elementary
Montessori Genesis II : A Family Thing
Posted July 19th, 2007 by GretjenProduced by Montessori Genesis School & Scribe Video Center
Nadine Patterson
Unhappy with your child's schooling? Don't call the principal; start your own school. That's what a group of low-income African-American families from the Mantua community decided to do 30 years ago, and as this short video testifies, the results have been astounding.
Montessori Genesis II (MGII) was founded in 1976 by sixteen low-income Black families. The children of these families had had a very successful Montessori pre-school experience at the Early Learning Center in the Mantua section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. These parents wanted their children to continue enjoying a high quality education during their elementary years. But there was no nearby elementary school prepared to follow up on the Montessori education that had been so successful.
The group of sixteen families joined together to take on this challenge. They solicited the help of two Religious of the Assumption nuns who were trained Montessori teachers to instruct their children and started their own school, Montessori Genesis II. Serving as something of a magnet, Montessori Genesis II now draws students not only from the surrounding community, but from throughout the Philadelphia area such as North Philadelphia, Germantown, Greater Northwest Philly and beyond. The quality of the education and personal growth afforded the students at MGII is such that when they leave, they can go out and successfully navigate the waters of all levels of higher education and post-academic life.
August 7, 1997 - "Hey, That's Me!," by David Warner, Philadelphia City Paper
August 8, 1999 - "New Program Takes Films Out Of Theaters and Into the Streets," by Daniel Rubin, Philadelphia Inquirer
August 1997 - Street Movies screening at Montessori Genesis II playground (Philadelphia, PA)
August 1999 - Street Movies screening at Montessori Genesis II playground (Philadelphia, PA)