Editorial: Communications Will Stimulate That Work. We
Editorial: Communications Will Stimulate That Work. We
Editorial: Communications Will Stimulate That Work. We
This issue of Communications has been long tion for ages 12-18 years of age.
in the making, with preparations starting During many years the driving force in
in 2010. We initially planned to devote one the realization of Montessori adolescent
issue around the theme of the adolescent, education programmes has been the Ameri-
but with the wealth of material available we can expert David Kahn, who, together with
soon decided that this would probably Laurie Ewert-Krocker, founded the Hershey
evolve into a double issue. Further down the Montessori Farm School. For all questions
road, the idea grew that it might be benefi- on the subject of adolescence Mr Kahn is an
cial to create a comprehensive publication internationally well known and highly val-
around the theme of adolescent education. ued expert, adviser, speaker and author. We
There are various pertinent, hitherto are therefore delighted to have secured his
unpublished, writings by Maria Montessori collaboration as a guest editor on this issue
on the subject. Also we have seen, especially of Communications. Many aspects of this pub-
during this past few decades, many dedi- lication rely heavily on his initiatives and the
cated and inspired efforts to develop Mon- work of his team. In an article serving as
tessori’s ideas concerning the education of introduction to this issue, David shares his
young people in the third plane of develop- vast knowledge on the subject and offers us
ment and bring these into practice. a glimpse into the ideas of Maria Montessori
Undoubtedly, the efforts in the USA have on adolescent education and how these
had a leading role in this development, developed over the years. His leading princi
inspired by Mario Montessori and Mario ple is that he lets himself be guided by the
Montessori Jr. as well as others from primary texts on the topic by Maria Montes-
Europe, such as Camillo Grazzini, Baiba sori that are included, in chronological
Krumins-Grazzini, Renilde Montessori, order, in this issue, and substantiates his
and Peter Gebhardt-Seele, who revived the arguments with experiences from the Mon-
Erdkinder model. Two noteworthy schools, tessori lab schools in the USA.
the Hershey Montessori School Adolescent It is not always easy to interpret unequivo-
Program on the Farm (ages 12-15) and the cally the development of Montessori’s con-
Montessori High School at University Circle cept of adolescent education and the con-
(age 15-18) are within the framework of this temporary sources that influenced her
development of particular importance as thinking. There is very little material where
testing grounds for Montessori adolescent Montessori herself expands on those
principles of theory into practice. The pro- aspects. Too many documents have not yet
gramme “Montessori Orientation to Ado- been consulted sufficiently and analysed,
lescent Studies” that each year is being necessitating further research. Hopefully,
organized by the North American Montes- Communications will stimulate that work. We
sori Teachers’ Association was reviewed by are confident that as early as in 1920 Montes-
AMI and in 2010 both parties signed an sori entertained certain ideas about a sec-
agreement to collaborate on this orienta- ondary schooling programme, as evidenced
tion programme. AMI currently has recog- in her letter to Augusto Osimo, included in
nized NAMTA as its primary source for this issue. It is, however, doubtful whether
Adolescent research and teacher prepara- she presented ideas in that vein during her