
“A new education from birth onward must be built up. Education must be reconstructed and based on the laws of nature and not on the preconceived notions and prejudices of adult society.”
Dr. Maria Montessori, from The Formation of Man, p. 97
Mission Statement
The International Montessori Society (IMS) was founded by Lee Havis in 1979 to support Dr. Montessori’s vision and work of creating a “new education” in the world. IMS serves this purpose by providing knowledge, training, and other resources about a breakthrough “individual child framework” and “technology” for practicing the same scientific approach that led Dr. Montessori to discover the child’s true nature in 1907. Except now, however, using the IMS tools and support, you can achieve this result in a conscious, objective, and scientific manner that was never possible before.
Character Teaching in Uganda - From left to right: Mr. Ivan Kimpanga Mukibi (Academic Registrar at the Luigi Guissani Institute of Higher Education). Caroline Mbabazi Mpyisi( Cherry Tree Foundation). Honourable Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu State Minister for Primary Education. Ms. Robina Biteyi National Coordinator White Ribbon Alliance. In November, 2023, the “Character Teaching” (CT) project… read more
Character Teaching in Kenya - by Lee Havis In April, 2023, the Character Teaching (CT) project was recently revived in Kenya after it was first initiated there in 2007. This new beginning was sparked by the inclusion of Everline Oiye as a new member of the CT consultation board in that country. In Kenya, Everline… read more
Transforming Conventional to Scientific Education - by Evelyn Onyekonwu (IMS ‘22) Asaba, Nigeria "The journey of my staff, learning to use the technology of scientific education, has been a huge task of expanding beyond my own personality expectations." Beginning with a new male staff teacher at my school, I first watched him follow a conventional pattern… read more
Tune into the “True Natural” Frequency - Curious? Learn how to do this at the IMS workshop in Danbury, CT, August 2-3, 2025 What station are you tuned into with children? Only by tuning into the unique "true natural" frequency will children resonate with the frequency of the "normalized" child experience. However,… read more
The Danger of Eye Contact - In the technology of scientific education, “eye contact” is the most simple, basic technique there is, just looking at a child in the eyes while he is looking back at you in the eyes. All by itself, this technique can be the most perfect way to remove the disorder and… read more
Character Teaching in South Sudan - Christophe Morgan, Member, CT consultation board in South Sudan read more
What is the Child’s True Nature? - Watch the Video! In 1907, Dr. Maria Montessori, using an experimental type of scientific education, was surprised to discover the child's true nature by observing young children in their free, self-directed activity. She found that this "true nature" became visible by such normal outward qualities as spontaneous self-discipline, love of… read moreReforming Montessori Accreditation - Reforming Montessori Accreditation involves a change to the "Higher Education Act" (HEA) that recognizes private accrediting agencies in a discriminatory manner that favors large, conventional agencies over those with innovative, bold format and approach, such associated with the scientific education associated with the "Montessori" label. read more
Character Teaching Project in Ghana - In October, 2024, Isaiah Kofi Tefutor accepted appointment to serve as the initial member of the IMS-sponsored “Character Teaching” (CT) project in Ghana, West Africa. As founder and director of AUST International Montessori School in Accra, Ghana, he also established recognition of this school with IMS as well. He therefore… read more
Character Teaching in Latin America - by Lee Havis The Character Teaching (CT) project began in 2000 when I encountered poor working children in the streets of a small town in Mexico, right on the border with USA. From there, I devised a framework for applying scientific teaching with the type of children, which ultimately… read more