First up is Parts of a Seed, with brand new drawings and updated definitions:

Next we have the Asia Maps from the Asia Continent Kit – updated with colors to match the Nienhuis maps:

And finally the Europe Maps from the Europe Continent Kit – also updated with colors to match the Nienhuis maps:

Here’s how it works: If you’ve ever purchased one (or more) of these items from us, either as an individual PDF or on a CD-ROM, please email us at montessoriforeveryone@gmail.com and let us know which item(s) you bought, and we will email you the updated version.

If you’ve never purchased them before, from this point on anyone who buys them will receive the updated version – no need to ask for it specifically. In the case of the Asia and Europe maps, they are only available as part of each Continent Kit.

Every single workplan has been completely revised and updated; they are now consistent and thorough. And, I’ve added workplans for 4th Grade for September through December.

Sometime this fall I will be adding more workplans, for January through March, for all four grades. Please don’t ask when as it really depends on my schedule – but it will be announced at our blog, our Facebook page, and through our email newsletter so you will not miss it.

How to use the workplans:

Each child gets their own workplan; one per month. They check off work after they’ve completed it. Your presentations should follow the workplans fairly closely, although you can certainly make changes as you go and write in things on the workplan that aren’t listed.

In my elementary classrooms, the children used clipboards for writing their work and put the workplan on the clipboard under their writing paper (we used wide-lined notebook paper). Then they could easily check their workplan and use it to get ideas for work as well as see what they had already done.

Helpful info about the workplans:

The monthly workplans are intended to be a flexible tool for teachers and parents. They are in Microsoft Word so that you can edit and change them as needed. They will look different at each school or in each home.

You may want to:

• Add materials that you have that I have not included
• Remove materials listed that you do not have
• Tailor them to an individual student
• Go through them more quickly (one workplan every 1-2 weeks for an advanced student)
• Go through them more slowly (one workplan every 2-3 months for a student who needs more time)

The workplans, while very comprehensive, do not include other activities that you will want to do in your classroom. These kinds of activities differ greatly from school to school and country to country so I did not include them. You will want to keep a record of them another way (or you can add them to the workplans yourself).

Additional activities may include:

• Spelling Tests
• Handwriting
• Foreign Language Study
• Reading (Phonics Readers, Basal Readers, Junior Great Books)
• Art Projects
• Field Trips

In addition to these workplans, I recommend printing out a Comprehensive List for each child you work with. These lists are for the 3-year cycle, and are invaluable in terms of planning presentations and keeping track of work, materials, and concepts.

I also offer a blank workplan, which some people prefer to use all year (or the last few months of the year).

While obviously presentations of new materials continue until the end of the year, it’s nice to give children to freedom to choose their own work from the new materials as well as everything they’ve been shown up until that point.

Some of you may prefer to use a blank workplan right from the beginning. That works well for the 9-12 age group.

I am excited about using the new, updated workplans with my children and I hope you find them helpful as well!

You can find the workplans on the Elementary Workplans and Teacher Tools page of our Free Downloads pages.

But one thing we sometimes forget to plan for is peace education.

Promoting peace was a large part of Dr. Montessori’s career – one of her most famous quotes is “Averting war is the work of politicians; establishing peace is the work of education.” She thought it was extremely important in her day; today it may be more important than ever.

Here are 10 ways to include peace in your curriculum:

1. Start by defining the word “peace” with your students. You can ask children what they think it means; their answers will probably be very enlightening. They are often surprised to realize that peace can be found many places. It doesn’t just refer to “world peace”. They can have a hand in creating a peaceful environment wherever they are.

Peace may look a little different to everyone. To me, it doesn’t mean the absence of conflict. That would be an idealized world in which none of us live. Rather, it’s learning how to deal with conflict in a way that doesn’t put the rights, wants, or needs of one person over the other. It’s learning conflict resolution skills that stress respect for the individual and the group.

2. Declare your classroom a “peace zone”. Do not tolerate any kind of bullying. Lay down ground rules at the beginning of the year that are posted for everyone to see. Have all the children agree to the ground rules (even signing the list of rules) and hold them accountable.

3. Teach conflict resolution skills. One way (that children enjoy very much) is through role-playing. Choose a time when everyone is together and there are no unresolved conflicts. Role-play different situations that you notice amongst the children. Talk about peaceful ways to resolve the conflict. You can define and discuss compromise, taking turns, and listening skills.

