Children's House

New Research on the Impact of Montessori Preschool

New Research on the Impact of Montessori Preschool

A new study by Angeline Lillard, one of the foremost education scholars studying Montessori education, has found that attending a Montessori pre-school has measurably positive impacts by the end of Kindergarten. The study, A national randomized controlled trial of the impact of public Montessori preschool at the end of kindergarten, found that students who attended Montessori preschools “had significantly better end-of-kindergarten outcomes for reading, short-term memory, executive function, and social understanding.” Interestingly, while there was no significant difference between the groups at the end of the 3 year old or 4 year old years, the significant differences appeared by the end of kindergarten. 

Where Are They Now Part 3: Elena Longan

Where Are They Now Part 3: Elena Longan

Over several Observer issues, we have been featuring stories about our Alumni in our “Where Are They Now” series. In Part Three, we talked to Elena Longan, who is pursuing an AMI 3-6 diploma (Children’s House) in Portugal. Elena feels that her Montessori background has completely influenced her current life in the most positive of ways.

Montessori Training as a Personal Transformation

Montessori Training as a Personal Transformation

Children’s House 2 Lead Guide Jessica Robson spent the last year simultaneously teaching and pursuing her AMI (Association Montessori International) Primary Diploma from the Montessori Northwest Training Center in Portland, Oregon. It was an amazing and intense experience that “profoundly impacted” the way she thinks about children and about teaching.

Observations on Observing

Observations on Observing

Ever wonder why this newsletter is called The Observer? It’s because observation is such a fundamental part of Montessori education. At Hollis Montessori School, evaluation of student progress relies heavily on the guides’ observation of students’ work and activities in the classroom. In addition, parents are strongly encouraged to observe their children’s classrooms and the work that goes on there.

New Research Linking Montessori and Adult Wellbeing

New Research Linking Montessori and Adult Wellbeing

In a new paper published in Frontiers in Psychology, researchers found that there is an association between Montessori education and wellbeing in adulthood. The study found “that attending Montessori for at least two childhood years was associated with significantly higher adult wellbeing on all four factors.”