Association Montessori Internationale is globally renowned for the quality of its trainers as well as the breadth and depth of its training courses supporting humans at all developmental stages. We offer training in over 40 countries, have trainers from more than 50 countries and will offer well over 150 Diploma and Certificate courses in 2024. The Voices of AMI Training Series highlights contributions from our training community giving perspectives on a wide range of issues that are of interest to educators, parents, students and decision makers around the world.
June 2, 2026
Dr. Montessori calls adults to be our best selves, to observe ourselves, reflect and grow individually, and then with a practiced eye and deep self-awareness, scientifically observe the child “anywhere...
May 12, 2026
Today’s children spend far more time in front of screens than previous generations. Many can navigate a tablet or smartphone with ease yet may have far fewer opportunities to climb...
May 12, 2026
我们常常看到这样的画面：一个孩子可以熟练地滑动屏幕，却不知道如何挖开泥土；他可以认识很多卡通形象，却叫不出身边树木的名字。他们的手指在屏幕上轻快地舞蹈，却很少触摸过树皮的纹理、花瓣的柔软。 这就是我们面对的现实。今天的孩子们，比以往任何一代人都更早地进入数字世界，却可能更晚地、也更少地走进自然世界。 面对这样的变化，我们通常会怎么做呢？我们可能会安排一些"自然活动"，或者组织几次户外教学。这些当然很好，但蒙台梭利在近一百年前，就给了我们一个更深的提醒。 她在《发现儿童》中写道："孩子需要真实地生活在自然之中，而不仅仅是了解关于自然的知识。" 这句话，值得我们细细品味。 我们常常以为，让孩子看看自然纪录片，读读关于动植物的绘本，就是在让他们接触自然。但蒙台梭利告诉我们，这远远不够。儿童与自然的关系，不是靠知识建立的，而是靠生活、靠体验、靠呼吸之间真实的联结。 蒙台梭利提出了一个很重要的概念，叫"吸收性心智"。她说，孩子的心智不像我们成人那样，先接收信息再理解。他们是在直接吸收环境中的一切——用手触摸，用身体感知，用整个生命去体验。环境不是他们生活的背景，环境塑造了他们自己。 当我们把孩子放在自然里，会发生什么呢？ 泥土的湿润与粗糙，流水的清凉与律动，风的声音，树叶的气味——这些丰富而真实的感官体验，同时唤醒了孩子大脑中无数的神经网络。而在注意力被不断切割的数字时代，自然提供了一个特别珍贵的礼物：一种缓慢的、沉浸的、深度的专注。这是任何屏幕都无法给予的。 蒙台梭利曾经观察到一件很有意思的事。她说，在城市里，孩子走一小段路就会喊累。但同样一个孩子，到了乡间，却可以走很远很远，不知疲倦。为什么会这样？因为自然在召唤他——每一片叶子都在邀请他观察，每一块石头都在等待他翻看，每一个小虫都在吸引他停留。自然激发了孩子内在的、源源不断的兴趣。 她还说过一句很深刻的话："文明之人，不过是安于牢笼的囚徒。” 我们怕孩子淋雨、怕他们弄脏、怕他们受伤。我们关紧窗户，把孩子保护在室内。可是，当我们这样做的时候，我们是否也在无意中，把孩子与那个真正滋养生命的源头隔开了？ 那么，蒙台梭利是怎么做的呢？ 在她设计的"儿童之家"里，花园不是装饰，而是一个有生命的环境。她提出了一些原则，我想和大家分享： 第一，花园要符合孩子的尺度。不是要多大、多气派，而是让孩子能够认识这里的每一株植物，让它成为孩子可以真正拥有的地方。 第二，让孩子做真实的工作。种植、浇水、除草、收获——这些不是游戏，而是有意义的劳动。当孩子看到自己种下的种子破土而出，看到自己的劳动换来了果实，那种满足感，是任何奖励都无法替代的。 第三，花园要有实际的价值。蒙台梭利鼓励种蔬菜，不只是种花。当孩子把自己收获的青菜端上餐桌，他会真切地感受到：我和这个世界是相连的，我的行动带来了真实的结果。 她还特别提到一个细节：我们以为孩子会对播种最感兴趣，但她观察到，孩子其实对收获更加着迷。当果实呈现在眼前，孩子自然会追问：它是怎么长出来的？体验带来了好奇，好奇带来了学习。这才是最自然的学习方式。 更重要的是，照料生命，会唤醒孩子内心的责任感。 当一株植物因为忘记浇水而枯萎，孩子会第一次真正明白：我的行为，会影响到另一个生命。蒙台梭利说，很少有比这更好的教育，能让孩子学会远见和责任心。这种从生命与生命的互动中生长出来的品质，是任何说教都无法替代的。 今天，当我们面对数字时代的挑战时，蒙台梭利的这些洞见，显得格外珍贵。 屏幕可以呈现信息，但它无法呈现雨后泥土的气息，无法呈现蝴蝶翅膀在阳光下微微颤动的光泽，无法呈现四季流转时光影悄然变化的美。这些，只能在真实的世界里，用真实的感官去体验。 所以，对于我们每一位教育者、每一位父母来说，需要问自己的，不是"我们有没有给孩子安排自然活动"，而是更深入的问题—— 我们的户外环境，真的是属于孩子的吗？ 孩子有没有机会，在自然中做真正有意义的事？ 我们有没有给孩子足够的时间，让他们自己去与自然建立关系？ 蒙台梭利曾经写下这样一句话：“必须为孩子提供与自然接触的机会，让他们去理解和欣赏自然中的秩序、和谐与美。" 自然，一直都在那里，从未离开。 今天的问题，不是孩子是否愿意回到自然， 而是我们——我们这些陪伴孩子成长的人—— 是否愿意打开那扇门， 允许他们走出去， 让自然，再次召唤他们。 让自然召唤孩子吧。不是作为一项特别的活动，而是作为他们日常生活中，最自然、最本质的一部分。 Angela 尚真真
May 5, 2026
Opening the Immense Door Dr. Montessori wrote, ‘To go out of a classroom to enter the outside world… is obviously to open an immense door to instruction.’ She also reminded...
April 28, 2026