One conflict resolution technique that children love is to have one object in the classroom or home that is always used when children are resolving conflict. Children face each other (or sit in a circle) and whoever is holding the object gets to talk. No one can interrupt, and once the object is passed on, the next person gets to talk exclusively. I have seen this work wonders in tension-filled situations.

4. If you have an annual event, like a poetry recitation, a musical, or other performance, choose “Peace” as the theme every so often. Challenge the children to find stories, poems, and songs about peace. They may also want to draw or paint pictures of “peace” and what it means to them. Again, much insight can be gained by looking into their responses.

5. Peace education can vary by age; older children will naturally be able to get into the history of peace and conflict by studying different countries and cultures. They can participate at a higher level by researching and writing about peace and peace education.

6. Have children participate in the care of their environment, showing respect for the materials, pets, plants, and other children.

7. When studying geography, history, and other cultures, emphasize respect for the diversity of traditions and customs found around the world.

8. Consider having your school named an international peace site. The World Citizen organization heads up that project, and they have information about peace education as well.

9. Be a good example. Don’t argue with parents, your spouse, or other teachers in front of the children. Speak respectfully about other people. Don’t gossip. Show kindness. It can be easy to forget that children are watching your every move, and learn more from what you do than what you say.

10. Establish special holidays and rituals for your school or home. These can include joyful celebrations as well as sad occasions (like the loss of a pet). Everyone can share in the planning, decorating, and celebrating.

Some helpful resources:

Montessori Services has an entire section about peace and community. It includes games, books, puzzles, and pictures that promote peace and unity.

Michael Olaf has a large selection of books about peace, discipline, and character building.

This book from the Clio Montessori Series called Education and Peace contains all of Dr. Montessori’s peace-related speeches and lectures.

There are many organizations that provide conflict resolution training for teachers and parents. This would make a great parent education night (have the teachers come, too). Do a search for “conflict resolution training”, “conflict mediation training”, or “conflict resolution montessori” to find resources.

Amazon has a large selection of books on conflict resolution for kids. Be sure to read the synopsis and reviews of any book(s) you’re considering.

I decided to ask for input, and posted this question on Facebook: “Parents, can you share some positive results you’ve seen in your child from being in Montessori?”

The answers were amazing!

Within minutes, people were chiming in to share the myriad of ways that Montessori has impacted their children. Here’s a sampling of the responses:

“I was so impressed with the improvement of my then four-year-old son that I became a Montessori teacher myself! Montessori helps the child to focus, develop gross/fine motor skills, and teaches them to think for themselves. It changed my life.”

“Where to begin? Well, for starters, my oldest has consistently been at the top of her class since first grade. She has a sense of self-assurance and maturity that other children her age lack. She is a critical thinker and has a keen interest in the world around her.”

“Hello! I am from Mexico. I have gone to a Montessori preschool myself and my two sons did as well. I think the most important thing about Montessori is that it gives children a very strong sense of self. I found my children to be self motivated, independent, secure, and able to adapt to any situation, because they are open to learning.”

“My son has wonderful social skills and introduces himself to others and asks their names. Also, he has endless questions on everything and his curiosity seems boundless. Montessori has continued to feed this natural curiosity by giving him the tools to ask questions and keep asking.”

“My daughter just finished her first year of traditional 6th grade (middle school) after being in Montessori since she started school. Montessori taught her that learning is her responsibility. She knows how to research a subject on her own and how to work in groups. If she has difficulty she finds a new way to look at the subject so she understands it. Montessori taught her how to learn, not just memorize facts.”

The Characteristics of Montessori

As I looked over the replies, I found that many of these “characteristics of a Montessori child” were mentioned more than once and some many times:

• independent thinking/independence
• self-assured/self-confident
• mature
• critical thinker
• early reader/good reader/enjoys reading
• develops fine-motor skills
• self-motivated
• respectful of others
• knows how to learn/loves learning
• creative

In the Montessori training, teachers are taught to look for certain traits in their students as the result of Montessori; these are known as “characteristics of an authentic Montessori experience”. They are:

• independence
• confidence
• self-discipline
• intrinsic motivation
• ability to handle external authority
• academic achievement
• spiritual awareness [respect for others and for nature]
• responsible citizenship

A comparison of the two lists shows that the Montessori method does just what it says it will do!

