AMF & AMI

The Association Montessori de France works to defend children's rights by highlighting the natural laws of their development. We promote the philosophy initiated by Maria Montessori, favoring education as an "aid to life" in environments adapted to the needs of each child.

Affiliated with the Association Montessori Internationale since its creation in 1950, the AMF is a non-profit association under the French law of 1901.

HISTORY

In 1931, under the patronage of Maria Montessori, the AMF was founded in France. The aim of this association is to promote the founding principles of the pedagogy created by Maria Montessori.

In 1948, France decided to honor Maria Montessori by awarding her the Légion d'Honneur with the rank of Officer. On this occasion, Léon Blum said to her: "You have taught me what freedom is", and it was in 1950, under the aegis of a convinced Montessorienne and her daughter Madame Georgette BERNARD, that the AMF was rebuilt. A whole group of educators trained in Montessori pedagogy took charge of the project. 

The Association Montessori de France is still the only association in France recognized by theAMI (Association Montessori Internationale).

AMF'S GOALS

• "Defending children's rights by participating in the universal social movement that places children at the center of society, recognizing them as citizens of the world".
• "To make known the conditions necessary for the full development of the human being from conception to maturity at home and in society".
• "Spreading Maria Montessori's philosophy among families, education and health professionals".
• "To bring together people who are interested in Maria Montessori's proposals for education and teaching".

In France, it's up to the AMF to continue promulgating these ideas and raising awareness among parents, teachers and educators of the precepts of this pedagogy.

Association Montessori de France
59 Rue de Ponthieu, Bureau 326
75008 Paris

Tel: 07 55 61 38 71

Email : [email protected]

Website : www.montessori-france.asso.fr

A letter from Dr. Maria Montessori gave birth to the AMI during the 1929 congress on new education. It was on this occasion that Maria Montessori became aware of the need to coordinate the dissemination of her ideas, and to safeguard her method, her pedagogy and her thinking in the name of the Child.

AMI's head office is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The building housing the AMI secretariat was purchased by Maria Montessori and Mario Montessori just before their return from India. They lived and worked in this house until their deaths in 1952 and 1982.

TheAMI preserves all traces of their work and research, documents, published and unpublished books. The association's objectives are to promote, defend and further develop the pedagogy and principles laid down by Maria Montessori for the development of human potential.

The association uses all legal means to propagate these values:

• Respect for children's rights, and the importance of children for the progress of civilization.
• Teach children the laws of growth to help them develop naturally in the family, school and society.
• To raise public awareness of the moral dignity of the child as "the father of man", and to make clear the true nature of adult responsibility towards the child, who must be given the means to work spontaneously towards full maturity;
• The dissemination and defense of the pedagogical principles and practices formulated by Dr. Maria Montessori, which guarantee the independence of the child's personality through successive stages of growth until it reaches its full development through its own activity;
• To offer the opportunity for all children to develop normally and harmoniously, thus helping all adults to enter into a new life of harmony, understanding and cooperation with children, and by unifying the two fundamental phases of human life, paving the way for a more peaceful civilization;
• To function as a social movement, striving for the recognition of children's rights throughout the world, regardless of race, religion, political and social convictions, and cooperating with other bodies and organizations that promote education, human rights and peace.
• Oversee the national branches that train professionals in Maria Montessori's pedagogy, and adopt these goals at their (national) level,
• Ensure ongoing pedagogical control and supervise examinations leading to Montessori diplomas

All AMI-approved products are identified by their logo on our website.

Further information: https: //montessori-ami.org/