Language development in early childhood is a fundamental process that influences all areas of learning and socialisation. In the context of the Montessori method, this process takes on even greater...
April 28, 2026
El desarrollo del lenguaje en la primera infancia es un proceso fundamental que influye en todas las áreas del aprendizaje y la socialización. En el contexto del método Montessori, este...
April 21, 2026
Hello, I’m Esther, an AMI 3–6 trainer. I have been working in Montessori education for many years and currently focus on teacher training. Over the years, through both classroom practice...
April 21, 2026
大家好，我是何积爱Esther，AMI 3–6岁培训师，从事蒙特梭利教育多年，目前主要负责教学与教师培训工作。这些年在教室与培训中，我一直在思考：在今天这个变化很快的时代，孩子真正需要发展的能力是什么？这篇文章，是我基于这些观察与思考的一次整理。
April 14, 2026
“What’s happening?” I asked my mother on the evening of July 7, 1998. I watched her closely. She was usually calm, but now I didn’t recognise her. Only later did...
March 31, 2026
We are all ageing. It doesn’t matter what our age, our history, or our condition is. Ageing doesn't begin in old age; it begins with life itself. In many cultures,...
March 31, 2026
Todos estamos envejeciendo. No importa nuestra edad, nuestra historia o nuestra condición. El envejecimiento no comienza en la vejez; comienza con la vida misma. En muchas culturas se habla del...
March 24, 2026
In many organisations, the old vocabulary still trains the work. We “escalate.” We “get sign-off.” Decisions travel up, responsibility concentrates, and initiative is felt as dangerous. Even in mission-driven communities,...
March 17, 2026
One day, one of my nieces was drawing at home and asked me how to "draw" a Hanzi. She had seen Hanzi on street signs, on television, and in print...
March 3, 2026
Independence, in general terms, is defined not only as the absence of help, but as “freedom from the control, influence, support, or assistance of others”. For Maria Montessori, independence is...
March 3, 2026
La independencia en términos generales se defineno solo como la ausencia de ayuda, sino como la "libertad del control, la influencia, el apoyo o la asistencia de otros". Para María...
February 24, 2026
I am an AMI trainer and Head of Training at the Maria Institute in London. I have spent the last 11 years studying educational neuroscience to doctoral level. The more...
February 17, 2026
The philosopher and founder of Taoism, Laozi, proposed the concept of "teaching without words" (bu yan zhi jiao) during the late Spring and Autumn Period (approximately 2,300 years ago)—a pedagogical...
February 10, 2026
Abstract This article reconsiders the idea of “classroom management” in Montessori settings for children from birth to three, proposing a shift from control toward the intentional preparation of the adult,...
February 3, 2026
A characteristic of the Montessori classroom for children in the second plane of development, those ages 6–12, is a proliferation of plants and an abundance of botany activities. In many...
February 3, 2026
In Montessori theory, the ages of six to twelve are known as the second plane of development - a period marked by profound psychological change. Maria Montessori writes in From...
February 3, 2026
Music is a universal language that has been with us throughout history, continues to accompany us daily, and plays a fundamental role in the development of both children and adults...
February 3, 2026
La música es un lenguaje universal que nos ha acompañado a lo largo de toda la historia del ser humano, nos acompaña diariamente y juega un papel fundamental para el...
December 1, 2025
Imagine a world where a baby is born and is empowered to gain an understanding of their right to consent from the start. If an adult always takes care of...
November 24, 2025
It is paradoxical that an educational philosophy that promotes peace and community, such as Montessori, lacks a true sense of unity among the schools and organisations that practice it. This...
November 24, 2025
Resulta paradójico que una filosofía educativa que promueve la paz y la comunidad, como lo es Montessori, carezca de un verdadero sentido de unidad entre las escuelas y organizaciones que...
November 17, 2025
Human beings did not “discover” reading in a single moment. Reading evolved over thousands of years alongside writing systems. Unlike spoken language, reading is not innate; it is a learned...
November 10, 2025
Montessori describes adaptation as “a mutual exchange between every living being and its environment.” It is the ability to function within the environment and the fulfilment of conditions necessary for...
November 3, 2025
In her 1946 London Lectures, amidst a talk entitled “Education for Independence” Maria Montessori dryly joked, “We say we love the children very much, but we do not love them...
October 27, 2025
1. Definición de Voluntad y su Importancia La voluntad se entiende como la capacidad de actuar con intención y propósito, estrechamente ligada a la conciencia. Es la fuerza que permite...
October 27, 2025
This paper is based on studies that analyze these concepts from a physiological and psychological perspective, focusing on children from 3 to 6 years old. 1. Definition of Will and...
October 20, 2025
In Dr. Montessori’s work, strong emphasis is placed on the Child’s task, regardless of gender. The Child is the constructor of Man. Our role is to protect this construction, ensuring...
October 11, 2025
Imagina un mundo donde cada sonrisa es como un abrazo invisible. Este mundo lo podemos construir con pequeños actos de bondad. Estos gestos de gracia y cortesía, dirigidos a nosotros...
October 11, 2025
Imagine a world where every smile is like an invisible hug. We can build this world with small acts of kindness. These gestures of grace and courtesy, directed at...
October 7, 2025
Beginnings After successfully completing the admissions process, I was accepted into the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme under the guidance of my trainer, Tiffany Liddell, who leads her course at...
September 29, 2025
The environment prepared for the third stage of development must have the same basic characteristics of all Montessori environments plus the specific characteristics that are required to aid development according...
September 29, 2025
El ambiente preparado para la tercera etapa de desarrollo debe tener las mismas características básicas de todos los ambientes Montessori más las características específicas que se requieren para ayudar al...
September 28, 2025
My education journey began in 2000 when I trained as a public school teacher in Ghana. However, shortly after this, I discovered the Montessori philosophy that would shape my professional...
September 8, 2025
Adolescence is a delicate and also a critical time of life. Childhood is left behind and the young person is headed towards adulthood, but not quite yet sure of where...
September 1, 2025
From a young age, growing up in Africa, I was acutely aware of the stark disparities between the privileged and the disadvantaged. In a society where inequality was often accepted...
August 25, 2025
In the Montessori community, the competitive element in sport is often viewed with suspicion. We at Montessori Sports understand very well that the wrong form of competition can be detrimental...
August 25, 2025
En la comunidad Montessori se observa a menudo con recelo el elemento competitivo en el deporte. Nosotros de Montessori Sports entendemos muy bien que una forma equivocada de competencia puede...
August 18, 2025
The Montessori Method has long been recognised as a revolutionary approach to education, emphasizing independence, self-discipline, and the holistic development of children. One of its most profound impacts is on...
July 28, 2025
I will begin by commenting that I have been following my passion for this philosophy for many, many years, aware that Dr. Montessori's legacy continues to grow solidly. However, when...
July 28, 2025
Iniciaré comentando que tengo muchos, muchos años siguiendo mi pasión por esta filosofía, consciente que el legado de la Dra. Montessori sigue creciendo con solidez. Sin embargo, cuando trabajé como...
July 21, 2025
In The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Maria Montessori says, “Love is more than the electricity which lightens our darkness, more than the etheric waves that transmit our voices across space, more...
July 14, 2025
In several of Montessori’s writings and lectures she refers to “the child who is not yet there.” What do we think she meant by this phrase? What child was she...
July 7, 2025
Montessori education fosters the ability for children to think independently and make reasoned, moral judgements within themselves and in community with others. This is not by chance; Maria Montessori lived...