Looking for Data

For many people, the observations of parents and teachers aren’t enough. They want hard data to prove that Montessori works.

There have been few studies done, sadly, tracking the outcomes of Montessori children in comparison to children in traditional education. This study in Milwaukee, Do Montessori Schools Have an Edge?, is often cited although some researchers feel the study size was too small. The study did find that Montessori students outscore traditional school children in math, language, and social skills.

Also helpful is research done in the scientific arena, especially that of Dr. Steve Hughes, a Montessori parent and pediatric neuropsychologist. Dr. Hughes has done extensive research on cognitive development, and he has concluded that the Montessori method is perfectly designed to fit the way our brains process information.

It’s clear that more research needs to be done, but so far, the conclusions mirror what we see happening every day in our homes and classrooms.

Seeing the Results

There are many ways to quantify the effects of the Montessori method, and they all have value. The scientific studies give validity to our observations, and our observations bring life to the scientific studies. Clearly, the Montessori method of education is something special. As one parent said, “If you want to give your child the best gift of his or her life, give them a Montessori education.”

You can read all the responses to my question here.

I found myself saying this to my 6-year-old daughter the other day and afterward, began to think about the implications of that statement.

This MSN Mental Health article warns us that the results of a 24-year-long survey of college students indicate a serious rise in a narcissistic approach to living.

“We need to stop endlessly repeating ‘You’re special’ and having children repeat that back,” said the study’s lead author, Professor Jean Twenge of San Diego State University. “Kids are self-centered enough already.” I’m not sure I agree with this statement, but I do think it’s important to consider how we praise children and the kind of feedback we give them.

The hallmarks of narcissism are:

• lack of empathy
• inability to cope with criticism
• favoring self over all others, to the detriment of personal and business relationships
• manipulative and deceitful behavior
• controlling and violent behavior

According to the survey, today’s college students are much more prone than their predecessors to answer yes to statements like these:

I think I am a special person.
If I ruled the world, it would be a better place.
I can live my life any way I want to.

When I look at data like this, I find it noteworthy that one can view such statements as either a sign of terrific confidence or of a sign that someone is on the verge of developing a Napoleon complex. If living life the way you want to means you’re going to go tend to injured dolphins in the Pacific Ocean, that sounds great to me. But if it means you want to conquer another country and rule them with a dictatorial hand…we may have a problem here. I think this dilemma calls for a re-examination of the phrase self-esteem.

What Is Healthy Self-Esteem?

Most experts agree that having healthy self-esteem includes being able to accurately assess yourself and your strengths and weaknesses. It does not mean that you think you are perfect, or better than anyone else. It means that we see ourselves as valuable contributors to our families and communities; we have something worthwhile to offer.

If children are spoiled or indulged, or alternately ignored or criticized, it becomes difficult for them to to have true humility, to make the effort of self-improvement, and to recognize the rights of others. Children are intrinsically valuable, simply for existing. While they absolutely should learn about the importance of making moral choices, their self-worth cannot be completely based on their behavior. Our love and approval should be unconditional, and when we are disappointed by their poor choices, our message should be clear: we disapprove of what you’ve done, but not of who you are.

The Importance of Unconditional Love

It’s natural and normal for parents to view their children as miraculous, astonishing and wonderful little people. Infants and children must feel cherished and loved in order to develop normally, both physically and emotionally. In loving families, new babies elicit a reaction of absolute delight just by being themselves! While I recognize the hazard of heaping a child with meaningless praise, I am equally convinced of the hazard of not giving young children any recognition and appreciation.

In this life, we are all destined to run into both good and bad apples when we make forays into the world. We meet people who respect us and others who want to take advantage of us. But never again do we meet with a quality of acceptance quite as magnificent as the one we knew as children, if our parents loved us. I believe that parents and teachers who demonstrate clearly to children that they have inherent value simply because they exist, are doing the most important thing they can to protect children from being deceived and abused by the bad apples they will run into in adulthood.

A grown woman may refuse to accept an abusive boyfriend’s belittling image of herself. A grown man may stand up to a situation that is beneath his dignity in the workplace. All because, once upon a time, important adults told them they were valuable.

