Montessori secondary schools: opportunities and obstacles Michael Rubinstein Mirjam Stefels

part 1 Secondary Montessori schools in the Netherlands

• 1930: Montessori Lyceum Amsterdam The first secondary Montessori school • 2009: - 20 schools - 11.000 pupils

Educational system in The Netherlands Age 4-12 : Primary schools In Montessori schools: - group 1 and 2 - group 3, 4 and 5 - group 6, 7 and 8

Educational system in The Netherlands Age 12 – 18: Secondary schools Pre-vocational education: 4 years Senior general secondary education: 5 years Pre-university education: 6 years

•Lycea combine streams and usually have two years of basic education in mixed streams •Gymnasia are either part of pre university education in lycea or separate schools •Schools take part in a final examination, consisting of a nationwide part and specific school exams

Legal status of schools • Public-authority education • Private education: denominational and non-denominational • All recognized schools receive (lump sum) state funding - for teachers - educational materials - school buildings

Secondary Montessori schools in The Netherlands Main goal: create an environment in which children can develop themselves into independent adults No blueprint, but general Montessori principles e.g.: • freedom in restraint • freedom of choice • independent learning

No Erdkinder schools, because: Boarding schools don’t fit in concept of family upbringing and contemporary pedagogical perspectives on growing up (youth culture; peer groups; work experience) Emphasis on relevance of pedagogical triangle child/family/school

Need for a shared perspective - General principles: ‘Montessori education for the 21 st century’ - Six characteristics of secondary Montessori education - Profile secondary Montessori teacher

‘Montessori education for the 21 Montessori principles st century’: modern translation of

6 characteristics • Head, heart and hands • Learning how to make choices • Reflection • Social learning • Cohesion in subject matter • In school and outside school

Head, heart and hands • ‘Complete education’ • Rich curriculum • Combining subjects, projects

Learning how to make choices • Choices: When? Where? With whom? How? What?

Reflection • What have I learned? How do I tackle things?

Social learning • Adolescence as sensitive period for social learning • Difference between unintentional social learning and intentional social learning (for instance: cooperative learning)

Cohesion in subject matter • Instead of cutting things up into subjects: attention for the big picture and relation (Montessori: ‘Cosmic education’) • Cooperation between subjects

In school and outside school • Authentic education, realistic assignments • Link with motivation

Profile secondary Montessori teacher • Knowledge of Montessori education • Pedagogical attitude • Designing the learning environment • Coaching learning processes • Concord between - role as teacher - role as member of the school organisation - handler of external contacts

Pedagogical attitude • Trust • Respect • Involvement • Dealing with differences • Self-discipline • Role model

Designing the learning environment • A learning environment that fits all pupils • A challenging environment • Selecting and/or making materials • Maintaining the learning environment

Coaching learning processes • Observation • Reflection • Help: interventions (or: intentionally not intervening)

Quality management: • Education Inspectorate • Montessori reviews • Teacher training courses and school advisory services

Organising education • Teaching period: 70; 60; 40 / 80 minutes • Free choice hours • Various solutions: - combined subjects - workplace and studio - stargroups - …

All houses are exactly alike; you may not change anything

• The houses share a common ground • Within the regulations of the community you have freedom in building your house

Time-out In buzz groups: What struck you as remarkable? Questions for panel discussions?

Part 2 Starting a secondary Montessori school • Who takes the initiative?

• Who supports the initiative?

Parents • Sometimes parents take the initiative to start a secondary school • Parents need to trust the quality of the new school • Involve parents right from the start

Teachers • Teachers need knowledge and skills both in their subject and as Montessori teachers • To set up a new school (or part of a school) requires facilities in time, materials and support • School management needs to lend full support to teachers, otherwise opposition may arise

School management • School managers need basic knowledge of Montessori education • School managers need a supportive attitude towards teachers (empathy, patience, willingness to facilitate)

School board • The school board needs the willingness to invest

Government • Government (central or local) needs to give room for alternative education: - curriculum regulation - examination - finances

Finally: • Organisation: - school or part of school?

- separate building?

• Number of pupils required • Support for teachers