There may be no more controversial topic in Montessori circles than the use of technology in our classrooms. Dr. Maria Montessori developed her method of learning long before anyone would have dreamed of the technology that we have access to today. She opened her first classroom in Rome in 1907, the same year that color photography was invented by Auguste and Louis Lumiere. Little did she know that after her death in 1952 and by the end of the 20th century, we would see spaceships, computers, cell phones, and wireless internet.

It’s important to remember, however, that Dr. Montessori was herself a pioneer and a revolutionary. When she was 13, she made the unconventional choice to go to an all-boys technical school to study engineering. Upon graduation, she applied to the University of Rome’s medical program but was rejected. She instead pursued her studies in physics, mathematics, and natural sciences and was finally accepted into medical school. When she graduated in 1896, she became one of the first female physicians in Italy. In her work, Dr. Montessori relied on scientific observation and direct experience to develop her teaching methods, learning materials, and classroom environment, which stood in stark contrast to rigid, traditional classrooms. Her vision of education instead provided children with an environment that fostered their natural desire to learn and freedom to choose their own materials. If she were alive today, there is no doubt that her child-centered approach to education would carefully think about the impact of rapidly changing technology on today’s children, and her innovative ideas would undoubtedly consider how new technologies could be meaningfully incorporated into her method.

In the spirit of Dr. Montessori herself, we at MSLF have considered exactly that: how can we meaningfully incorporate use of technology into our curriculum without compromising what we know about how young children learn best? In support of our belief in Montessori educational philosophy, we aim to never replace real world, hands-on activities with high tech experiences. Our goal is to teach children how to be problem solvers, how to think outside of the box, and how to manage and express their emotions to prepare them for life and promote personal growth and healthy relationships.

At MSLF, we are keenly aware of the need to educate our children on the use of technology as a tool. Students are given the opportunity to use technology as a resource and tool only when developmentally appropriate. We provide this summary to our community to communicate how technology is used at MSLF, as well as a resource, so that decisions about technology use at home can be made to best support your child’s development. We also remind all adults, whether at school or at home, to model purposeful, responsible technology use when caring for children at all stages of development.

We are proud to share our Technology @ MSLF: Vision, Plan & Guidelines document to help all MSLF families understand how technology is viewed and used at our school. We further hope that this information brings greater understanding and confidence in how the investment in your child’s Montessori education at MSLF will truly serve them well into the future.