It Starts with Us

Maria Montessori taught that the child’s work was to attain a discernment between good and evil. The child’s cues come from us – the grownups. This means that our first work is to examine our own moral code and be mindful of the examples we are setting. Do you know what determines all of our values and behavior? Relationships. It is our relationships that shape us. The importance of having supportive adults in a child’s life simply cannot be overstated.

The best thing is that teachers and parents can do is to consistently love, care, protect, and encourage the children in their care. It’s okay for kids to know that they are special to the people who love them. If they are given unconditional love, moral guidance, and constructive feedback regarding their behavior, children will develop healthy self-esteem that leads to good choices and success further down the road.

Recently, they have begun to develop iPad and iPhone applications based on Montessori materials, specifically the sandpaper letters and wooden math materials like the red rods. Called Montessorium, this idea has been met with some skepticism on the part of Montessori teachers and parents. I decided to talk to them about this new combination of Montessori and technology.

Lori: What is the main idea behind the development of the Montessorium apps?

Bobby & June: Montessorium was created by Montessori parents and an AMI-accredited Montessori teacher. The aim of this collaboration is increasing awareness of Montessori education by making the materials of Montessori available to children everywhere.

Lori: How did you conceive of the idea for Montessorium?

Bobby & June: While the Montessori community may be divided over what the next step in Montessori education should be, the world our parents, children and educators face every day is continually evolving with advancements in technology, as they drive to school, search on the internet, and communicate on blogs and forums.

We do not advocate or intend to replace the Montessori classroom; instead, we see this as a tremendous opportunity to address the convergence of technology with the tested and proven philosophy of Maria Montessori. We conceived of Montessorium as the next continuum in thinking about these complex issues.

Lori: What is the aim of the Montessorium apps – what do you hope they accomplish?

Bobby & June: Our commitment to education extends beyond the scope of any technology. It extends into an examination of the very ways in which we learn. We want to expose an entirely new generation to Montessori. We understand that our ideas are controversial, but we also see an unprecedented moment in the history of learning. Montessori education should not stop when the child leaves the classroom. It is our hope that Montessorium will education parents as well as children.

Lori: When I posted a link to your site on Facebook, many people responded negatively. They felt that “hands-on” materials can’t be translated to a screen. How do you answer this kind of objection?

Bobby & June: Anytime you combine a one hundred year old proven method of education with a ‘magical and revolutionary’ new device there is bound to be some discussion. We want to let our people know that we appreciate their comments and concerns and would like to take this opportunity to address them.

First, we do not advocate the replacement of the Montessori classroom. On the contrary, we are trying to introduce new families to the Montessori approach to early childhood education. We hope to highlight the importance of Montessori by exposing a new generation to the force of her thought. There is no substitute for the actual, physical materials or the social interactions that comprise a Montessori environment.

Second, we have carefully and thoughtfully translated the Montessori materials into iPhone and iPad applications. They are adherent to the Montessori philosophy of education. These applications are kinesthetic and proprioceptive, and use the audio, visual, and tactile senses of the child. They also address the sense of balance that Montessori found so important. Additionally, positive feedback systems are delicately put into place, and control of error offers the child an authentic Montessori experience.

Third, if Maria Montessori were alive today, we think that she would be at the Apple store, playing with an iPad, thinking hard about these complicated issues. She would be writing Steve Jobs letters, asking for advice. “What is this new gyroscope feature?” “Can we really duplicate the feel of sandpaper letters?” “Is it possible to create a positive feedback system?” In our opinion, Maria Montessori would be trying to open up and discover new ways to think about how we learn.

Lori: Something that occurred to me while thinking about this issue is that Maria Montessori would apply her scientific mind to this issue – rather than jumping to conclusions about the limits of technology, she’d observe children using the iPhone and iPad and draw conclusions based on their behavior rather than her own personal prejudices.

Bobby & June: Exactly. It is our belief that these apps will bring a new found awareness to the Montessori revolution in education. Montessorium will also allow an entirely different population to experience the brilliance of Montessori. Parents will Google Montessori and want to learn more. Existing Montessori students will return to the classroom with a renewed sense of joy and wonder. This could truly become Montessori for Everyone!

Lori: I like that idea! What will children specifically learn from your apps?

