La difusió actual de l’aplicació escolar de la pedagogia Montessori a Catalunya

Introduction. This paper presents an updated list of schools that report applying the Montessori method in Catalonia. To introduce the study, the paper recalls the historical background to the arrival and the development of the Montessori method in region, a process abruptly interrupted by the civil war. Method. After providing the historical context, the paper presents the results of an empirical survey that, based on different sources, identifies the Montessori schools in Catalonia and estimates the number of pupils who have studied there in recent years. Results. The survey identifies 22 Montessori schools, of which: a) five are affiliated to the AME (the Spanish Montessori Association); b) 13 that are not affiliated, but have Montessori-trained teachers and appear to have chosen an exclusively or predominantly Montessori education; and c) four that have opted for a Montessori education integrated with other educational approaches. Discussion. The study suggests the need to continue monitoring the development, quality and effectiveness of the application of the Montessori method in Catalonia, in order to promote an educational philosophy which underwent a significant development here and which, today, is experiencing a renewal.