Want to know about the Florence Convention on Montessori, 7th June 2025?
What are Education and Peace and M.R.I.T.
Education and Peace
Education and Peace: from the title of a series of conferences given by Maria Montessori to a project comprising different actions whose purpose is the transformation of the relationship between the adult and the child/adolescent. The acknowledgement of needs young human beings have if they are to follow their natural development , allow us to better help them to build self awareness and to become active in the world. To follow the way nature has defined for each of us, will allow anyone to progress into healthy adulthood. Basing on our rediscovered ability of observation, we can finally work to change ourselves as adults.
We refer to the global Montessori movement (AMI, AMS, etc.), and in general Nonviolent movements.
Montessori Related International Training (M.R.I.T.)
Montessori Related International Training (MRIT) is a project which aims to spread examples of international culture and knowledge which focus on an idea of education based on trust and a positive attitude towards children and adolescents.
Our purposes:
- 1 – To help to build bridges between Italy and the global debate on the relationship between adulthood and child/adolescent development; we intend to do that in particular through the translation of courses/workshops, scientific and non scientific material;
- 2 – to help to enlarge the idea of Montessori not only as a school method, but as an approach to the wider society, to humanity, to the purpose of education itself, related to the “Montessori Philosophy”. When education is view as a relationship, it allows the growth of both the child and the adult. In this view “Montessori” is fully compatible with other approaches. Our references are not only AMI and the whole international Montessori movement, but also Positive Discipline [Jane Nelsen], Mindfulness [e.g. Thich Nath Hanh], Non Violent Communication [Marshall Rosenberg], etc.
- 3 – Our target are not only teachers, but all those involved in helping child development, either as a professional or as a parent.
MRIT is an idea by Lucio Varriale, who directs and coordinates the project: it promotes its aim cooperating with different associations and groups.
The author
Hi, My name is Lucio Varriale. I’ve got a Degree in humanities 2004, PhD Cultural Anthropology 2007-2011. I’ve worked for many years as a Montessori teacher in the Elementary grade, in Italy (first experience 1998).
I started my Montessori journey in 2013, studying for the Montessori Elementary Diploma with Opera Nazionale Montessori (the Italian authority for Montessori).
- Opera Nazionale Montessori course 6-11 (coordinator: Paola Collina)
After that, I felt the urge to know more about Montessori international movement, and I studied with AMI for
- AMI Assistant 0-3 course (trainer: Heidi Philippart)
- AMI Diploma 3-6 course (trainer: Elina Rautasalo)
My goal is now to help Italian people to build bridges to the International Montessori movement, and the culture of education related to that. My work is not only a language translation for italian speaking people. The background and the general setting of many (not all, but many) Italian people working in Montessori schools are usually a bit far from what, outside Italy, is meant to be an authentic Montessori school. So sometimes it is hard even to understand what they are talking about. That’s why I’m working on a translation of culture, trying to help any person to be enriched by the comparison between what they think to know, and what they can learn from other’s experiences abroad.