The individual human life, fully lived, is an end in itself.
Montessorium articulates a philosophy of education that explores this idea and its implications.
Montessorium, Higher Ground's think tank, is aimed at understanding human potential through the lens of its underpinnings: knowledge, work, agency, and humanism.
What is Montessorium?
Montessorium crystalizes and encapsulates the philosophy of Higher Ground Education.
Higher Ground is a growing network of Montessori schools, trainings, and services. Montessorium is the think tank of that network. It is a research project, premised on diving deep into the philosophy of Montessori and offering it a fresh articulation.
Our core principles are:
- A humanities approach to defining our core principles: history and philosophy are unapologetically at the foundation
- An uncompromised centering of the individual agency of the child
- A commitment to transcending the false alternatives between more classical and more progressive educational approaches
Featured Content
The History of Education
What Does Progressive Education Look Like? Part II: A Deweyan Approach
Many of Dewey's educational concerns and theories centered on how to maintain what he understood to be the best and defining contributions of American life thus far: (democracy and debate), and the way they promoted creativity, tolerance, collaboration, intellectual development, and other drivers of human progress and fulfillment.
The American Experiment as a Prepared Environment
For both The Founding Fathers and Maria Montessori, the conception of the human being inspired hope for the future.
Preserving the Quest for the Right Answer
“There’s no right answer.”
This is a common refrain in many educational contexts, most commonly in the humanities, such as history and literature, and most commonly during discussions. Ironically, the result of the “no right answer” mantra is actually to destroy motivation.
Explore the Montessorium Initiatives
The History of Education
There is no why or wherefore without whence. An ongoing project to understand the history of education, particularly its intellectual history: pedagogy, philosophy, and ideological patterns and arguments across the timeline.
Frederick Douglass on Education
June 24, 2021Tutelage in Greek Culture
January 11, 2022The Organization of Ancient Education: Part I
Browse The History of Education articlesAgency and Identity
Identity without identity politics. An educational approach to identity from a perspective of agency. Drawing on Montessori herself, we define a sense of identity primarily grounded in meaningful work and our common humanity.
The Persona of an Educator
July 18, 2021Everything is for Everyone
December 1, 2020Higher Ground’s Approach to Identity
Browse Agency and Identity articlesThe Pedagogy of Progress
The story of material progress plays a central role in education. It explains the modern world, illustrates the potential for human progress more broadly, and offers countless exemplars of thought, work, and heroism.
Human Achievement and Human Development
August 23, 2021We Need a New Philosophy of Progress
July 12, 2021A Golden Age for Investigating Progress
Browse The Pedagogy of Progress articlesMontessori in the Digital Age
Montessori, traditionally considered a deliberately low-tech approach to learning, is in fact the pedagogy most suited for the digital age. This project envisions a future of technology-enabled learning—done right, drawing on Montessori principles.