today in light of recent neurological discoveries, especially those related to critical periods and language.

This is a very dense book, and requires a good deal of concentration and time to read. I would recommmend The Child in the Family as the first book for one wanting an overview of Montessori ideas.

I first read The Absorbant Mind" in 1969, It changed the way I raised my children, how I valued their "work" of being children, and how I now work with the mentally ill. I find myself often reviewing the concept that all people really do the best they can, and that using her respect of others, and her method,of going from concrete to abstract concepts is a useful baseline. Dr. Montessori never wasted words in this book, I had to concentrate on each sentance, or I'd miss something. I thank my sister, a Montessori teacher, for introducing it to me, she is Joanna Taylor, who taught for 3o years in SLC.

This book is wonderful for the people who are going into the field of montessori education, actually it is on the required list of any teacher training program, and in there lays the misunderstanding. One must read this book to understand Dr. Montessori's philosophy of education, not to implement it in your home. there are parent-friendly montessori books that are watered down and written with the intention of being an introduction, not an indepth study of montessori's essence and history. As for the interviewer who bought the school, I wish he'd name it so I can avoid it because he sadly only grabbed the shell and lost the spirit of the method.

This is a very good introduction to Dr Maria Montessori's teachings and ideas. It gives an account of how she derived many of her methods and the materials she used. The book is filled with details and interesting encounters with her little charges which makes her an endearing educator. However, it does not contain enough information for the actual exercises the child is supposed to practise.

I had high expectations for this book based on prior reviews, and was severely disappointed. Instead of expected profound insights into child psychology and wise practical advices, I found a wordy discourse on the life of bees and butterflies, shallow preaching, and amazing ignorance. As a child psychologist she is plain incompetent. One example: describing a situation where a child started crying when a stranger brought in an umbrella and put it on a table, and stopped crying when the umbrella was taken away, the author attributed the crying to some mysterious "love of orderliness" in babies, instead of realizing the obvious fact that the child was simply scared of a large unfamiliar object, as is often the case with small babies. The author is ignorant in general science as well. For example, she claims the knowledge of human anatomy didn't exist at all untill 17th century, completely ignoring the rich experience of ancient Egyptians etc. Overall, this book is outdated, ignorant, and shallow, and is of little practical help in bringing up children.

I've been curious about Montessori for some time and this book was wonderful at introducing her teachings. She explains how many teaching methods are not only ineffective but harmful because they oppress a child's natural desire to learn and create. While, I think what she was saying was idealistic at times, I think all parents and schools would benefit by reading this book and incorporating these principles in how they teach children

This as well as many books written by Dr. Montessori are enlightening, educational and serve as a model for all parents raising children today. Her vision of peace and all of her teachings need to be brought to responsible parents and care givers. Children are our future....peace was Maria Montessori's vision....teach it!