On Saturday, I was lounging in a children’s toy store with my daughter when I came across a section labelled « Montessori ». On the menu: wooden toys, again and again. Blues, reds, yellows. Balls, cubes, rings, screws, puzzles, fruit. There was something for every taste and age. On the boxes were enticing statements such as « this toy will develop your child’s concentration, independence and fine motor skills », « his sense of touch and observation » or « his logic and thinking ». Enough to turn our little prodigies into real brainiacs.

As for the price, it was a little less enchanting: expect to pay around twenty euros for a box and a ball. A reaction came to me: either the price of wood has undergone a sudden inflation, or these bobo toys are truly brilliant, or the producers of these toys are surfing the Montessori wave to line their pockets. What would Maria Montessori, grande dame of pedagogy and defender of children, have thought of this commercial display?  » She herself used to say that everything she had discovered had been given to her by children and the observations she had made of them, » points out Nelly Camain-Forestier, co-founder of Les P’tits Sages[1], Montessori trainer and parent-child workshop leader. It’s a sad fact that games with the Montessori label are expensive, and mislead consumers – whether parents or educators – because they don’t always respect the principles of Montessori pedagogy. What’s more, they give some people the false idea that this is an elitist pedagogy!

This Montessorian madness, from the bed to the digital application, has been taken up by our tender consumer society. « Contemporary ideology associates [le nom de Montessori] with the most fulfilling pedagogy of the moment », points out Frédéric Gobert, author of works in linguistics and pedagogy, PhD in language sciences and holder of a DEA in Lettres Modernes[2]. What if we tried to understand Montessorian pedagogy, the real thing?

A woman doctor devoted to the cause of children

The year was 1900. Maria Montessori, one of Italy’s first female doctors, was deeply interested in the natural development of children, whom she described as « isolated beings in society »[3]. For half a century, she worked with those on the margins of society, with whom few cared: women, children from disadvantaged backgrounds, the mentally deficient. Based on her observations, she eventually developed a pedagogy aimed at revealing each child’s potential, with the greatest respect for his or her nature and personality. « Maria Montessori spoke of peace education. She was driven by a real desire to see education as the key to opening up the world of tomorrow: a world based on respect, autonomy and collaboration, » explains Nelly Camain-Forestier. For the educationalist, the adult must be a « guide » for the child. A benevolent guide who helps them to do things on their own, within a secure framework. In her view, « education is not training ».

Building on this momentum, in January 1907 Maria Montessori opened the very first Casadei Bambini(Children’s House). What made it special? To provide children with materials adapted to their development and, as the icing on the pedagogical cake, to leave them free to choose their own activities for as long as they wished. The pedagogue is surprised to find that in such an environment, even the youngest children show real concentration and self-discipline. From these observations, a pedagogy has taken root: when children are offered a suitable environment, in the presence of respectful and stimulating educators, they develop their acquisitions on their own, at their own pace.  » Each activity isolates a difficulty – such as sorting colors or shapes – and enables the child to identify his or her errors independently, without prompting from an adult, » notes Nelly Camain-Forestier.  » Today, we know that encouraging children’s autonomy and collaboration, while guiding them with kindness and empathy, leads to ‘better results’ than a strict teacher who encourages competition and performance in children, » notes Nelly Camain-Forestier. Gone are the traditional classrooms, where children sit quietly behind their desks, filled with their teacher’s knowledge. Here, the master is the child[4].

A pedagogy difficult to apply in traditional classrooms

This pedagogy is winning over more and more teachers around the world. « This craze is justified by the number of children failing at school today. And by the desire of teachers and parents to find alternative ways of adapting to the child – and not the other way round, » explains Nelly Camain-Forestier. Parents themselves no longer see themselves in the current education system, in which many teachers are powerless to cope with a lack of resources. Frédéric Gobert puts it another way: « If dozens of [Montessori] schools have opened (…), it’s because the bourgeoisie, which wants the best for its children, is devaluing the public education system and choosing to place them in establishments whose name attracts parents in search of self-fulfilment »[5]. Marie-Laure Viaud, agrégée in history, lecturer in educational science at the University of Artois and specialist in alternative pedagogies recalls that in France, in 2012, there were 125 schools claiming a Montessori appellation. Whereasin 2017, we reached a headcount of 169 schools, a growth rate of over 6% per year[6]. However, although this number is growing, it remains marginal. Compared with France’s 51,700 schools, the figure of 169 seems anecdotal[7]!

Why aren’t there more Montessorian schools in France?

