Age Appropriateness and Race in Early Childhood Montessori Lessons: Theoretical, Historical, and Empirical Evidence

• In Event: Issues of Race and Access in Montessori Education

Abstract

The Montessori curriculum is individualized, and Montessori teachers are responsible for ensuring children progress through the curriculum at their own pace. Montessori teacher training provides average ages when young children would be expected to be working on various materials based on developmental stage and sensitive period with expectations of variation in individual children. This secondary analysis of a record keeping database seeks to identify areas of mismatch between recommended and actual age levels for particular early childhood lessons and to consider potential implications for the field. Furthermore, we examine data for possible gender or racial bias in teacher implementation of the Montessori curriculum which, if discovered, could fuel further research to understand and remedy the underlying causes.

Authors

• Angela Murray, University of Kansas

• Carolyn Jean Daoust, University of Kansas

• Liz Strong, Transparent Classroom

• Amelia Murray, University of Kansas