Very nice to have been in San Diego for the weekend.  Aside from the fact that it wasn’t 8 degrees it’s always gratifying to be in the company of so many colleagues.  The variety of experience within the scope of “Montessori” is staggering.  It crosses geography, culture, and language.  Public and private, charter and magnet.  Differences emerge but they pale in comparison to the commonality of pedagogy and purpose.

Last week, while my home was being buried in 3 1/2 feet of snow, I escaped to Savannah for some more teacher training at Charles Ellis Academy, and observations at schools throughout Low Country. It was with great anticipation that I observed in some schools that I had heard about but had yet been able to visit.  James Simons and Murray-LeSaine are both in Charleston, SC.  Low Country Montessori, Beaufort Elementary, and River Ridge Academy, between Savannah and Charleston, were all new to me.  It’s with special interest that I observe Montessori being employed in a variety of locations and environments, with a diversity of students, but with a common thread of pedagogy.  The rise of Montessori in the public sector is simply stunning.  In 2002, there were barely 200 such schools, by 2015 there were nearly 600!  If what I observed is any indication of the quality of Montessori education, then certainly the kids are all right.