Google’s fortunes may be flagging a bit as of late, but the success of the Silicon Valley powerhouse is still synonymous with our tech-driven times — much of it credited to the thirty-something co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
And to what do they attribute their phenomenal success? Montessori-style education, according to this Tech Crunch post (shared on Twitter by MultiLingLiving).
"When Barbara Walters interviewed Larry Page and Sergei Brin, rather than crediting their computer science degrees as the driving factor behind their success, they pointed to their early Montessori education. (The Montessori learning method, founded by Maria Montessori, emphasizes self-directed learning, tinkering, and discovery, particularly for young children.) ‘We both went to Montessori school,’ Page said, ‘And I think it was part of that training of not following rules and orders, and being self-motivated, questioning what’s going on in the world, doing things a little bit differently.‘"
Brin and Page’s endorsement certainly lends credence to the approach, which remains extremely popular with parents and educators given how many schools around the world incorporate the term "Montessori" in their names.
But it’s also worth quoting the Montessori.edu site: "The name Montessori is not legally protected, and can be used by anyone, for any purpose; it is vital that anyone searching for a good Montessori school or teacher-training center be aware of this."
So by all means, do what it takes to get your kid into a Montessori school, just make sure to do your research first.
Montessori.edu: Finding a Montessori School
Michaelolaf.net: The Montessori Method
BeijingKids Forum: Montessori – Buzzword? Scam? The key to unlocking your child’s potential?
BeijingKids Montessori School Listings
