Our Philosophy

A philosophy of education in service of lives fully lived.

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Core Philosophy

Seeing is Achieving: How the Montessori Method Builds Responsibility

Lessons and modeling alone are not enough to cultivate the level of independent awareness and joyful initiative we see in a classroom— to be ingrained into the child’s character, to become second nature in the countless instances in life where no one is watching and no one has given explicit instructions, a proactive sense of order requires the development and mastery of certain essential skills.

Core Philosophy

A Guide, Not a Teacher

Daily activity in a Montessori Children’s House can easily pass by in a bright and busy blur. Yet, even with a vivid awareness of all the interactions, effort, and activity that fills each day, it can be difficult to explain to those unfamiliar with Montessori just what exactly you do as a Montessori guide.

Core Philosophy

A Better Future for Phonics

‘Sold a Story’ is the latest salvo from the front lines of these wars. In this short podcast series, journalist Emily Hanford contends that the evidence is clear: phonics is the effective approach for teaching children literacy.

Although this recent case for phonics may seem to vindicate phonics advocates and portend an end to the wars and a better future for literacy education, it carries within it the seeds of its own destruction.

Core Philosophy

Doubling Down on Literacy

Which aspect of Montessori’s approach first made her truly internationally famous? Which one shocked the world and kickstarted a worldwide movement that continues to this day? It was actually a very specific outcome: she taught 4-year-olds how to write.

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Core Philosophy

Our Story

Montessorium's origin story, from a creator of Montessori apps to a Montessori think tank.

Core Philosophy

Our Lanterns

Education is done with a view to the good life. Drawing from Montessori, we offer five lanterns, five constant and guiding values, for understanding what constitutes a good human life: knowledge, work, agency, and trade, all adding up to a life fully lived.

Core Philosophy

Montessori's Discovery of the Normalized Child

Montessori’s most important discovery, the one that enabled all the others, was her discovery of the “normalized” child. It informed her philosophy of education: her ideas on the role of the parent and the educator in the child’s life, the role of the child himself, the role of the environment in his development, and the very purpose of education.

Core Philosophy

Culture of Work, Culture of Knowledge

Knowledge and work—thought and action—are the two fundamental manifestations of human agency. An education that supports agency does so by embodying a culture of knowledge and a culture of work.

Core Philosophy

Place-Value as Soulcraft in Montessori

When children learn column addition and multiplication, they understand why it works, because they understand—because it’s been part of their physical environment and activity since they were 2—what place value is.

Why does any of this matter? It adds up.

Core Philosophy

The Montessori Multiplier

Everyone learns, constantly, over the course of their lives. What Montessori does is multiply the value of this learning. Done right, school isn't a substitute for life experience, it's a multiplier on it.

All Core Philosophy Content

Core Philosophy

Montessori's Discovery of the Normalized Child

Montessori’s most important discovery, the one that enabled all the others, was her discovery of the “normalized” child. It informed her philosophy of education: her ideas on the role of the parent and the educator in the child’s life, the role of the child himself, the role of the environment in his development, and the very purpose of education.

Core Philosophy

A Guide, Not a Teacher

Daily activity in a Montessori Children’s House can easily pass by in a bright and busy blur. Yet, even with a vivid awareness of all the interactions, effort, and activity that fills each day, it can be difficult to explain to those unfamiliar with Montessori just what exactly you do as a Montessori guide.

Core Philosophy

The Child's Self-Created Mind

Based on her astute observations of children, Montessori concluded that children had a mind and a mental life from birth. This meant that, to her, education was proper and necessary for infants and young children. Yet, it was clear that education for infants and toddlers could not function in the same way as education for older children and adults. Their unique minds demanded a rethinking of education.

Core Philosophy

Montessori's Philosophy

Montessori believed she uncovered the natural laws governing a child’s development and discovered that he had mental needs from birth. Based on these discoveries, it was clear to Montessori that the traditional ways of interacting with children, educating them, and rearing them were tragically inadequate. It was time to re-think childhood, education, and parenting. It was time to articulate a new philosophy.

Featured Author
Executive Director of Montessorium

Dr. Matt Bateman

Dr. Matt Bateman earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 2012 from the University of Pennsylvania. He taught and continued his research at Franklin and Marshall College in the Department of Psychology, on topics ranging from neuroscience to evolutionary theory to philosophy, before joining the LePort Schools as Director of Curriculum and Pedagogy in 2014.

In 2016, Dr. Matt Bateman became a founding member of Higher Ground Education. He is now Vice President of Pedagogy for Higher Ground and the Executive Director of Montessorium.

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