About the Institute
The Montessori World Educational Institute was established to archive and make information regarding the Montessori Approach to Education accessible to parents, teachers, and others in 1979. Robert Blodget, Ed.D. Professor Emeritus, from the Psychology and Child Development Department of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, worked with Margaret Homfray, Phoebe Child, and Edna Andriano to document and archive the approach to education developed by Maria Montessori. In the process they collaborated and established the Montessori World Educational Institute. Miss Homfray, Miss Child, and Miss Andriano had all been students, and then collaborators, with Dr. Montessori over many years. Dr. Montessori authorized Miss Homfray and Miss Child to provide Montessori training and sign Montessori diplomas
Founders
Co-Founder
Margaret Homfray
April 6,1908 - March 7, 1996
Miss Homfray first studied with Dr. Montessori in London in 1929. Miss Homfray, Miss Child, and Dr. Montessori worked together to establish a London Montessori Center, The St. Nicholas Training Centre for the Montessori Method of Education. Dr. Montessori personally authorized Miss Homfray and Miss Child to provide Montessori training and sign Montessori diplomas....
Co-Founder
Robert Blodget, Ed.D.
September 28, 1942 - Present
Dr. Blodget studied Montessori with Margaret Homfray and Phoebe Child at UCSB and then arranged for Margaret Homfray to teach Montessori at Cal Poly. He then worked with Margaret Homfray and Phoebe Child to establish the Montessori World Educational Institute.
Contributing Founder
Phoebe Child
May 21, 1910 - February 13, 1990
Phoebe Child first studied with Dr. Montessori in London in 1929. She then went to Italy to take the International course offerred by Dr. Montessori in Rome. After World War II, Dr. Montessori then lived with Miss Child and Miss Homfray and while giving Montessori lectures at night (see The 1946 London Lectures).
Board Members
Executive Director
Sonya Lanzen-Castellanos
Sonya Lanzen-Castellanos, Executive Director of the Montessori World Educational Institute since 2002, launched her path in Child Development in the early 70’s. At California State University Los Angeles, she began studying child development and the neurosciences...
Board Member
Korey Dudley
Korey Dudley has been on the Montessori World Educational Institute Board for over 25 years. Korey earned her BS from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1980. She had the great fortune to be a Child Development student there in 1979 when Margaret Homfray, co-founder of the St. Nicholas Training Center in London, and colleague of Dr. Montessori, gave courses in Montessori Education.
Board Member
Mary Kern
Mary Kern received her Bachelors Degree in Child Development from Cal Poly State University in 1980 and her Masters Degree in Early Childhood education, also from Cal Poly, in 1990. She was fortunate to study Montessori with Margaret Homfray and Phoebe Child and received her Montessori Primary Diploma in 1981...
The Montessori World Educational Institute is accredited by the
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
For more information contact:
Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Schools
533 Airport Boulevard, Suite 200, Burlingame, CA 94010 | (650) 696-1060