Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius

Montessori contains some of the longest-lived and still most-innovative theories about pedagogy in sight, and it is still startling teachers in its efficiency and efficacy. Lillard (psychology, U. of Virginia at Charlottesville) notes she was once a skeptic, but was converted after observing how poorly the two current theories in American (the factory and the student as blank state) have served learners. She finds here that science is just now catching up with Dr. Montessori's notions about how children naturally learn, and presents her research on eight insights that are fundamental to Montessori education and how each is applied in the classroom. Lillard answers the concerns of those craving evidence- based data, and gives parents and teachers without Montessori training a solid basis from which to work. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR