“Maybe We Have to Create Something Different”: Fostering Inclusion in Montessori Education

Abstract

How Does Learning Happen: Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years, the early childhood education framework for Ontario (Canada), aims to guide early-years programs across the province by recognizing children as competent, capable, and curious individuals from diverse backgrounds. The policy highlights the significance of ensuring inclusive learning environments that foster a sense of belonging and enable every child to flourish (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2014). Many Montessori schools across the province share this view (Hunt et al., 2022) and strive for inclusive programs that meet the learning goals of children with special education needs; however, at times, this objective can seem daunting. In this article, we highlight findings from a study involving the educators at one Montessori school focusing on the self-described goal of improving the quality of their inclusive practices through an examination of beliefs and a continuous professional learning process. The main themes identified in the study related to educators’ attitudes to inclusion and their beliefs about how the Montessori method challenges inclusion pedagogies. Moreover, we found that educators’ understanding and implementation of differentiated instruction (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2023) was lacking. The results indicate that Montessori educators’ inclusive practices and learning environments benefited from participating in ongoing, scaffolded professional learning specifically targeted to their needs and context.