There are many reasons for this. First of all, the French Ministry of Education does not wish to validate this pedagogy, which forces Montessorian structures to develop on the bangs of traditional schools. Nevertheless, wouldn’t it be possible to introduce this pedagogy into the classroom without claiming to be 100% Montessorian? Therein lies the rub. Some will tell you that yes, it’s possible, and that it’s because of those old reactive and conservative teachers that the pedagogy of the public system doesn’t move one iota. There may be some of that, but not all. Others will tell you that Montessori pedagogy, the real thing, is not so easy to implement in the classroom. Indeed, the constraints can be considerable. Nelly Camain-Forestier tells us that the initial investment – including the purchase of teaching materials and the reconfiguration of spaces – requires preparation time and a high budget, which few schools are prepared to assume on their own without financial assistance. In a somewhat provocative article[8], Françoise Dauliat, a nursery school teacher, explains that the teacher who decides to turn his or her classroom upside down by adopting the classroom layout principles of Montessorian pedagogy « is taking the serious decision of emptying his or her furniture of material accumulated over years and years, at the risk of leaving it considerably impoverished to the colleague who would succeed him or her ». » There is also a certain reluctance to change, which can be explained by a lack of knowledge of pedagogy and a fear of the unknown, » explains Nelly Camain-Forestier.

Added to these constraints is the need for training, guidance and support for teachers who decide to apply Montessori pedagogy. This would require the mobilization of new human and financial resources. Resources which, as you can imagine, are not to the liking of the French Education Nationale.  » It’s important to salute some fine initiatives, particularly in rural areas, where public schools are supported on the one hand by town halls and on the other by associations such as Public Montessori, which offers equipment loans and grants to help teachers train! » emphasizes Nelly Camain-Forestier.

What about the child’s return to the « classic » circuit?

There’s one question that parents and teachers often ask: when my Montessori-schooled child returns to the mainstream, what will it be like? Will he be able to adapt to the new environment, the new rules? Françoise Dauliat is sceptical: « A child who has spent his entire nursery school career [Montessori] without learning the rules of group work and the associated rules of discipline, will probably find it difficult to fit in with the teacher’s disciplinary expectations »[9]. For some schoolchildren, undoubtedly less flexible or more fragile, the gap between the two pedagogies can put them in an uncomfortable position. « The main difficulties children may encounter concern their relationship with adults and the organization of the conventional school system. When they arrive at secondary school, children may be surprised by the notion of hierarchy and feel a lack of trust on the part of adults. The relationship with freedom – for example, always sitting in the same place – can also pose some adjustment difficulties, » says Nelly Camain-Forestier. Nevertheless, » she adds, « confident and trained to take a step back, children adapt well most of the time.

Despite its limitations and criticisms, Maria Montessori’s pedagogy continues to appeal to a society that is, more than ever, focused on the child, his or her individuality, well-being, learning and… academic success.

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A criticized pedagogy

While Maria Montessori’s pedagogy has its fair share of adapters around the world, it is not immune to criticism. For some, this pedagogy consists in keeping children 100% free from frustration and failure, giving them the illusion of a society at their service. They imagine these little humans, rolling freely around the classroom, tyrannizing their devoted educators, filling the ranks of those mythical « child kings ». However, a framework does exist. If children choose their own activities and materials, they must put them away and behave in a way that doesn’t disturb the harmony of the class. Nelly Camain-Forestier insists: « I often invite people who have doubts about pedagogy to read Maria Montessori’s books first!

Others criticize this pedagogy for being elitist and very expensive. « Paradoxically, while Maria Montessori originally opened a school for children from a poor neighborhood in Rome, today’s Montessori schools have become very expensive, » laments Virginie Helewa, director of a Montessori school in Paris.[10].  » The « new » so-called Montessori schools are not so much Montessori schools as private schools practicing the socio-cultural endogamy sought by parents », criticizes Frédéric Gobert, author of works on linguistics and pedagogy, PhD in language sciences and holder of a DEA in Lettres Modernes.[11].

Others wonder how this pedagogy can be adapted to all children’s profiles? Françoise Dauliat [12] points out, with a touch of provocation, the risk of « total stagnation » for children: « according to the Montessori method, the workshop must be grasped by the child on his or her own initiative. Some children can therefore be satisfied all year round, or even throughout their kindergarten years, with doing the same activity over and over again…! ».

