A few feet away, meanwhile, children are playing with colorful beads, painted wooden sticks, and geometric shapes, while others are solving complex math problems on floor mats. The setting at Flintstone Elementary School might seem different, but it is home to a Montessori magnet program, one of three in the Prince George’s County school system in Maryland. Paul Epstein, the district’s Montessori magnet specialist, believes that what is happening here can provide valuable lessons for public-school educators who want to enhance the quality of math and science instruction for their young students.
Epstein argues that this serves as evidence that the principles of the Montessori method, established 90 years ago, are aligned with the calls from present-day reformers for programs that emphasize hands-on instruction, inquiry-based and cooperative learning, and the role of teachers as facilitators. "Nobody has ever published what it would look like if you brought it all together," he says. "But the Montessori approaches do meet the needs that the reformers are seeking."
The Montessori magnet schools in the county have been around since the early days of the magnet program, which was introduced in the 1980s to comply with a desegregation order. Unlike other magnet schools in the county, the Montessori programs are situated within conventional elementary schools and start instruction at ages 3 or 4.
For Montessori students, a typical school day is quite different from the rigidly scheduled instruction in neighboring classrooms. Montessori methods, developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori in the early 20th century, emphasize experiential learning that trains the senses, with a focus on children’s physical development as a crucial element of cognitive ability. Unlike traditional elementary education, Montessori students are grouped by age rather than grade, and much of their learning is self-directed and paced individually, with trained teachers guiding the classroom.
The commitment to hands-on learning is especially evident in science and math teaching. For instance, children learn to count by physically grasping and understanding the concept of "one" through a golden bead. As they progress, they manipulate strings of beads that represent different units of number value. The classroom also features wooden blocks of varying sizes that represent numbers from 1 to 1,000,000. Older students use manipulatives to learn fractions and geometric concepts. According to Montessori teachers, the physical representation of abstract concepts helps children develop a tangible understanding of quantity and relationships between different quantities. "They’re exposed to math materials at the age of 3 when they first start," says Glenda G. Davis, a Montessori teacher at Doswell Brooks Elementary School. "My kindergartners can add four-digit numbers using concrete materials." Epstein adds that students as young as 7 have successfully learned long division using this system. Davis, who has also taught in traditional elementary classrooms, firmly believes that it is the Montessori methods, rather than the abilities of the children, that enable many of her students to learn and work with decimals as early as age 4. She says, "It’s definitely the methods, because we have children from all backgrounds in the public-school program."
Taking care of animals is also an important aspect of the Montessori program.
"In my conventional training, I participated in courses like ‘How to Teach Science in an Elementary Classroom’," she explains. "However, I found these courses to be very limiting because they provided a strict guide on how and when things should be done." Teresita Leimer, a coordinator and resource teacher in the Montessori program at St. Paul’s public schools in Minnesota, emphasizes that the Montessori approach allows for more spontaneous teaching opportunities. "We take the children on walks and help them become aware of their environment," she says. "We also discuss what the Earth looks like." Linda Massey, a teacher at Flintstone, adds that the Montessori approach closely aligns with the recommendations of national experts who advocate for a deeper understanding of scientific concepts rather than rote memorization of facts. "In the elementary program, science is taught to provide an intellectual overview and cognitive structure to children, rather than focusing solely on details," she says.
Despite the Montessori method commonly being associated with exclusive private schools, it is gradually gaining acceptance among public school officials. Dennis Schapiro, the editor of the Public School Montessorian, a national newsletter, reports that there are approximately 133 public school Montessori programs nationwide. However, he mentions that while many districts are experimenting with the Montessori method, only a few exemplary programs exist in public schools. Critics argue that many schools adopt certain aspects of the Montessori method while disregarding others, and they highlight the significant variation in teacher training. Additionally, Montessori methods often clash with the realities of public schools, such as limited space for preschoolers, curriculum guidelines, and testing mandates. Therefore, it is challenging to determine whether a specific program aligns with the vision set by educational reformers. For example, Paul Kronmeyer, a spokesperson for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, suggests that Montessori programs may not meet the organization’s standards for math instruction, despite appearing to do so.
Kronmeyer states, "They could be following the standards perfectly, or they could be completely off track." Even the staunchest supporters of the Montessori method admit that there are obstacles to adapting the method in public schools. Meyers points out that for many public schools, the cost of training teachers in the Montessori method may be prohibitive. However, Mr. Epstein argues that the Montessori program in Prince George’s County has demonstrated that the method can be successfully implemented in a larger and more diverse public school system. He acknowledges that the success of a program serving just over 500 students in a system with over 109,000 students may not be conclusive evidence of effectiveness. Nevertheless, Mr. Epstein believes that the program has laid a crucial foundation and has the potential to become a model for public schools. "We still have work to do," he affirms. "There are children for whom our Montessori method didn’t work." The district remains committed to the program, and Mr. Epstein explains that officials will explore the necessary adaptations for Montessori to thrive in the public school setting.
