Montessori vs. Traditional Education in the Public Sector: Seeking Appropriate Comparisons of Academic Achievement‪.‬

Introduction The Montessori Method has long received consideration as an alternative to traditional educational practices. Interest was initiated in the early part of the twentieth century when Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, disclosed academic achievement among a group of children considered to be profoundly learning disabled. The startling effect of this disclosure, unimagined at the time, propelled Dr. Montessori and her academic ideas to the forefront of both educational and social circles where best practices in curriculum and instruction were of particular interest. Her method was subsequently applied in schools with normal populations, and equally exciting results ensued. Early reports identified academic achievements for this population which exceed expectations as well.