The 5 best books for discovering Montessori education
The 5 best books for discovering Montessori education
The Child, by Maria Montessori
The Child remains Maria Montessori's seminal work and the best introduction to her educational approach. It highlights the originality and modernity of the ideas of this great Italian educator. In it, she clearly sets out the principles of an education based on "respect for the child's personality."
Helping children express their individuality and reveal their potential, giving them the means to develop the best of themselves while respecting their nature, for themselves and for the benefit of all, such is the role of the educator and such are the paths of new pedagogies. For more than a century, this project has continued to inspire educational theorists and practitioners.
The Absorbent Mind of the Child, by Maria Montessori
"The world of education is a kind of island where individuals, uprooted from the world, prepare for life while remaining strangers to it." This radical criticism, which Maria Montessori directed at schools, led her to conceive and experiment with a different approach to education. The Absorbent Mind is Montessori's last book. She presents it as "a link in the development of our thinking and our work in defense of the forces of childhood."
Maria Montessori, by Martine Gilsoul and Charlotte Poussin
Maria Montessori (1870-1952), one of Italy's first female doctors, is internationally renowned for her educational methods and the schools that bear her name. Her unusual, almost romantic life story is also very interesting. This biography reveals many aspects of her life, allowing us to look beyond the idealized image and discover the "real Maria," who was approachable and human throughout her journey: her feminism, her modernity, her many travels, her unbreakable bond with her son Mario, her successes, her failures, her convictions, without glossing over her trials and errors. The common thread running through all her work is education for peace and freedom. Martine Gilsoul, in collaboration with Charlotte Poussin, explores all the facets of Maria Montessori's journey and rich personality, entirely devoted to the cause of children, whose original, revolutionary, and relevant thinking remains more relevant than ever.
The Practical Manual of the Montessori Method, by Maria Montessori
At a time when practical guides on the Montessori method are multiplying, here is the one that Maria Montessori herself designed to "enter families," written in Spanish in 1939 (supporting an initial version from 1914 in English). Unpublished in French, this historical version has nevertheless retained all its relevance. In this manual, which is not only practical, Maria Montessori also presents the philosophy behind her teaching method, recalling its ultimate goal: to serve Peace. She insisted that education was the best weapon for Peace and that, in order to achieve it, children should be considered the guides of their own education. Who better than children themselves knows what is good for their own development? What makes this manual unique is that it is the only one illustrated with personal photos of Maria Montessori.
Teach Me to Do It Myself: Montessori Education Explained to Parents, by Charlotte Poussin
Montessori education promotes self-confidence and independence, allowing children to progress at their own pace by choosing their own activities. Above all, it is a mindset that does not view children as adults in the making who need to be molded, but as individuals in their own right who need to be supported and deeply respected. This book presents Montessori education: its history, theory, and practical application, both at school and at home, in a clear and simple way. Charlotte Poussin shares her experience to help readers understand and apply Montessori education with children. Become aware of the importance of the educator's attitude in order to embody what we want to convey, put the child at the center of thinking about education, and emphasize observation, communication, and kindness in order to accompany the child on the path to fulfillment.