Some teachers are amazed by the concentration of the children and the silence that reigns in Montessori classrooms. The other side of the coin is the lack of group time and verbal exchanges between children. Finally, Montessori is criticized for focusing too much on pre-academic learning and not enough on artistic production, such as music or the visual arts. This explains why many teachers draw on complementary tools from different pedagogues, not limiting themselves exclusively to the pedagogy of one or the other.

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The perfect Montessorian’s toolbox

Montessori pedagogy is above all a state of mind. Parents who wish to base their education at home on a few Montessori principles have a wide range of materials at their disposal. Here’s a small selection!

• Book « L’enfant » by Maria Montessori published by Desclée de Brouwer, (^1st ed. 1936 –^4th edition 2018). p27. The full text is presented here in French for the first time.

This reference text is the best introduction to her thinking and pedagogical proposals. Through her observations and analyses, Maria Montessori explicitly sets out the foundations of an education rooted in « respect for the child’s personality ».

• Box of « Tout-petit Montessori » cards designed by Adeline Charneau and illustrated by Mizuho Fujisawa, published by Nathan, 2018. From 15 months.

This set of soft-touch cards with poetic graphics helps to enrich young children’s vocabulary. Each card represents animals or objects grouped into different categories, including « Household objects » and « Farm animals and their young ».

• Mon coffret de lecture Montessori by Marie Kirchner. Published by Nathan, 2017. From age 4.

If you can’t make your child a reader by 6 months, this boxed set will introduce him or her to reading, word composition and the correspondence between a word written in cursive script and a realistic image. Designed by Montessori school director Marie Kirchner and published by Nathan, the set includes movable letters, picture cards, reading tickets and an accompanying booklet. Suitable for children aged 3 to 6. The same publisher also offers « Mon coffret premières lectures Montessori » (My Montessori First Reading Box) and « Cahiers Montessori de lecture » (Montessori Reading Workbooks) for 4-6 year-olds.

• Book « La pédagogie Montessori à la maison » By Céline Santini and Vendula Kachel. Sold by éditions F1RST, collection  » Ma p’tite famille « , 2018. From birth.

Made up of practical worksheets, this little book offers countless Montessori activities to try out at home. Each sheet includes a minimum age, duration, materials required and a step-by-step activity plan. These include « finger-painting », « creating a craft book », « estimating the age of a tree » and « creating a herbarium ».

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Practical info

• The cost of attending a Montessori school averages 400/ 500 euros per month (the higher the rent, the higher the price).

Charlotte Poussin, author of « Apprends-moi à faire seul, la pédagogie Montessori expliquée aux parents » (Eyrolles, 2011) points out, by way of comparison, that while a child’s education in a Montessori school costs the parents around 5,000 euros a year, a child’s education in the public system costs the state between 7,000 and 9,000 euros a year.[13].

• The reference organization is the Association Montessori de France, whose website is https://www.montessori-france.asso.fr/.)
• The association that supports public school teachers’ initiatives http://www.public-montessori.fr

[1] www.lesptitssages.com

[2] Extract from the article « Montessori? Pedagogy: for whom? For what? » Consultable sur le site de La Croix , Updated 02/10/2017.

[3] Excerpt from « L’enfant » by Maria Montessori, published by Desclée de Brouwer, (^1st ed. 1936 –^4th ed. 2018). p27. The full text is presented in French, for the first time.

[4] In this respect, don’t hesitate to watch the film « Le maître est l’enfant » by Alexandre Mourot, director and young father. For more information, click here: http: //www.montessori-lefilm.org/

[5] Extract from the article « Montessori? Pedagogy: for whom? For what? » Consultable sur le site de La Croix , Updated 02/10/2017.

[6] Marie-Laure Viaud, « Les écoles Montessori dans le monde », Revue internationale d’éducation de Sèvres, 76 | 2017, 51-62.

[7] « Key figures for the education system » for the 2016-2017 school year. Available at http://www.education.gouv.fr/

[8] Françoise Dauliat (2017). « Méthode Montessori: la fabrique du crétin libéral ». Site causeur.fr

[9] Françoise Dauliat (2017). « Méthode Montessori: la fabrique du crétin libéral ». Site causeur.fr

[10] Extract from the interview « Ecole Montessori: fantasmes et réalités » published on the L’express website, June 20, 2014.

[11] Extract from the article « Montessori » ? Pedagogy: for whom? For what? » Consultable on the La Croix website , Updated on 02/10/2017.

[12] Françoise Dauliat (2017). « Méthode Montessori: la fabrique du crétin libéral ». Site causeur.fr

[13] While Montessori classes have just as many children as traditional classes, the mix of ages is a real speciality.