Bobby & June: Intro to Math is specifically designed to introduce children to a concrete understanding of sequence, order, and ultimately, the basic components of mathematics, such as addition. Intro to Letters is meant to help children learn the alphabet, how to write, and ultimately, how to read.

Lori: What kind of feedback are you getting from other people?

Bobby & June: A parent summed it up best, “I look forward to this app since our children are VERY adept at using our iPad and iPhone – especially during long car trips and long waits at busy restaurants, doctor’s clinics, and in airports and on airplanes…all of which we have experienced in the past weeks. Our iPad has been engaging, educational, and fun – and if Scholastic can make some apps for preschoolers, why not Montessori? Hurry up! Get it done!”

As you can imagine, comments have ranged from one end of the spectrum to the other.

Lori: I’ve faced similar challenges when it comes to updating the Montessori materials. Sometimes people have a hard time with that.

Bobby & June: In our estimations, the relevance of Montessori no longer rests with Maria Montessori. It rests with us. Are we willing to engage in serious and complicated discussions? Are we willing to reassess the very ways in which children learn? What is the future of Montessori?

Lori: I can see that this goes beyond the development of Montessori-based apps and touches on the future of Montessori and technology. I think it deserves more discussion so maybe in the future we can talk again. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me about the thought process behind your new apps.

Bobby & June: You are very welcome!

Please visit Montessorium if you’re interested in learning more about this project. From their website you can follow and fan them on Twitter and Facebook.

The Math App is now available at the iTunes store: Montessorium Math App for iPhones.

It seems like Montessori-for-the-iPhone is becoming very popular; here are two other sites that are developing apps using Montessori (I don’t have any information about the availability or quality of these apps; please email the site owners if you have questions):

Montessori Tech
Montessori Apps

Pretty much all I can think of when I see this picture of us is how young we look:

As we celebrated our anniversary, I was reminded of a friend of mine who always takes notice of milestones. She’s really good at noticing them, and not just the birthday and anniversary kind – she’ll point out things I wouldn’t have noticed, like how I’ve grown as a mom or a new realization I’ve had about myself.

I appreciate her noticing things like that, because it’s easy to skip over them if you’re not paying attention. It helps me to say, “Yes, I am growing and changing” when sometimes I feel like I’m stuck in one place.

One of my son’s last projects this school year was a book report, and he worked on it for several weeks before he was satisfied with it. When finished, he proudly read it aloud to our family and one of my first thoughts was, “He couldn’t have written a report like that at the beginning of the year”. It’s neat to see how far students come from autumn to spring.

Heading into summer, it’s nice to look back on the year and think of where we’ve been. You might have a milestone of your own to celebrate – a college degree or Montessori certification, or the successful completion of your first year of teaching at a school or homeschooling (or your 20th!)

Whatever it is, take a minute to think about where you’ve been and how far you’ve come. Chances are you will be pleasantly surprised when you compare the current you with the you of the past.

Our CD-ROM Collections are the best way to get our materials – the PDFs are over 50% off what you pay when you buy them individually. As we brainstormed this spring, we thought of three ways to help families and schools get their hands on one of our CD-ROMs.

1. There’s a 25% discount in June on all three of our CD-ROM Collections for any first-time buyer. Just use the code “june” (without the quotes) in the discount code box when you checkout to get your discount. (Expires at the end of June!)

Please note: This discount is for CD-ROMs only, not PDFs individually or in a set.

2. If you’ve purchased a CD from us in the past, you can upgrade to the current CD by paying the difference between your purchase price and the current price. We can’t apply a discount to the difference, but since we don’t increase the CD price that frequently, you’ll still be getting an amazing deal.

Getting a new CD also means you get the most recent version of our older materials – we often add extras or improve them (like replacing clipart with photos) so it’s nice for that too.

If you take this option, please email us first at montessoriforeveryone@gmail.com – we’ll generate a custom discount code for you for the difference between your first purchase and the current CD price.

3. If you’ve purchased PDF files (either individually or as Package Deals) from us before, you can buy the CD and we will give you credit for your previous purchases, and then take 25% off the difference.

For example, if you’ve purchased $50 worth of PDFs from us and would like the Elementary CD, it would go like this:

Elementary CD $455.99
-previous PDFs -$50
Subtotal $405.99
- 25% discount
Total: $304

As in option #2, you’ll need to email us first at montessoriforeveryone@gmail.com so that we can figure out your discount and get you the right discount code.

