Maria Montessori was an inspiring woman.  She created the Montessori prepared environment; the environment was peaceful, and the adults were spiritually in tune.  Children are born with a biological “need” to learn.  Montessori guides are responsible for modeling lifelong learning.  The profession of a guide is to be a mentor to young global citizens.  Living in the present moment is sharing the same moment with the children.  In other words, a teacher must know herself.  Maria Montessori specifically used the term “self-study” when she spoke about life training and content of character to allow for “preparation of the spirit.” Montessori curriculum is of early childhood development.  Are guides investing in a lifetime of self-study? A self-reflection occurs as guides examine the energy they bring to their Montessori prepared environments.  Is the guide spiritually prepared? A spiritual crisis arises when we find ourselves in the grip of something larger than society’s expectations or the ego’s needs  Our goal is when the Montessori Method models “normalization” meaning a psychological shift from disorder and inattention to adherence to self-discipline.  The guide witnesses a love for learning; maybe even a self-study.

1. Running head: THE SELF-STUDY GUIDE WITHIN AUTHENTIC MONTESSORI 1
Authentic Montessori: A Reflection of the Self-Study Guide
Shelley B. Valdez
St. Catherine University
EDUC 6210: Analysis of Contemporary Issues in Education and Montessori
Advanced Montessori Programs
Sandra Wyner Andrew
February 12, 2017

2. THE SELF-STUDY GUIDE WITHIN AUTHENTIC MONTESSORI 2
Authentic Montessori: A Reflection of the Self-Study Guide
Maria Montessori is responsible for creating and guiding an iconic and widely-used
method for teaching in the classroom: the Montessori Method. Her life’s work originated 110
years ago while acting as an anthropologist. To understand an authentic Montessori experience
in the 21st century, it is important first to understand the foundations of the Montessori Method
and what constitutes authentic Montessori (Powell, 2009). The American Montessori Society
lists many attributes as essential to being an authentic Montessori school (American Montessori
Society, 1990). One essential is “Develop a classroom design that is compatible with Montessori
‘prepared environment’ principles” (American Montessori Society, 1990, p. 2). An authentic
Montessori prepared environment feels peaceful (Seldin, 2006). The physical space is “designed
as a place for human development” while offering, “psychological warmth-act as invitations to
the children to become part of the welcoming environment” (Dorer, 2017, p. 17). The guide and
children work in harmony within the prepared environment.
Abraham communicates that it is the responsibility of guides to creating an authentic
Montessori environment (Abraham, 2012). At the heart of the Montessori method is a whole-
adult, or the guide. The training of the guide, which is to help life, is something far more than
the teaching of ideas. The real preparation for education is a study of one’s self. The guide needs
to look within to study the internal flaws that limit the relationship between the guide and
children (Montessori, 1966). The Montessori method is the whole guide where, “spiritual
nourishment can never be reduced to a set of techniques or routine curriculum. It can only flow
from the [guide’s] inner self” (Wolf, 1996, p. 37). I believe that authentic Montessori is the

3. THE SELF-STUDY GUIDE WITHIN AUTHENTIC MONTESSORI 3
guide who self-studies, which includes; the spiritually prepared guide; an authentically prepared
environment includes the guide being spiritually prepared.
To be of service to children, the guide needs to be spiritually prepared. Montessori
specifically used the term “self-study” when she spoke about life training and content of
character to allow for “preparation of the spirit” (Montessori, 1967). She knew that “whenever
you interact with people, don’t be their primary as a function or a role, but as a field of conscious
Presence” (Tolle, 2005, p. 109). Living in the present moment is sharing “everlasting present”
(Pickering, 2012, p. 9) with the children. A guide must know herself.
I wonder if “spiritual preparation of the teacher” is on-par with other essentials,
rendering it crucial within a Montessori teacher training program. Is authentic Montessori
modeled by a guide who self-studies?
Michael Dorer (2017) lists the top ten fundamentals to cultivating an authentic
Montessori program, which includes: respect, creativity, freedom of movement, freedom of
choice, freedom to repeat, prepared environment and planes of development, mixed ages,
independence and holism (p. 15-19). Dorer was asked to list ten items by Tim Seldin of the
Montessori Foundation. Admittedly, Dorer added another attribute by saying, “the authentic
Montessori program implementing these ten principles can only be fulfilled properly by a
qualified, certified, compassionate, kind, and respectful Montessori guide” (Dorer, 2017, p. 19).
The prepared guide is authentic Montessori.
In, The Secret of Childhood, Maria Montessori defines self-study to “the teacher must
prepare himself interiorly by systematically studying himself so that he can tear out his most
deeply rooted defects, those in fact which impede his relations with children” (Montessori, 1966,
p. 182). The real preparation for education is a study of one’s self. Montessori specifically used

