Montessori Spirit

Like you, we know what we're talking about and what we can bring to the table - it's not just a business relationship. Back in France after this ten-year expatriation, and enrolment of the "adorable child always full of life" monster in his first Montessori school. For her part, my wife, keen to get back into teaching, decided to take advantage of this period of renewal to take her first Montessori Educator course at the ISMM. For my part, I'm now in daily contact with the world of Maria Montessori without being there myself, and that's where the plot closes in on me.

Based on my experience in distribution, import and trading, I've noticed that the French market suffers from a real lack of presence when it comes to Montessori products: you have to order them abroad, it takes time and costs more, and information on the products is not always obvious. I've noticed that this lack is flagrant (and distressing) both for private individuals who are trying to get interested in this pedagogy, and for small associations that set up Montessori workshops out of conviction, right through to schools and professionals teaching this pedagogy.

I therefore decided to combine my personal interest and my experience as a distributor to share this teaching method with as many people as possible, to support schools and professionals who already have an important role to play as educators, and to avoid having to start importing and exporting. I asked around, and there were only 3 approved manufacturers, including a Japanese one too far away, so there were only 2 left: Nienhuis and Gonzagarredi.

Of course, there are plenty of other suppliers who try to reproduce the material. However, they do no more than copy the material as best they can, and are there purely for commercial reasons, without any ideology or active research into approved establishments, educators or associations. They "surf" on a fashionable pseudo-pedagogy (even though it's a hundred years old!) and bring nothing to the Montessori pedagogy or to those who practice it. It's a fact that prices are much lower, but that's only to be expected given the difference in quality, with splintered wood for assembly, light glue and paint for unattractive, short-lived equipment...

They are also simple copies, in no way respecting Maria Montessori 's own research work, which she has carefully registered withAMI, which she founded with this in mind: to protect her work, her research, and all those little details that make the material achieve its pedagogical purpose...or not! The price of Nienhuis material includes royalties, paid toAMI, to supportAMI, the Maria Montessori association, and to promote and develop its teaching methods worldwide.

Simple copies are therefore a bit of a contradiction for Montessori pedagogy and for the values we want to pass on to children....

For me, there's no alternative: we have to work with approved suppliers who have the best equipment, and who have been involved with Maria Montessori since its inception, bringing its pedagogy to life. So it's Nienhuis and Gonzagarredi. Naturally, they're keen to finally find support in France. And again