Montessori : the science behind the genius / Angeline Stoll Lillard ; photographs by An Vu ; with a foreword by Renilde Montessori.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 347-378) and index.

1. An answer to the Crisis in Education -- 2. The Impact of Movement on Learning and Cognition -- 3. Choice and Perceived Control -- 4. Interest in Human Learning -- 5. Extrinsic Rewards and Motivation -- 6. Learning from Peers -- 7. Meaningful Contexts for Learning -- 8. Adult Interaction Styles and Child Outcomes -- 9. Order in Environment and Mind -- 10. Education for Children.

"One hundred years ago, Maria Montessori, the first female physician in Italy, devised a very different method of educating children, based on her observations of how they naturally learn. In Montessori, Angeline Stoll Lillard shows that science has finally caught up with Maria Montessori. Lillard presents the research behind eight insights that are foundations of Montessori education, describing how each of these insights is applied in the Montessori classroom. In reading this book, parents and teachers alike will develop a clear understanding of what happens in a Montessori classroom and, more important, why it happens and why it works. Lillard, however, does much more than explain the scientific basis for Montessori's system: Amid the clamor for evidence-based education, she presents the studies that show how children learn best, makes clear why many traditional practices come up short, and describes an ingenious alternative that works. Now with a foreword by Renilde Montessori, the youngest grandchild of Maria Montessori, Montessori offers a wealth of insights for anyone interested in education."--Publisher's website.