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What is the American Montessori Society and What Do They Do?

Updated: May 26, 2023 by Kathryn Koehler | Leave a comment

The American Montessori Society is a non-profit organization. The Society, founded in 1960, promotes Montessori education in the United States. The American Montessori Society provides training and resources for teachers, as well as accreditation for Montessori schools. Additionally, it advocates for Montessori education at the national level. The Society serves as a liaison between Montessori educators and the broader education community. Keep reading for a more in-depth look at the American Montessori Society.

Key Points

The American Montessori Society can trace its origins back to 1913 when a group of parents came together to practice the theory of Maria Montessori.
Today, the AMS provides resources for teachers and parents interested in the Montessori style of education and parenting.
Teachers wishing to educate in the Montessori style can receive accreditation from the AMS.

Montessori Education: A Brief Overview

The Montessori Method is based on an educational philosophy conceived by Maria Montessori (1870-1952). Montessori, an Italian physician and educator developed the approach in the early 20th century. Montessori is one of the most influential figures in education of the 20th century. Her model for educating young children continues to grow and expand across the globe. From her humble start with one class of children in 1907, her method is now taught in over 20,000 schools. The United States is home to approximately 5000 Montessori schools.

Full Frame: A very colorful Italian postage stamp with white, scalloped edges. An image of Maria Montessori as an elderly woman with white hair, holding a walking stick /cane in her right hand looking toward the frontof the frame, in deep red and white is visible in the left 1/3 of the frame. Behind her, center and right frame are depictions of seven little dark haired children and one dark haired adult seated in green grass, with their arms outstretched at their sides. Trees are visible in the background. It is an illustration, not a photograph. In the upper right frame is the word Italia, in the bottom right corner the number 50, nd in the lower left corner iare the words: Maria Montessori with the years 1870 1952 below her name. all of the writing is deep red. — **The Montessori Method is based on an educational philosophy conceived by Maria Montessori (1870-1952).**
©Boris15/Shutterstock.com

The Montessori Method emphasizes respect for the child. The model also believes that children are capable of teaching themselves as well as other children. The role of the teacher is as a guide rather than a traditional authority figure. Montessori classrooms are typically multi-age and child-centered. Children in Montessori classrooms are given the time to explore so that they can experience those aha! moments of self-discovery.

Full frame of a Montessori classroom toward the front of the frame is a round wooden table at which three young children are seated. A young brown-skinned girl with black curly hair wearing a shirt-sleeved pink t-shirt toward the left part of the frame seated at the table which is child-sized, playing with a wooden block with graduated holes the smallest being toward the front of the frame getting increasingly larger as you go towards centerpoint. A light-skinned male child With light brown hair wearing a seafoam green short-sleeved T-shirt is facing the camera and playing with three pink blocks that he has stacked. Frame right is the back of a light-skinned boy whose left arm is extended across the table reaching for a pink block he is wearing a shirt-sleeved salmon colored T-shirt. In the back of the frame arethree children and an adult man seated at a rectangular child sized table. The adult male is hunched down leaning against the table using his elbows for support, next to him is a light skin boy with longish blonde hair wearing a button front shirt that is plaid mostly red white and blue. He is looking down at some thing the teacher is doing but is obscured by the head of the child wearing the green shirt. Across the table from the teacher and the blonde haired boy are two little girls whose backs are facing the camera the girl on the left is wearing a sundress that is primarily magenta with orange accents the girl on the right is wearing a navy and white striped dress. The background consists Of an L-shaped sofa with blue and pink pillows, Upper right frame and then the upper left frame an adult size desk with a Charles Eames chair. The chair is white. — The role of the teacher is as a guide rather than a traditional authority figure.
©Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

American Montessori Society: Roots

The Montessori Educational Association, the forerunner to the American Montessori Society, was founded in 1913. After Maria Montessori visited the United States to promote her method of educating young children, a group of educators and parents who were interested in the Montessori method of education, joined together to form the group. They were invested in spreading Dr. Montessori’s model throughout the United States. Early members and leaders of The Montessori Educational Association include the inventors Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, who are credited with the invention of the telephone and the incandescent light bulb, respectively.

