Montessori and the open source way

I read with delight Steve Dennings article Is Montessori The Origin on Google and Amazon?. His arguments are firm, they accommodate a wide range of scientific facts, and they show what remarkable results can be achieved when we "follow the child." He writes well enough and clearly enough that I need not reiterate his points here--you can (and should!) read his writings directly. But there is more that can be said, particularly in understanding how open source principles and philosophies fit so well with those of Montessori education.

I came to Montessori education late in life, as a parent. I began knowing literally nothing whatsoever about Montessori's work, but the school my daughter attended took Montessori's writings very seriously, and I began to see the profound and deep connections between seemingly simple classroom activities. After reading The Science Behind the Genius, the grand design became clear to me, and I have since become a dedicated proponent of the Montessori method...