4. THE SELF-STUDY GUIDE WITHIN AUTHENTIC MONTESSORI 4
the term “self-study” when she spoke about life training and content of character to allow for
“preparation of the spirit” (Montessori, 1967). Huxel articulates “the pivotal piece of
preparedness is the spiritual and reflective nature of the teacher, which can make or break how
the method unfolds for the children, making it authentic or inauthentic Montessori” (2013, p. 33).
This suggests, to serve as an authentic Montessori guide, one needs to be spiritually prepared
through self-study. A self-reflection of guides occurs when they examine the energy they bring
into their Montessori prepared environments, which go beyond the curriculum of early childhood
development. Are guides taking care of their core? Guide’s understand Montessori's “great
desire to create a better world for the future; it is vital for [children] to be in the care of [guides]
who live day to day in spiritual awareness” (Wolf, 1996, p. 33). A responsibility of Montessori
guides is to continuously engage in professional growth and development (American Montessori
Society, 1990). They pledge to model lifelong learning. Guides have the privilege of being a
mentor to young global citizens. Montessori said, “Not words, but virtues, are [the guides] main
qualifications” (Montessori, 1997, p. 151). Guides are peaceful, offering service to all children
within the prepared environment. They innately know what personal energy(s) to hold in their
core. Only authentically can a guide be of service to children.
At the heart of the Montessori method is a whole-adult. I believe Authentic Montessori is
the guide who self-studies, which includes; the spiritually prepared guide; an authentically
prepared environment includes the guide being spiritually prepared. Montessori Life (2012)
relates “when [an adult] is aware of and honors his/her own essential self, they say, will he/she
be able to honor and nurture the child’s Authentic Self” (Haskins, p. 42). Are we taking care of
our spiritual self? Abraham’s confirms, “We either believe in the life’s work of this pioneer of
meaningful education, or we willingly accept a diluted version that will eventually lose its

5. THE SELF-STUDY GUIDE WITHIN AUTHENTIC MONTESSORI 5
consistency” (Abraham, 2012, p. 25). Authentic Montessori is the prepared environment, one of
which is the spiritually prepared guide.

6. THE SELF-STUDY GUIDE WITHIN AUTHENTIC MONTESSORI 6
References
Abraham, J. (2012). How much water can you add and still call it lemonade? Montessori Life,
22-25.
American Montessori Society. (1990). Essential elements of successful Montessori schools in the
public sector. Retrieved from https://amshq.org/School-Resources/Public
Dorer, M. (2017). Essential Montessori principles...plus one. Tomorrow's child, 25(1), 15-19.
Haskins, C. (2012). A model for authentic parenting. Montessori Life, 24(4), 42.
Huxel, A. C. (2013). Authentic Montessori: the teachers makes the difference. Montessori Life,
25(2), 32-34.
Montessori, M. (1966). The secret of childhood. Notre Dame, IN: Fides.
Montessori, M. (1967). The absorbent mind (1st ed.). New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston.
Montessori, M. (1997). The discovery of the child. Oxford, OX1 2NP, UK: ABC-Clio.
Pickering, A. (2012). The importance of uninterrupted time. Montessori Voices, 9-13.
Powell, M. (2009). Is Montessori ready for the Obama generation? Montessori Life, 2, 18-29.
Seldin, T. (2006). Finding an authentic Montessori school. Tomorrow's Child. Retrieved from
http://www.montessori.org/choosing-montessori-school
Tolle, E. (2005). A new earth. New York, NY: Plume.
Wolf, A. (1996). Nurturing the spirit. Hollidaysburg, PA: Parent Child Press.