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First Montessori school in America
Miss Anne George started a Montessori classroom in New York after training in Italy. -
Dr. Montessori Sails to America
Dr. Montessori provided three weeks of lectures, including Carnegie Hall. -
Glass Classroom
Dr. Montessori demonstrated her method at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco with the "Glass Classroom". 100 schools were operating the following year but the movement fizzed out by the 1920s. -
A Spark of Resurgence
Nancy Rambusch attends the Tenth International Montessori Congress in Paris and meets Mario (who invites her to enroll in the London training). -
Meeting Mario
In her article, "The American Montessori Experience", Nancy shares that Mario said, "Madame, there is no such thing as a Montessori type school; there is only a Montessori school." -
The Big Apple
After completing her training, Nancy Rambusch sets up a Montessori environment in her New York apartment. -
Moving Day
The Rambusch family relocate to Greenwich, Connecticut. -
Whitby School
Nancy Rambusch founded Whitby School with a group of parents -
AMI representative
Nancy Rambusch was appointed at the U.S. representative for AMI by Mario Montessori. -
Founding of AMS
After serving as the U.S. representative to AMI in 1959, Nancy Rambusch founded the American Montessori Society with support of parent advocates.
Dr. Nancy McCormick Rambusch, described herself as a “sassy, critical, articulate parent” who wanted something better than traditional education for her children. Her desire led to her life’s work, setting into motion the social movement that brought Montessori to the United States on a large scale. -
Period: to
American Montessori Society
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Montessori movement revitalized
In 1961-1962, American media's coverage of the Whitby School and AMS as well as the publication of Rambusch's book, Learning How to Learn, encouraged growth of more Montessori schools. -
First training course
The first AMI-AMS Montessori training course was held in Greenwich, CT in 1962-1963 -
Learning How to Learn
Nancy Rambusch publishes her book which generates even more demand for Montessori education. -
Change of leadership and headquarters
Nancy resigned, AMI withdrew recognition, and AMS moves the headquarters to New York (Flat Iron Building) with James Ruffing as leader. Between 1963 and 1970 school membership grew from 29 to 400. -
AMS consultation
Consultation services offered to AMS affiliated schools. -
Patent dispute
In 1967, AMS sued AMI over the right to exclusively use
"Montessori" as a descriptor of their schools in the U.S. they lost—the U.S. Patent Office ruled that the name was a generic descriptor of a type of schooling (which means that other, non-accredited schools are allowed to use it, too). -
Collaborative partners for AMS
AMS collaborate with Comité Hispano Montessori to provide a communication network for Spanish-speaking communities in the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. In addition they partner with the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Child Development Associate Consortium. -
AMI/USA Established
AMI/USA was founded in 1972 and directed for its first ten years by Karin Salzmann. -
New director
Cleo Monson becomes new national director -
First Public Montessori School
Sands Montessori was the first public Montessori school in the United States. The original site opened in 1975 and was located in Mt. Adams. It was called Children's House and opened with an enrollment of 200 students. The program was designed by Nancy Rambusch, who introduced Montessori to the United States in the early 1960's. -
First International Symposium
Held in Athens -
Montessori Life
Montessori Life is the official quarterly magazine of the American Montessori Society.
Articles on Montessori practice and pedagogy, along with articles offering practical ideas for the classroom and reflections from organization stakeholders, serve to provoke thought, promote professional development, and provide a forum for discussion of issues and ideas in the field. In addition, news of our members bring Montessori educators together as a collegial global community. -
MACTE
Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education is founded (recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education) -
Centenary Celebration held in NYC
AMS arranged for a keynote speaker, Dr. Maya Angelou- acclaimed poet, author, actress, and activist. Her speech was entitled “Courage, the Most Important Virtue.” Dr. Angelou paid great attribute to Montessori educators across the globe as being likened to “rainbows of hope in dark cloudy moments”.
She continued, "It takes courage to speak honestly. It takes courage to advocate for peace. It takes courage to rear open-minded, curious children in uncertain times." -
NCMPS launched by AMS
The National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector was cofounded by Jackie Cossentino to advance Montessori in the public sector. It was independently incorporated in 2015. -
MPPI is established
Montessori Public Policy Initiative began as a join project of AMS and AMI/USA to be a unified voice in advocacy and a platform for coordination of public policy efforts. -
Forging Forward
Munir Shivji provides leadership as AMS serves 16,000 members worldwide. Forums provide support and creative strategies for online teaching during the world quarantine for Covid, -
Montessori surges into the future
Montessori is growing at a rate that would have gladdened the heart of its founder, Dr. Maria Montessori—a woman who dared to reimagine how we learn, and recognized the dignity and capacity of all human beings.
Her legacy continues in the great work of AMS’s Montessori-credentialed educators and affiliated teacher education programs. We are united with a common purpose: to make the world a better place through grace and courtesy instilled in our children, who will serve as our future leaders.