June 30, 2025
A Montessori environment is immediately recognizable as one enters it. We see beauty and order, colourful materials on open shelves, spaces for individual or small group work, bustling and concentration...
June 23, 2025
Bilingualism/multilingualism is the ability to speak more than one language. The bilingual population is believed to be larger than the monolingual population worldwide. When a child is offered the opportunity...
June 23, 2025
El bilingüismo/multilingüismo es la capacidad de hablar más de una lengua. Se cree que la población bilingüe es mayor que la monolingüe en todo el mundo. Cuando a un niño...
June 9, 2025
When a child is approaching six years old, many people start asking the question, Why should our family stay for the 6-12 elementary program in the Montessori school? It’s true...
May 26, 2025
Human Tendencies are a recurring theme in the writings of Maria and Mario Montessori when discussing the prepared environment, as they are considered tools that drive human beings to develop...
May 26, 2025
El tema de Tendencias Humanas es un tema recurrente en los escritos de María y de Mario Montessori al hablar del ambiente preparado, considerándolas como herramientas que impulsan al ser...
May 19, 2025
Montessori education is renowned for its transformative approach to learning, emphasising independence, respect, and intrinsic motivation. However, these principles cannot thrive in isolation. A strong and cohesive school culture is...
May 12, 2025
Art and music are often regulated to an elective class in many educational approaches. In Montessori, though, art is understood not as an isolated subject or a prescribed project, but...
April 21, 2025
Todos los papás queremos lo mejor para nuestros hijos y, por lo tanto, muchas veces caemos en la tentación de seguir nuevas tendencias sociales que dictan que debemos inscribir a...
April 21, 2025
All parents want the best for their children, and we often fall into the temptation to follow new social trends that dictate that we must enrol our children in countless...
April 14, 2025
Since my early experiences with Montessori as a parent I knew I wanted to share it with others. I believe Montessori is the best approach for learning and teaching and...
April 7, 2025
Observation is perhaps the most central aspect of the adult’s role in a Montessori prepared environment. The AMI Diploma courses devote many hours to developing observation skills, for good reason...
March 31, 2025
April 6 marks the UN International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, a global recognition of sport as a tool for fostering inclusion, equality, and social transformation. As we...
March 24, 2025
¿Te imaginas cómo es vivir dentro de una prisión los primeros tres años de vida? La legislación del sistema penitenciario en México permite a las madres privadas de su libertad...
February 23, 2025
Educating and schooling are different concepts: educating refers to training a person in values, rights and obligations, while schooling is the process of accessing school to receive compulsory education, that...
February 23, 2025
Educar y escolarizar son conceptos diferentes: educar se refiere a formar a una persona en valores, derechos y obligaciones, mientras que escolarizar es el proceso de acceder a la escuela...
February 17, 2025
When we talk about Montessori education, what we know is central to the methodology is following the development of the child. We see that there are significant changes that happen...
February 10, 2025
In recent years, the Science of Reading (SoR) has gained much attention, and for good reason. It is not a buzzword or a fad. Like the term “Montessori,” it can...
February 3, 2025
“When children come into contact with nature, they reveal their strength…” (Montessori, Discovery of the Child, p. 70). Maria Montessori recognised the profound role of nature in a child’s holistic...
January 28, 2025
About 3000 years ago a group of people living in Sumer discovered that the words in their language were made up of a limited number of sounds. If we have...
January 27, 2025
While contemplating this article I questioned myself about the importance of working with joy and concluded that I would express it more like working with passion. Passion goes beyond a...
January 27, 2025
A propósito de una reflexión en la que me cuestioné sobre la importancia de trabajar con alegría, llegué a la conclusión de que lo expresaría más bien cómo trabajar con...
November 4, 2024
Some of the things provided in the Montessori environment that support children in the development of their self-confidence and self-discipline include the following: Freedoms - When the children join the...
October 28, 2024
“A system of education that is based on liberty ought to aim at assisting a child in obtaining [independence], and it should have as its specific aim, the freeing of...
October 21, 2024
Dyslexia, a prevalent learning disorder affecting about one in five children, is characterised by difficulties in reading, writing, and spelling. Dyslexia is a common cause of reading challenges in many...
October 14, 2024
The global pandemic of 2020 forced educators worldwide into "response mode," rapidly adapting to new teaching methods, whether for adults or children. In this context, we explored successful distance learning...
September 23, 2024
Montessori philosophy and methods can be used not only at the beginning of the life cycle but throughout life to the end. Over recent years there has been an exciting...
