our Montessori schools, that now go well beyond just private—
proprietary and independent nonprofit—schools to include charter
and public schools. It is important to point out that the Millennials
who are arriving on the school scene “Millennials are the most
diverse adult generation in American history. About one-third are
foreign born and almost half are non-white.” 7 “Millennial teachers
value four key attributes: being mentored, learning from peers and
colleagues, improving themselves to have impact, and achieving
financial security.” 8
Over its century of existence, Montessori schools have kept
up and often surpassed traditional education, as author Julie
Lythcott-Haims stated in her book, “Take Montessori education,
for example, which for over 100 years has applied student-
centered, active-learning approaches to K-12 classrooms. Students
guide their own learning, particularly figuring out what steps to do
next on their own. Assessments depend on well-trained teachers,
not standardized tests. Montessori ‘unfolds students’ instead of
‘molding them.’ Montessori graduates are known for their
creativity and free thinking.” 9
Generations working together will make a difference for the
positive in our Montessori life and in education.
Dane L. Peters Right after college, Dane served as a Captain in the U. S. Marine Corps, and 40 years later,
he retired as head of Brooklyn Heights Montessori School (BHMS), a toddler through eighth-grade school
in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to heading BHMS for eleven years, he served as head of Mooreland Hill School
in Connecticut for eleven years. He recently completed his service as the administrator for the New York
State Association of Independent School’s (NYSAIS) Experienced Leaders Advising Schools program. He
is currently teaching and serves on the Advisory Committee for the American Montessori Society’s (AMS)
Emerging Leaders Fellowship program. Dane has written over 100 articles that have appeared in 30 different
publications. His first book, Independent by Design, was published in 2014. His second book, Design for
Independence, Inspiration, and Innovation: The New York State Association of Independent Schools at 70, was
published in 2017. You can read many of his articles on his blog (www.danesedblog.blogspot.com).
7 Eberhardt, Jennifer. (2019). Biased, 287
8 Stribling, William. (February 8, 2017). A Millennial’s View: How to Transform Independent Schools Into Modern Workplaces. NAIS Bulletin,
Independent Ideas Blog
9 hLythcott-Haims, Julie (2016). How to Raise an Adult, 157
©MONTESSORI LEADERSHIP | WWW.MONTESSORI.ORG/IMC | VOLUME 22 ISSUE 4 • 2020
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