The New Way Montessori School is a model that can be set in motion in any location around the world. It is based on the functionality that is most common in the United States, including a full and part-day Montessori learning environment for children aged 2-6.
The school would operate under the direction and control of Lee Havis, executive director of the International Montessori Society, located at 9525 Georgia Ave. #200, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Lee would enter into the necessary contractual agreement and organization, that would include one or more associates serving as fellow board members to share in the ownership responsibility. The school would operate in strict accordance with the IMS type of “true natural” Montessori teaching, which follows laws of nature. Director of the school would be a suitable person who has received training and is skilled in this type of Montessori teaching.
Montessori teaching originated with Dr. Maria Montessori’s discovery of the child’s true nature in Rome, Italy in 1907. Observing young children in their free activity with self-teaching materials, she discovered that they spontaneously gave up their ordinary tendencies towards disorder and inattention, acquiring instead such outward qualities as spontaneous self-discipline, love of order and complete harmony with their surroundings. Further research confirmed these qualities as normal in all children. Dr. Montessori therefore set about to scientifically study how to bring about this true natural being in a reliable and consistent manner. In time, this practical scientific research was referred to as Montessori teaching, which is the approach employed at the New Way Montessori School.
Lee says the problem with Montessori teaching in the past has been a lack of complete understanding and practical knowledge of its original experience as described by Dr. Montessori in 1907. He says, “after Dr. Montessori’s death in 1952, conventional Montessori teaching deviated even more from its original purpose to bring about true normal being, following culture or personality, rather than being committed to infinite and eternal laws of nature.”
Since 1969, Lee has been studying the nature and dynamics of the original type of true natural Montessori teaching, first as a classroom teacher and then later through training Montessori teachers. In 1979, he discovered what is Montessori teaching that brings about the child’s true nature, and established the International Montessori Society to help others learn this type of true natural Montessori teaching through teacher education, publications, and consultation throughout the world.
In 2003, Lee completed further research to consolidate a breakthrough technology for practicing true natural Montessori teaching, consisting of specific techniques, protocols, lesson presentations and safe words. Using this technology, he says that anyone can now bring about the results of normal being in children.
The New Way Montessori School therefore serves as a model school for conducting the IMS technology to conduct “true natural” Montessori teaching. To inquire about starting such a school in your location, or if you have other questions or inquiries, contact: Lee Havis, International Montessori Society, http://imsmontessori.org; 301-589-1127. havis@imsmontessori.org