The Imperative Need for AIMA:

Why AMS is Not Enough

By Dr. Jaime M. Dodd

Despite legions of American and international fans of Montessori education, and despite its renown as a superior method for teaching young children, neither the term “Montessori” nor the methodology itself, bear any patent, trademark, or copyright protection – none whatsoever. This often comes as a great surprise to educators and parents alike, and in fact, it may help to explain why even parents whose children attend Montessori school, sometimes struggle to articulate precisely what Montessori is, and how it differs from a traditional school education.

This is not uncommon and unfortunately, the enigma of precisely “what” is Montessori is nothing new. In fact, the absence of proprietary protection for the name has led many to conclude, quite incorrectly, that Montessori must be something of an “open-source” method of education. And while this might make Montessori feel more accessible – or more democratic – it undoubtedly compounds the confusion that already surrounds Montessori education in the U.S. and around the world.

The absence of name protection is not the only reason “Montessori” lacks clarity, however. Other factors contribute to the problem, e.g., misrepresentation by schools that are not truly Montessori, but that identify as such; lack of precision in the actual practice and execution of the Montessori Method in Montessori teacher credentialling programs and in Montessori school classrooms themselves; etc. Whatever the reasons, the net result is an erosion of fidelity to the methodology and practice of Dr. Montessori’s seminal theory of early childhood education. Theoretical erosion is a serious matter of concern for anyone involved in the acquisition or delivery of a Montessori education, yet it receives surprising little attention.

Some professional Montessori membership organizations recognized the problem, and in response, stepped in to establish minimum standards of practice for their would-be members and affiliates. The purpose, presumably, was to better define the construct and to thereby inhibit the influences that might threaten to dilute or degrade Montessori theory.

The logic of the approach notwithstanding, some in the field believe the effort failed, and that despite best intentions to elucidate Montessori, our professional organizations have, perhaps unwittingly, further obfuscated the term. They contend that the standards our professional organizations have established, actually serve to confound the construct of “Montessori”, with the context in which it is practiced. They argue that the social mores of American culture and Western values, for example, are not implicit to the construct “Montessori”, but that they simply represent the milieu (the context) in which Montessori exists.

Thus, the question that has been raised, is whether and to what extent, American culture and Western values…

• have filtered into the strategic agendas of our professional organizations;
• have been accepted, embraced, and are now assimilated into their raisons d’etre; and
• are being actively exported by these organizations, vis a vis, their influence around the globe

The enmeshment of construct and context is more than simply a departure from convention in the mechanics of scientific research; rather, it is a fundamental and substantive error in the application of the scientific method. And the implications can be profound, for flawed research methodology will bring the validity of an entire study into question. When our professional Montessori organizations overlook, condone – or perish the thought, engage in this practice – they become, intentionally or not, powerful vehicles that drive the transmission, the dissemination, and the export of American culture and Western values.

This is an observation – not a judgement – though it has caused some members of our profession to question and to re-evaluate the fundamental purpose of our Montessori organizations in the first place. Further, it raises concern on multiple levels, prompting some to wonder about:

• their level of commitment to transparency and operational integrity,
• their level of commitment to precision in the practice of the scientific method,
• their recognition of the gravity of their influence in the global educational community, and
• their willingness to take ownership for their responsibility as a driving force in the profession of Montessori education.

The fundamental – and most profound concern, however, is the question of whether our professional organizations are actually guided by absolute principles and values – or whether they are in fact, influenced and swayed by the transitory and mutating attitudes of the culture in which they operate. From this perspective, it is no wonder that confusion continues to vex the Montessori community. Indeed, in an “open-source world”, all things are negotiable.

Per Wikipedia: Open source is (content) that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. (Italics, underline, and parentheses added)

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It is a near certainty that the ideas advanced herein will serve as a lightning rod for debate – as well they should – for this subject matter is of fundamental concern to every Islamic Montessori Education [IME®] school in operation; and it is something with which every Islamic school in the nation today is grappling. It is becoming increasingly apparent that our professional Montessori organizations do not reflect Islamic values; and if the propositions outlined above are true, it is likely they never will.

For this reason, it is imperative to distinguish the professional organizations from Montessori education, itself, for they are not one and the same. Professional organizations are focused on promoting a particular “brand” of Montessori, which is not a problem of course, unless that brand should conflict with the fundamental tenets to which a subset of its membership adheres – as is the case with those of us who practice Islamic Montessori Education [IME®].

We need not, however, “throw out the baby with the bathwater”, for the Montessori Method has always been, and remains yet today, a valuable, secular, educational model by which to facilitate the learning of children – young and old. And Dr. Montessori’s fundamental theory and philosophy remain exquisitely harmonious with Islam; so, for those of us who practice IME®, absolutely nothing has changed.

Furthermore, the professional membership organization of AIMA® is not, and will never be, at risk of influence or intrusion by the changing attitudes of society and/or culture, because it is securely anchored in the timeless and immutable tenets of Islam. Indeed, it is this very fact which protects it, and that ensures IME® (AIMA®’s brand of Montessori) will be spared the distortions and misrepresentations that have been known to chivvy those brands of Montessori education propagated by other professional membership organizations. Thus, it is imperative that we are critical consumers when selecting a professional membership organization to represent our interests and to serve as our megaphone to the world.

What our community, and indeed what our nation, needs now is our dedicated engagement in a collective effort to move AIMA® forward. We must invest in growing AIMA® into a robust and influential collaborative in the domain of Education. We must focus on expanding efforts in the applied study of Islamic Montessori Education [IME®] through meaningful research design that is infused with scientific rigor, for this will aid us in defining – and in refining – best practices in IME®. Lastly, we must explore, develop, expand, and share our knowledge with Islamic educators and schools across the U.S.

Please join in the effort to reinstate “enlightenment” to the domain of Education. This is so desperately needed – in the West and around the world; and we can accomplish it together, through the advancement of AIMA®.

There exists a persistent and imperative need for AIMA®. AMS is simply not enough.

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