SOCIETY SHOP >> Books by Maria Montessori
 
The Absorbent Mind (£10.95)
This book was written late in Montessori's life and presents a summation of the spiritual and philosophical revelations she found in the young child. It was the last book she wrote about infant and child development. In it she studies the biological growth of the baby from conception and shows how natural development can be aided. The child is the creator of the world of the future and as such must be given the highest spiritual and physical guidance the present generation can offer.
The Secret of Childhood (£7.95 h/b or p/b)
The child has a spontaneous urge to learn. Montessori shows how the right environment can fulfil his developmental needs and release his innate potentialities. She discusses the educational methods that will help to nurture the child's natural love of learning and that will aid his social development.

The Formation of Man (£8.95)
This book aims to show us the real child and to peel away the myths and prejudices that surround the concept of the child. Montessori discusses the formation of the child's being in great depth and then expands this to her universal idea of the child as the creator of the world of the future. She urges us to look more closely at the child's own revelations, not to base education on preconceived ideas and prejudices.
The Discovery of the Child (£10.95)
This book is essential for those wishing to understand the Montessori method in detail. It gives the original principles of the method while including the discoveries that have been made since its creation.
The Advanced Montessori Method - Vol. I (£10.95)
Previously entitled "Spontaneous Activity in Education", Maria Montessori presents her educational philosophy and methods as they relate to older children from the ages of 7 - 11 years and beyond. She considers all aspects of the child including such phenomena as intelligence, attention, imagination and the will and gives advice on how to observe the child.
The Advanced Montessori Method - Vol. II (£10.95)
This book, formerly entitled "The Montessori Elementary Material " introduces the reader to the materials and techniques which Dr. Montessori devised for teaching the older children from 7 - 11 years old. It shows how they speak directly to the children's curiosity and lead them to self-mastery of the fundamentals of elementary school learning.
Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook (£11.99)
A short guide to the use of Montessori classroom materials, it shows how to set up a "Children's House " - an environment for learning where children can be their own masters, free to learn at their own pace. It shows that the role of the adult, whether teacher or parent, is to allow the child to experiment, perceive his own mistakes and to run his own risks in learning.

Education and Peace (£8.95)
Modern Man is faced with the imperative need to solve the problem of attaining peace rather than mere absence of war. Only through the education of the young can international strife in future generations be overcome. In this collection of speeches that Montessori gave to international congresses and peace councils it is immediately clear why she was proposed as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize in each of the last three years of her life.

The Child in the Family (£8.95)
Aimed at parents and teachers alike, this book provides a basic introduction to the Montessori approach to education for home and school.

What you should know about your Child (£8.95)
This book sets out to show parents the basic principles of child development from birth to 6 years of age. Dr. Montessori correlates her theories with those of other psychologists and gives practical ways of preventing the repressions of childhood.

Education for a New World (£8.95)
Dr. Montessori discusses the methods by which the school can create a self-disciplined person. She describes the role of the teacher or directress in the mini society of the Montessori class and shows that the adult cannot teach the children; they must learn from interaction with the physical and social environment.

From Childhood to Adolescence (£8.95)
This book is designed to inspire thought on the educational approach to the child between the ages of 6 and 12 years. At the age of 6 the child moves into the world of abstract thought. He is interested in the how and why and Montessori outlines an approach beginning with the creation of the universe which then spreads out into all branches of learning. Her ideas on the education of the adolescent and the university student are also included.

To Educate the Human Potential (£8.95)
This book helps the adult to interpret the needs of children beyond the age of 6 with regard to the appreciation of their cultural heritage. Montessori discusses the social consciousness of the 6 year old and shows how to present the history of the creation of the universe to young children, making them aware of their place in the environment.

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The Child, Society and the World (£10.95)
This is a collection of speeches and writings by Maria Montessori previously unpublished in English. They show that Dr. Montessori was ahead of her time in recognising the dangers of over institutionalisation and pigeon-holing of children. Moreover the teaching of peace, environmental awareness and universal responsibility, now urgently recommended by educationalists as well as ecologists, lies at the heart of her concept of Cosmic Education.

The California Lectures of Maria Montessori, 1915 (£10.95)
Collected speeches and writings. Edited by Robert G. Buckenmeyer
In 1915 Maria Montessori travelled to California to attend the Panama Pacific International Exposition which was held in San Francisco. She delivered a series of lectures at the Exposition and elsewhere in California and wrote articles for the local press. This selection will be of value to those interested in the history of education and the development of Montessori theory and practice.

Basic Ideas of Montessori Educational Theory (£11.45)
Extracts from Maria Montessori's writings and teachings. Compiled by Paul Oswald and Gunter Schultz-Benesch. Translated from the German by Lawrence Salmon.
Maria Montessori's essays and speeches on many of the key issues that concerned her are gathered in a way which shows the evolution of her thought on these topics through the years. The book provides an analysis of her beliefs and methodology and her views on important problems of education. The work includes a valuable biography and an extensive bibliographical appendix.

Creative Development in the Child – Vol.I (£13.99 h/b)
Vol.II (£14.99 h/b) Edited by Rukmini Ramachandran.
Maria Montessori was well known to the Indian public as a great educationalist and was invited to hold the first ever training course in India in 1939. These are the transcripts of her lectures to the students on that course that were simultaneously translated into English by Mario Montessori.

The Montessori Method by Maria Montessori £13.99.
This is the book that lead Maria Montessori to introduce the Montessori method to America. It was also this book that pre-empted her writing of the Discovery of the Child. The book introduces the guiding principles of the Montessori philosophy and it is Maria Montessori's own explanation of the theory behind her groundbreaking educational method.