Statement on AI and Technology: An Open Letter to the Global Montessori Community from the AMS Innovation Fellowship Think Tank

Dear Members of the Global Montessori Community,

As members of the AMS Innovation Think Tank Fellowship, we have dedicated the better part of two years exploring how technology, and specifically, artificial intelligence, impacts our Montessori community. Our research consistently shows that the Montessori Method is already paving the way for our children to thrive in the age of artificial intelligence. By encouraging exploration, independence, and deep engagement with materials, Montessori education nurtures the very skills that AI demands. When children work with activities like pouring, threading, and sorting, they are not just developing fine motor skills, they are building the logical thinking needed for coding and algorithms. The sensorial experiences central to Montessori lay the foundation for understanding complex AI concepts like pattern recognition and data analysis. As students grow, their work with interdisciplinary materials such as geometric solids and mathematical tools, seamlessly connects to the spatial reasoning and critical thinking required in AI fields.

Montessori teachers are already fostering a generation of thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators who will not only navigate the AI-driven world but will also lead and shape it. This is where Montessori’s timeless principles meet the future, ensuring our students are empowered to be creators and ethical leaders in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.