Please let us know how we can help get a CD into your hands!

Broadening Horizons

Once a child reaches first or second grade, they can begin to understand books that are up to five grades above their own grade level. By picking challenging books, you expose them to vocabulary and ideas that they themselves could not yet read on their own. This is a neat concept that can be very beneficial to multi-age classrooms (and families with children of varying ages).

By picking a book that is fun and engaging for more than one age group (e.g., Charlotte’s Web), each age of child will get something different from the story. A younger child might simply enjoy the plot and characters, while an older child might pick up on the themes of the story.

Some of my favorite memories as a child are of my dad reading out loud to me and my sisters—books that we wouldn’t have chosen to read on our own, like the Pilgrim’s Progress, but how we loved to listen to him read out loud. Plus we were getting huge doses of the one thing every child wants more than anything else: their parents’ attention.

The Benefits of Reading Aloud

1. Stimulates imagination
When you read aloud to a child (especially from a book with no pictures), they have to use their minds to picture what is happening in the story. They also may enjoy predicting the character’s actions or thinking up alternate endings to the story.

2. Expands vocabulary
Reading to a child from a book that is a level or two above their own reading level exposes them to new words they might not discover on their own. They will likely be reluctant to interrupt the flow of the story by asking the meaning of a word, and will instead strengthen their ability to figure out meanings through context.

3. Develops analytical and logical thinking
Well-written stories challenge children to go beyond their own experiences and put themselves in someone else’s place. Why did the character act the way they did? How did someone else respond? How might they respond in the same situation? These questions lead to in-depth discussions and reflections on the choices we make in life and how they affect those around us.

4. Strengthens the bond between the adult and child
Reading aloud is a shared experience; usually, the adult enjoys the story as much or more than the child does and they bond as they laugh, cry, and ponder together.

5. Gives children a love of books
Reading aloud to children gives adults a chance to choose timeless, appealing stories that will grab the child’s interest and attention.

6. Strengthens a child’s love of reading on their own
A child who is read to will also enjoy picking up a book themselves – especially if they don’t want to wait for “installments” and would rather read right through it.

7. Increases attention span
A child can listen to a captivating story for a long time – and this practice increases their ability to pay attention and focus on an activity.

Silent Reading and Parallel Reading

Giving children structured time to read silently to themselves is also very important. You may want to make it a part of your school day schedule – at least a few days a week.

Parallel reading is when you and the children read independently at the same time. This allows you to demonstrate your own love and respect for reading – and we all know that children usually copy what we do, not what we say.

A principle to keep in mind is that what you help a child love and desire is more important than what you help them learn. A sure sign of a reader is a young child who snuggles up with a book, although it might be upside down and the words on the page are still meaningless to her. She is showing evidence that she wants to read. That is the kind of love and joy that you want to nurture.

Looking for Great Books?

I highly recommend The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. It’s a helpful book on how and why to read to children. It’s in its fifth or sixth printing so try to get the most recent version if you can. It’s full of great info about reading aloud, as well as lots of recommendations for great “read aloud” books.

Here are some places I can always find great books to read aloud (you can check Amazon for age recommendations for any books you see here):

Newbery Award Winners

Caldecott Award Winners

Recommended Titles for Reading Aloud

Read Alouds by Age from Parents’ Choice

The child’s progress can be evaluated in many ways (observation, checklists, portfolios, self-assessment) but the easiest and most common ones have always been grades and tests. The debate rages on as to whether grades and test scores are an accurate picture of the child’s true understanding, but they produce data that can analyzed and categorized and because so many policy decisions rely on data, they continue to be the holy grail of student evaluation.

In the years since the No Child Left Behind act was passed, grades and test scores are routinely used to determine funding, bonuses for teachers, and even whether or not teachers keep their jobs and schools remain open.

In Montessori, we’ve generally rejected the traditional notion of evaluation, seeing grades as generally subjective and often unhelpful, and tests as being no more than a way to test how well the child can take a test. We’d rather have a child work repeatedly on a certain skill or concept until it’s mastered without having to worry about having their progress graded or tested.

Paying for Grades

In the public school realm, the need for high grades and test scores has produced sense of desperation among teachers and administrators, who are finding that children are not responding well to the traditional method of top-down education: the teacher at the front of the class, telling the children what to learn and when.

