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Montessori education has been around for more than a century, but many parents and students continue to see Montessori as a mystifying approach to education. Montessori was restricted to private schools for many decades, but recently, the approach has been introduced into some public schools as well – often through charter schools specifically established to allow for Montessori teaching. As the process becomes more widespread in public school venues across the country, a study will be launched to examine the impact of Montessori on public school students. Is Montessori the wave of the future for public schools?

What is Montessori?

was first started by Dr. Maria Montessori in 1907, according to the . Dr. Montessori discovered through her work with children that young students tend to learn best when they are allowed to teach themselves. Based on that observation, Dr. Montessori designed what she called a “prepared environment” that gave children the chance to choose from many different developmentally appropriate activities. These activities gave children the opportunity to learn at their own pace, using real-life experiences that utilized all five of the human senses.

Dr. Montessori’s first “children’s house” in Rome paved the way for an entire movement in the world of education that has gradually made its way across the globe. Today, Montessori education is found throughout the United States as well in private schools, and more recently, public schools. Even homeschooling parents have found ways to incorporate

The right school for your child can make all the difference in his or her successful academic career. The good news is that there are many options in education beyond the public school down the street today. The bad news is that the abundance of options often leaves parents in a quandary over how to choose the best environment for their children. It is important to know what to look for in a school to ensure your child receives the best possible education for his specific needs. In some cases, that might indeed be the public school down the street, while other children may need a different environment to facilitate their learning process most effectively.

What are the Choices?

Many parents are unaware of the different choices they have in educating their children today. According to , some of the options available in K-12 education include:

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• Charter Schools
• Magnet Schools
• Online 51����s
• Private Schools
• Homeschools
• Alternative Schools

It is important to learn about the various types of schools available nearby, so you can make an informed choice for your children.

Factors to Consider when Selecting a School

Once you know which options are available to you, it is time to determine the best environment for your child, based on the 10 steps we have outlined here:

Finding a Good Fit

To find the best learning environment, a parent needs to set the following four criteria outlined at :

• What you

In response to numerous changes made to the Detroit 51���� system this year, thousands of teachers in the district have received “pink slips” telling them they can reapply for their jobs this summer. With more than 4,000 teachers now unemployed for the upcoming school year, many are predicting that chaos will reign when students return to classrooms this fall. At the same time, district officials are attempting to reassure students and parents that the decision to lay off teachers is the best way to ensure they have sufficient teachers – and the right teachers – heading up classrooms at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.

"In this short video, Atlantic associate editor Alia Wong traces the history of Detroit 51����s—from a model for urban education at the turn of the century to a failing, debt-ridden system today."

Changes to the District Prompt Layoffs

One reason for the mass layoff is the many changes the Detroit school system will face in the upcoming school year. A new system, the Educational Achievement Authority, has been put in place to deal with schools that are consistently unable to perform at state standards. Under this system, 15 Detroit schools are slated to switch districts for the next school year, removing those schools from the Detroit 51���� system. All of those schools were classified as low-performing, according to state standards. This change involves approximately

Teacher unions have been a part of American education for well over a century, beginning with grassroots efforts to support teachers through improved salaries, benefits, and working conditions. The two national organizations, the s (AFT) and the (NEA), have paved the way for dozens of state and local teacher associations, often referred to as Independent Education Associations (IEAs). In light of education reform gaining speed nationwide, these teacher unions have recently been put in the spotlight – either as the major hurdle standing in the way of true reform, or a potentially valuable tool in bringing about the sort of change needed in education today.

This video offers an overview of the National Education Association.

History of the Teacher Union

According to the , the early beginnings of the teacher union can be traced all the way back to the early years of the 20^th century, when city boards of education began the first efforts at education reform. While this early focus was positive in some respects - including raising the standards of teaching, ensuring student achievement, and rooting out corruption - teachers at the time did not feel like a significant part of the reform process. Teachers rebelled against the changes implemented by business leaders and education bureaucrats, and they began forming local associations that eventually grew into the