A black-and-white portrait of Thomas Edison. He is facing the left side of the frame that he is looking forward. He is an older man with male pattern baldness and scraggly gray hair though his bushy eyebrows appear somewhat brown. He is wearing a three-piece charcoal suit the jacket is open but the vest is buttoned. He is a bit on the rotund side. He’s got a Mona Lisa smile. — Thomas Edison, credited with inventing the incandescent light bulb was an early proponent of Montessori education.
©Everett Collection/Shutterstock.com

The early days of the organization were focused on promoting the Montessori method in the United States and building a network of Montessori schools and teachers. The Association developed teacher training programs and published materials to support the use of the Montessori method in American classrooms. Despite initial resistance from traditional educators, The Montessori Educational Association and the Montessori method gained popularity over time. Today Montessori remains one of the fastest-growing education models on the planet.

A classroom with a wooden laminate floor. The background is a neutral colored wall on which hang shelves with books and glue and markers, in the renter frame. Windows are in the wall on the left and right frames. In the classroom itself, four tables. There are three children seated At the table and frame left closest to the left is a light-skinned little girl with stringy light brown hair. She is wearing a pink and orange sundress. She is looking at some things she is holding in her hand bit away from the table. To her left closer to the center of the frame is a light-skinned little boy with short blonde hair; he is obscured by a plastic tub that is on the table in front of him, but underneath the table you can see that he is wearing shorts and he is barefoot. Seated to his left in the center of the frame is a brown skin boy with very close cropped black hair he is wearing a short-sleeved coral colored T-shirt and rust colored shorts he also has on black tennis shoes with white soles. He has a pencil in his left hand or possibly a wooden dowel. Behind them are four other children two little boys and two little girls. A light-skinned boy facing the camera is looking down at something on the table. He is obscured by a basket on the table. Across the table from him with his back to the camera is a olive-skinned little boy wearing a short sleeve awkward T-shirt and khaki shorts he is sitting crosslegged in the chair. A light-skinned little girl in the back right frame wearing a blue and white striped sundress has her head down performing a task at the table. A brown-skinned girl with waist long black hair has her back to the camera across the table from the little girl wearing the sundress — Montessori remains one of the fastest-growing education models on the planet.
©Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

The American Montessori Society

The present-day American Montessori Society continues to provide valuable resources for educators and parents. Training and professional development opportunities, publishing informational materials, and supporting the establishment and operation of Montessori schools, are some of the ways the Society supports its members. The American Montessori Society is also the accrediting body for Montessori schools. Accreditation is a rigorous process that ensures that schools meet the highest standards of quality and integrity.

Frame right: a young light skinned child with strawberry blonde hair facing away from the camera is seated on a natural wood floor. In the bottom part of the frame blue Jean clad thighs are visible. A light- skinned hand is resting on the right thigh. In front of the child on the floor is a mat that is striped from a very light flesh color to white to blue. The pattern repeats four times. On the mat is a natural round wooden bowl with marbles that are yellow, blue, green, and red. There are marble-sizedsmall cups in the mat in which the young child is placing one marble each. There are 9 cups on the mat six of which have in marble in them. In the upper right frame there is a wooden box with the small wooden cups in it. — Each Montessori school must meet specific standards and guidelines in order to be accredited.
©Kostikova Natalia/Shutterstock.com

Montessori schools can be accredited by the American Montessori Society or the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education. Each Montessori school must meet these organizations' specific standards and guidelines in order to be accredited. Additionally, some states have their own accreditation processes for Montessori schools. Accreditation typically involves a self-study by the school, on-site evaluations, and ongoing monitoring to ensure that the school is meeting the accrediting body's standards.