September 16, 2024
Experience, exploration and expression describe each period of the three-period lesson. While called a lesson, it is actually a technique primarily used in the 3–6 classroom to introduce new terms...
September 9, 2024
It is through my senses that I learn about my world. So, let me experience my world... let me live it... feel it... touch it… taste it… hear it… Let...
September 2, 2024
In the intricate tapestry of a child's brain development, every thread matters. From the environments they inhabit to the relationships they foster; each element contributes to the symphony of growth...
August 26, 2024
Maria Montessori lived and worked in Barcelona for close to twenty years, from the age of 45 until she was 65. Her work was greatly influenced by a long and...
August 5, 2024
The increasing awareness of trauma and toxic stress among children, catalysed by the global pandemic and community violence, necessitates a robust and adaptive educational response. The systemic educational response to...
July 29, 2024
“We can imagine an adult society organized as a constructive society on the same lines as the children’s – that is, along the lines of this naturally cohesive society. Attachment...
July 22, 2024
As children, most of us experienced teachers collecting our work and then reviewing and marking our mistakes – usually in red pencil. As a result, children worried about making errors,...
July 15, 2024
Can you imagine how it is living inside a prison for the first three years of life? Current prison regulations in Mexico allow mothers deprived of their liberty to keep...
July 8, 2024
Independence is a topic that tends to be given “top billing” in any discussion of Montessori education. But despite the prevalence of lectures and articles on this subject, I can’t...
June 24, 2024
Have you ever considered moving beyond being a classroom teacher? Ever thought about sharing your experiences as a teacher to help others understand Montessori? The AMI Training of Trainers Programme...
June 17, 2024
I earned Montessori diplomas from the AMI training programs but learned the best from the children. When I graduated from the training program, I thought I was ready to “teach...
June 10, 2024
Have you ever sung and danced with a large group of toddlers? It is a not-to-be-missed experience! The pure joy and radiant energy as they sing in community - some...
June 3, 2024
The presence of the Exercises of Practical Life in a Montessori environment is unique and essential. These exercises manifest the diversity of cultures and at the same time, weaves the...
May 27, 2024
When speaking about spiritual preparation of the adult, I am not referring to religion; I am talking about the intangible parts of development: those psychic, emotional, intellectual aspects of human...
May 13, 2024
Montessori school leaders play a crucial role to assure Montessori is practiced with authenticity. This article will show how strong leadership has the potential to shift the cultural paradigm in...
May 6, 2024
“One day I came into class holding in my arms a baby four months old. …The silence of the little creature struck me, and I wanted the children to share...
April 29, 2024
Cosmic Education is Montessori’s plan for children in the second period or plane of development – children from 6-12 years of age. But what is Cosmic Education? Based on observation...
April 23, 2024
Learning and movement are inseparable in Montessori education. From birth all the way to adulthood, from home environment to a bigger world, movement is involved. The nervous system plays a...
April 15, 2024
"The age of about two to three years is the most important age of life. All the psychic organs of the personality are formed during this time; all that which...
April 1, 2024
In The Absorbent Mind Dr. Montessori speaks of “cohesion in the social unit” as she describes the seemingly miraculous process the children were observed to go through. Given the proper...
March 25, 2024
Generational years are identified groups of people that have lived through similar time periods based on their ages. Their cultures-attitudes, behaviours, and beliefs-are shaped by their social communities during their...
March 18, 2024
Adolescents occupy a space where they are no longer children but have not yet oriented themselves as adults. Their guiding adults, family members, trusted friends, and teachers must have a...
March 11, 2024
Cognitive development allows children to gradually acquire knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Day-to-day activities that take place at home and in our Montessori environments significantly help in...
March 4, 2024
“We often forget that the imagination is a force for the discovery of truth.” Maria Montessori. The emphasis on ”play-based” curricula for early childhood education, contrasting with the reality-based experiences...
February 26, 2024
Bilingualism/multilingualism is the ability to speak more than one language. It is believed that the bilingual population is greater than that of monolinguals globally. When a child is provided the...
February 19, 2024
Dr. Montessori tells us in The Four Planes of Education, "I have found that in his development, the child passes through certain phases, each of which has its own particular...
February 13, 2024
“Tennis, football and the like do not have for their sole purpose the accurate moving of a ball, but they challenge us to acquire a new skill -something lacking before...
February 5, 2024
Building strong and healthy relationships with toddlers requires a foundation of respect, collaboration, and above all, patience. To guide children effectively, it's essential to convey that we are on their...
January 29, 2024
In her foundational book The Absorbent Mind, Maria Montessori wrote, “The charm of social life is in the number of different types [of people] that one meets. Nothing is duller...