Abstract
There are more than 22,000 Montessori schools in over 100 countries worldwide. Beginning in the 1950s the American Montessori movement was primarily a private pre-school movement. There are more than 5,000 schools in the United States; over 500 of these are public. Montessori schools are an increasingly popular choice in the U.S. for public school districts looking to improve their educational outcomes. Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) can play a pivotal role by integrating Montessori education within their teacher preparation programs. As the demand for Montessori education increases there will be a need for more highly-qualified, culturally and linguistically diverse teachers who have the appropriate credentials and can implement the Montessori approach. Scientific research confirms that children who attend Montessori schools are advantaged academically, socially and emotionally. Communities such as Milwaukee and Chicago are now implementing Montessori education through public schools as part of school reform efforts making the educational approach more accessible to African American children.
References
Blanchett, W. J. (2009). A retrospective examination of urban education: From brown to the resegregation of African Americans in special education—It is time to ‘go for broke’. Urban Education, 44(4), 370–388. doi:10.1177/0042085909338688Search in Google Scholar
Bowers, P. (2013). Racial tensions fuel the fiery debate over a north Charleston montessori program. Charleston City Paper,January 23, 2013.Search in Google Scholar
Boykin, A. W. (1978). Experimental psychology from a black perspective: Issues and examples. Final report from the third conference on empirical research in black psychology, ed. William Cross. Washington, DC: National Institute of Education.Search in Google Scholar
Carlson, S. A., Fulton, J. E., Lee, S. M., Maynard, L. M., Brown, D. R., Kohl III, H. R., & Dietz, W. H. (2008). Physical education and academic achievement in elementary school: Data from the early childhood longitudinal study. American Journal of Public Health, 98(4), 721–727. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.117176Search in Google Scholar
Center for Law and Social Policy (2010). We dream a world: The 2025 vision for black men and boys. Author, December 2010.Search in Google Scholar
Chomitz, V. R., Slining, M. M., McGowan, R. J., Mitchell, S. E., Dawson, G. F., & Hacker, K. A. (2009). Is there a relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement? Positive results from public school children in the northeastern United States. Journal of Public Health, 79(1), 30–37. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2008.00371Search in Google Scholar
Dohrman, K. R. (2003). Outcomes for students in a montessori program. Rochester, NY: Association Montessori Internationale/USA.Search in Google Scholar
Feez, S. (2010). Montessori and early childhood. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.10.4135/9781446269343Search in Google Scholar
Gallotta, M. C., Guidetti, L., Francois, E., Emerenziani, G. P., Bonavolonta, V., & Baldari, C. (2012). Effects of varying type of exertion on children’s attention capacity. Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, 44(3), 550–555. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182305552Search in Google Scholar
Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106–116.10.1177/0022487102053002003Search in Google Scholar
Gordon, C. (2007). Together with montessori—Third edition. The guide to help montessori teachers, assistant teachers, resource teachers, administrators & parents work in harmony to create great schools. Minneapolis, MN: Jola Publications.Search in Google Scholar
Hale, J. E. (2001). Learning while black. Creating educational excellence for African American children. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press.10.56021/9780801867750Search in Google Scholar
Hale-Benson, J. E. (1982). Black children—Their roots, culture, and learning styles—Revised edition. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press.Search in Google Scholar
Hall, H. R., & Murray, A. K. (2011). Intersections between Montessori practices and culturally-based curriculum for African-American students—AMS research committee white paper. American Montessori Society.Search in Google Scholar
Hilliard, A. G. (1996). Maintaining the Montessori metaphor: What every child wants and needs. North American Montessori Teachers Association Journal, 21(2), 108–125.Search in Google Scholar
Hilliard, A. G. (1998). To touch the spirit of the child: A multicultural perspective. North American Montessori Teachers Association Journal, 23(1), 123–138.Search in Google Scholar
Howard, T. C. (2003). Culturally relevant pedagogy: Ingredients for critical teacher reflection. Theory into Practice, 42(3), 195–202.10.1207/s15430421tip4203_5Search in Google Scholar
Kahn, D., Dubble, S. L., & Pendleton, D. R. (1999). The whole-school Montessori handbook for teachers and administrators. Cleveland, OH: North American Montessori Teachers Association.Search in Google Scholar
Kunjufu, J. (1984). Developing positive self-images & discipline in black children. Chicago, IL: African American Images.Search in Google Scholar
Kunjufu, J. (2005). Keeping black boys out of special education. Chicago, IL: African American Images.Search in Google Scholar
Lillard, A. S. (2005). Montessori—The science behind the genius. NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.Search in Google Scholar
McNeely, R. L., Pate, D., & Johnson, L. A. (2011). Milwaukee today: An occasional report of the NAACP, June 2011. Milwaukee Branch: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.Search in Google Scholar
Miller, L. B., & Bizzell, R. P. (1984). Long-term effects of four preschool programs: Ninth-and-tenth-grade results. Child Development, 55(4), 1570–1587. doi:10.2307/1130027Search in Google Scholar
Morgan, H. (1976). Neonatal precocity and the black experience. Negro Educational Review, 27, 129–134.Search in Google Scholar
Mullaney, T. (2012). Montessori program embraced by Englewood school. Chicago Tribune news, October 24, 2012.Search in Google Scholar
Seldin, T., & Epstein, P. (2006). The montessori way—2nd ed. Terra Ceia, FL: The Montessori Foundation Press.Search in Google Scholar
Siegel-Hawley, G., & Frankenberg, E. (2012). Reviving magnet schools: Strengthening a successful choice option, a research brief. Los Angeles, CA: The Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles.Search in Google Scholar
Whitescarver, K., & Cossentino, J. (2008). Montessori and the mainstream: A century of reform on the margins. Teachers College Record, 110(12), 10. December 2008.10.1177/016146810811001202Search in Google Scholar
Wilson, A. N. (1992). Awakening the natural genius of black children. NY: Afrikan World InfoSystems.Search in Google Scholar
© 2018 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- The Moral Imperative of Valuing Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs): Implications for Teacher Preparation
- Having Our Say: Building New Identities through Teacher Preparation
- Playing the Game: Recruiting Black Males in Teaching
- Training Bilingual Educators at a PBI
- Recruiting Under-represented Groups to Librarianship
- Being White in Black Spaces: Teaching and Learning at a Predominately Black Institution
- Predominantly Black Institutions and Public Montessori Schools: Reclaiming the “Genius” in African American Children
Articles in the same Issue
- The Moral Imperative of Valuing Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs): Implications for Teacher Preparation
- Having Our Say: Building New Identities through Teacher Preparation
- Playing the Game: Recruiting Black Males in Teaching
- Training Bilingual Educators at a PBI
- Recruiting Under-represented Groups to Librarianship
- Being White in Black Spaces: Teaching and Learning at a Predominately Black Institution
- Predominantly Black Institutions and Public Montessori Schools: Reclaiming the “Genius” in African American Children