The Montessori Association Internationale

For edification and disambiguation, the Montessori Association Internationale is a separate non-profit organization that promotes the Montessori method of education internationally. The Montessori Association Internationale was founded by Maria Montessori and her son, Mario, in 1929 in an effort to establish standards for the schools that would bear her name. She wished to insure that her legacy remained true to her vision of child-directed education. The Montessori Association Internationale continues to promote the Montessori education method by providing teacher training and accreditation for Montessori teachers and administrators around the world.

The American Montessori Society: Present

The American Montessori Society has a strong advocacy role in promoting Montessori education and its philosophy to the wider education community and government. They provide information and research on the benefits of Montessori education and work to include Montessori education in the broader national education conversation.

According to the American Montessori Society, Montessori education engenders independence and self-motivation in students. Montessori classrooms are designed to allow children the freedom to explore and learn at their own pace. The Montessori model ignites a child’s curiosity and a love of learning. Montessori classrooms are stimulating and engaging, encouraging children to be curious and to love learning. Dr. Montessori’s model aids the development of problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

A brown-skinned smiling female presenting adult with long dark hair, wearing a white scooped-neck t-shirt and a beige sweater is visible crouching at a low round, wooden table with 4 children: a brown-skinned, male-presenting child wearing a coral-colored short-sleeved t-shirt with a white pocket on the left breast. He id =s to the teacher's left, but to her right in the frame. Next to that kid, is an olive-skinned male presenting child wearing an aqua sport sleeved t-shirt. Next to him, front left frame a female =presenting child is visible with her back toward the camera. She is light-skinned, her hair is light-brown and pulled up in an unremarkable elastic. A light=skinned, male presenting child sits next to her, upper left from. He is wearing a navy and white striped shirt. All of the people in the photo are focused on bright colored manipulatives small wood shapes used in math activities. — The Montessori model ignites a child’s curiosity and a love of learning.
©Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

Montessori Education: Benefits

Beyond the facts and figures of academics, Montessori education emphasizes social and emotional development. Montessori’s multi-age classrooms are tailor-made to encourage children to work together and to develop respect for themselves and others. Working together develops strong social and emotional bonds.

Montessori’s method relies on the unbridled creativity and imagination inherent in children. Classrooms are designed to take advantage of youthful enthusiasm. Montessori education focuses on the whole child, including their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, preparing children for the real world. Graduates credit the self-directed learning approach for creating confidence in themselves and their problem-solving abilities and their knack for thinking outside the box.

A photograph of Beyonce Knowles in an incredible black jacket with silver thread embroidery and rhinestones. She is also wearing a stunning rhinestone necklace that appears to have some pearls on it it is silver and V-shaped with mini strands hanging off of it that hang in her cleavage. She’s also wearing matching earrings that are approximately 3 inches long. She is light brown skin with black hair that has been styled close to her head. The background is a black screen on which you can see in Golden buffet uppercase letters ING to the left of beyond say space and a little behind her is a sign that says probably Dolby cinema but all you can see is the OLBY Dolby in the NEMA of cinema. And that is white. — **Montessori graduates, like Beyonce Knowles, credit the self-directed learning approach for creating confidence in themselves and their problem-solving abilities**.
©Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com

Overall, the American Montessori Society is a valuable resource for those interested in Montessori education. The American Montessori Society supports educators and parents who wish to support their children. The society's mission is to promote excellence in Montessori education and to support the work of Montessori educators. The American Montessori Society provides a range of services including teacher training, accreditation, and advocacy efforts to support the Montessori community and ensure that children have access to high-quality Montessori education. Overall, the American Montessori Society plays a crucial role in the development and promotion of the Montessori method in the United States.

How Can I Contact the American Montessori Society?

The American Montessori Society's phone number is 212-358-1250. If you prefer to contact them via e-mail, you can reach them at [email protected]. They also have social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, but you'll likely get better results contacting them via phone or e-mail.