Montessori Teachers

I am so glad you are here, and I hope you will join with us on our quest to expand inclusion in Montessori schools around the world! My name is Catherine Nehring Massie and I have been advocating for inclusion of children with disabilities for over 20 years. As a Montessori teacher and Montessori school director, I have faced the limitations of our current educational system where the medical and therapeutic needs of a child are generally disconnected from what we consider “education”. My training and experience in Special Education and therapeutic teaching methods, like the Orton-Gillingham Method, has convinced me that the most effective aid to development for many children is a combined medical-educational approach.

Dr. Maria Montessori wrote in 1915 (San Francisco Call and Post) that she attended the 1898 pedagogic congress in Turino as a consequence of her observation: “Between physicians and teachers, at that time, there was an absolute separation; they never met in their social and scientific work.” [Montessori, Maria, The California Lectures of Maria Montessori: Collected Speeches and Writings, 1915, The Clio Montessori Series, p.260.] Her astute observation made in the late 1800’s remains effectively unchanged in the 2000’s: children today are either treated medically or taught using educational methods developed for typical children, they are not approached holistically—with a few remarkable exceptions that we will be showcasing on this website!

We are opening with a selection of resources for you to enjoy and which, we believe, will be of use to you in your work with children who have learning differences. Our vision for this inclusion website, however, is that Montessori educators and medical providers across the globe will contribute many insights, successful practices, and a wealth of resources to support your important work. We are a growing resource center at this time.

Begin exploring our site NOW and here is what you will find:

• Grand Opening Showcase Feature: Visit our Inclusion Program Showcase to find perhaps the earliest scientific study of Montessori education for children with disabilities.
• Resources of interest and relevance to your work: Find current articles and research in Hot Topics, introduce yourself to the Montessori and medical communities through our Inclusion Forums, and read a variety of Articles about Montessori-based Special Education practices. More resources will be added each month.
• Find out how you can get involved NOW in advocacy, capacity-building, and supporting Montessori programs that are including more diverse populations of children.

What kind of challenges are you facing in your inclusive classroom?

What kinds of resources would you find helpful?

• Professional development on specific disability types

• Collaboration with medical specialists—Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Behavior Specialists, Trauma Therapists, etc.

• Specialized instructional materials and supports

• Visual communication systems

• Partnering with Parents and Families

• Other?