UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

Montessori EdD

Why a doctorate in Montessori Studies?

People involved with Montessori education have expressed an interest in pursuing a doctorate with research and leadership components because they want to:

  • Teach in a university or college-based Montessori teacher education program (K-12) at the bachelor or master’s degree level. This is in response to an increasing number of tertiary institutions offering a pathway to a teaching credential and degree in Montessori education or a master’s degree for Montessori educators.
     
  • Investigate through research and provide leadership in a new application of Montessori. For example: eldercare and dementia, multigenerational education settings, second language acquisition program, etc.
     
  • Play a leadership role in the expansion of Montessori into the public school sector (currently 500 public Montessori schools in the U.S.).
     
  • Gain the leadership skills to direct Montessori PreK-12 public, charter, private or independent schools.
     
  • Play an advocacy role in developing state and national policies working with, for example, the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) and the Montessori Public Policy Initiative (MPPI).
     
  • Address policy issues regionally and nationally primarily working for Montessori teacher education to have pathways for licensure.   
     
  • Possess the research and leadership skills to work for equity and anti-bias, anti-racism in Montessori settings in various capacities including consulting, advocacy and district level opporuntities. This work involves: a) increasing access for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) for both teaching in Montessori schools and enrolling in Montessori teacher education programs; b) promoting quality Montessori education in inclusive settings; c) educating parents, communities and local schools boards/districts about Montessori education. 
     
  • Acquire the skills to make data-driven decisions for the expansion, development and promotion of Montessori education.
     
  • Explore specific interest areas for research including eldercare, dementia, inclusion, diversity, social justice, a strengths-based approach to education, fidelity in Montessori education, differentiated instruction, executive function, assessment and evaluation, supporting children with trauma, supporting children with special needs, and curriculum design and instruction for children and teachers.