montessori ed

I would like to take a post to applaud the new AMI USA website launched January 7, 2009.

A friend and web developer, Jeremy Tolbert, recently made this comment on his blog, regarding the challenges involved in convincing organizations to update a website…

Explaining why certain technology is better than others, or why a website shouldn’t look like it was built in 1997 can be more specific and difficult. One thing I try to explain early on is that websites are about projecting an image. Your website should reflect the image that you wish to convey to your clients, customers, whatever. If your website’s image is that of an old man yelling at the kids to get off his lawn, that might not be in line with your organization’s overall strategies.

Not only does the new site create a fresh, more professional face for AMI on the Internet through contemporary design, it also includes features like embedded videos and interactive maps that significantly improve the functionality and usefulness of the site.

I’m excited that these steps may foretell more improvements to AMI USA’s web presence, and even more hopeful that AMI will soon realize it’s current site is not projecting a contemporary, relevant image. 

The AMI International website still utilizes frames (an indication it was built a decade ago) and has yet to adopt more efficient and user friendly technologies such as PHP coding.  Frames are considered a nuisance by professional web developers, and to support this statement I point to Web Pages That Suck, which started more than 10 years ago as Web Pages That Suck: Learning Good Web Page Design by Looking at Bad Web Pages , written by Vincent Flanders, a well respected expert in the field.  Frames is number 4 on Vincent’’s list of 82 Potential Mortal Sins of Web Design.  I mention frames merely as the most apparent and obnoxious example of antiquated programming,  (Frames do not allow you to link or bookmark a specific page, say Training Centres, instead you are forced to bookmark the home page) to illustrate the need for serious website renovation.  If you need further convincing, I recommend comparing Vincent Flander’s 149 Mortal Sins That Will Send Your Site to Web Design Hell and deciding for yourself how much salvation the AMI website needs.

The AMI website desperately needs renovation, I am hoping AMI-USA can recommend a solid web developer because a great web design might be a Tipping Point in the Montessori Movement.

The following thoughts are based on my observations, and if I have missed relevant facts or drawn erroneous conclusions I would appreciate someone setting me straight.  That being said…

I don’t see AMI  organizing its members to take action in advancing the Montessori Movement.  

There are many conferences and published articles with a focus on classroom practice, which is an important aspect of AMI’s role as a professional organization, but it is not actively spreading the Montessori Movement.  I will concede that excellent classroom practice passively spreads the movement as more families experience excellent Montessori education and share that information with others.  

The disctinction between passive and active can be shown in an analogy from the environmental movement.  Passive: developing green habits around the home, such as composting, reducing waste, recycling grey water for irrigating plants, etc… as this may demonstrate the advantages and accessibility to others.  Active: lobbying the legislature to pass tax relief for purchases of more expensive but less environmentally damaging building materials such as solar cells and wind turbines.

The only active efforts I hear about from AMI are undertaken at the executive level, such as advances in Thailand, China, and Argentina.   These are often monumental and amazing, but sadly I do not feel involved in these advances.  I feel like I’m sitting on the bench watching the starters score goals. 

I want to help advance the Montessori Movement, but how?  I would really appreciate AMI organizing and directing activism at a local or even individual level.

Here are a few websites that demonstrate what I mean…

• Sierra Club – on the home page is a link titled TAKE ACTION leading to a series of pages detailing how anyone can “Find out about the latest Sierra Club campaigns and get involved”
• National Education Association – a US Teacher’s Union has an ISSUES and ACTION menu described thus,  “This area of NEA’s Web site contains resources for Association leaders, members, parents and community members who are contemplating, planning, or engaged in statewide or local salary initiatives.”

International and National organizations don’t need to direct every step of activism.  These websites show how an organization can “call the play” , meaning provide an outline that supports and coordinates independent action toward a common goal.

I love working with children, and to me, the Montessori Method is genuinely making the world a better place.   When I think of all the children who could be recieving Montessori education I become frustrated that I am not doing more to amke that happen, but I don’t know what to do and I feel like I am one small ant.   If AMI will organize and direct all its members, including the ants, I know we can move mountains.

If you share my desire to be involved in AMI organized activism, please contact AMI and share your support.   Thank you.