Rather than address the actual problems of top-down education – and seek out alternatives like Montessori, where education is child-led and individualized – many school districts have resorted to paying children cold hard cash to try and motivate them to do better in school.

While this has already been done for years informally, Harvard economist, Roland Fryer, Jr., recently decided to formalize it and conduct a scientific study on the results of paying children for improving their test scores.

The results of his experiment have been written up in a recent article in Time Magazine called Should Kids Be Bribed to Do Well in School? (A better title I could not have chosen myself; kudos to the writer who did away with the less-offense “reward” and went straight to the very accurate “bribe”.)

The Economics of Education

Fryer and his team of researchers faced an uphill battle. Many schools that they approached about trying this program resisted. He received quite a bit of criticism from teachers, and from psychologists who’ve studied the negative effects of offering rewards for learning. Still, he persisted and was able to get 143 schools to participate.

The results of the year-long study were very interesting. Generally, offering children money for higher test scores did not cause a noticeable increase in higher test scores. Children were interested in the money, absolutely, but it didn’t lead to them being able to figure out how to do better on tests.

However, in one school district, offering the children money did work. In that school district, children were given money for reading books, not for getting better grades or higher test scores. However, children paid to read were able to get substantially higher grades.

“If you pay a kid to read books, their grades go up higher than if you actually pay a kid for grades,” Fryer says. “Isn’t that cool?” Yes, it is cool, and it is also a truth so basic that it’s shocking they needed a team of researchers and several million dollars to discover something teachers have known for decades: children who read more generally do better in school.

The mentality behind this kind of study generally assumes that the fact that children are getting low grades and low test scores because they lack motivation. If they’re more motivated, they’ll do better. What the study didn’t address at all was why American children are so unmotivated (if that is indeed the reason for poor grades and test scores). If the monetary compensation had worked better than it did, it would still be a band-aid over a much larger problem.

Can Kids Love Learning?

Fryer is aware that the problem goes deeper: “Kids should learn for the love of learning,” he says. “But they’re not. So what shall we do?” I found this quote fascinating, because it’s a great question but ultimately led him in the wrong direction to try and answer it.

What if the money used in the study as bribes had been used to turn traditional public school classrooms into Montessori classrooms? Classrooms where learning is “the lighting of a fire and not the filling of a bucket”, as the famous quote goes. Classrooms where the process is valued more than the product, where children learn because they love to do it and not because they are paid.

My experience as a Montessori teacher and homeschooler is that children absolutely can love learning without being bribed or paid. Shouldn’t researchers be looking at what does work and trying to emulate it?

The Real Lessons of School

John Taylor Gatto, former Teacher of the Year in the New York State school system, pondered the lessons he was forced to teach children in a monumental essay called The Six-Lesson Schoolteacher. These are some of the lessons he discovered children were being taught; no wonder they don’t love to learn:

“Only I [the teacher] determine what curriculum you will study. (Rather, I enforce decisions transmitted by the people who pay me). This power lets me separate good kids from bad kids instantly. Good kids do the tasks I appoint with a minimum of conflict and a decent show of enthusiasm.

Of the millions of things of value to learn, I decide what few we have time for. The choices are mine. Curiosity has no important place in my work, only conformity.

Bad kids fight against this, of course, trying openly or covertly to make decisions for themselves about what they will learn. How can we allow that and survive as schoolteachers? Fortunately there are procedures to break the will of those who resist.

This is another way I teach the lesson of dependency. Good people wait for a teacher to tell them what to do. This is the most important lesson of all: that we must wait for other people, better trained than ourselves, to make the meanings of our lives.”

Looking Beyond Bribes

You can pay children to stay in school, to get good grades, to get better test scores, to read more books. What you can’t pay them to do is love to learn for learning’s sake, which of course is so much more important than test scores (as Gatto rightly observes in his essay, test scores are almost meaningless in the real world anyway).

After reading about this study I felt a sense of despair. It seems that after all these years, after the failures of the public schools and the successes of alternative methods of education like Montessori and homeschooling, that traditional education and alternative education are moving further apart, not closer together.

I can only hope that the negative results of this study lead educators in a different direction when it comes to improving the public system of education in the United States.