Montessori Comes to America - by Phyllis Povell (Paperback)

About the Book

This book traces the evolution of women's leadership and its influence on the Montessori Method's development. New research illuminates the unique roles of two historic early childhood educators and also updates the historical record and reveals the human dimension behind one of the most colorful chapters in American educational development.

Book Synopsis

What role did women's leadership play in the introduction and revival of the Montessori Method in America? Phyllis Povell explores this question through the contributions of Maria Montessori and Nancy McCormick Rambusch, who brought the Montessori Method to the American educational scene.

Introduced to the U. S. in the early 20th century by Montessori herself, the Method lapsed into oblivion after WWI. Thanks to Rambusch, it was reborn after the launching of Sputnik.
In Montessori Comes to America, Povell traces the evolution of women's leadership and its influence on the Montessori Method's development. She includes insights from her own formative years, showing how childhood, education and career all shape women into leaders.

New research not only illuminates the unique roles of two historic early childhood educators, but also updates the historical record and reveals the human dimension behind one of the most colorful chapters in American educational development.

Review Quotes

"Worth the attention of historians as well as Montessorians.... Offers a great deal of vivid documentation.... [and] accurate, well-documented and vivid portrays of the lives of two fascinating women. For Montessorians seeking information on the founding and promotion of the movement in the United States, it is a must-read. For scholars seeking an introduction to the movement's history, it is a reliable and engaging resource. Because it reaches beyond legend and fable, the book opens a door to further research among scholars of multiple disciplines." --Public School Montessorian

About the Author

Phyllis Povell is a professor emerita and former director of the Early Childhood Program at Long Island University. She received her Ph.D. from New York University in history of education/comparative education. Her articles and book reviews have appeared in many academic journals. Povell has spoken at countless professional conferences nationally and internationally and was an invited keynote speaker at the First International Conference of the Chinese Montessori Society in Jinan, China.