End The Violence In Our Schools. Vote Campbell This June!

Violence has no place in our schools. Enough is enough. 

Our hearts are broken for the children and teachers of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, as well as the parents and loved ones of those who were viciously murdered. We wish courage and resolve to all children, teachers and parents facing anxiety and fear of violence in our schools.

Peace through Education was Maria Montessori's vision. And although we desperately need more gun control legislation to protect our children, we also need to address underlying issues that lead to violence in our society. We need to teach our children how to solve their issues without violence. 

Hi. I am Joseph Guy Campbell. Montessori Education is my business. If you are a parent or a teacher, I want to help you!

I work with folks in Public Montessori programs serving under-resourced communities, all the way to the most expensive private Montessori schools serving children of the elite.

I work with leaders in Montessori Education to support families and parents, and bridge the gap between home and school. It is not easy raising children these days!

I am glad to announce that outcomes for Montessori children are consistent and good.

It's a great time to be involved in Montessori Education. And it is a great time to grow up with Montessori influence. Especially with all the trauma, anxiety and depression children are facing, Montessori Education can be a life saver.

Montessori Education is a method based on the science of how children learn. 

Montessori Education has been so successful, because it is a holistic approach to learning. Conventional education is different because it relies on punishment and extrinsic rewards to control children, kind of like prison.

Mental illness is affecting young people in drastic ways. Punitive methods of dealing with behavior, and the push for academic achievement, while ignoring other critical parts of human development, is exacerbating this problem. That is why we need reform. We need to let the science of learning guide Public Instruction Reform.

Imagine if a child’s intellectual, spiritual, social and emotional development was prioritized as much as their academic achievement.

Check out more on Spiritual Values in Education.

Imagine if schools, teachers and parents all coordinated their efforts, and used proven scientific methods to raise happy, healthy, and smart kids!

Imagine if the genius of every child was nurtured.

Montessori Education is a phenomenal approach to learning. 

Learn more about Montessori Education!

But if you want to know my opinion about education in general, we are in trouble. That is why I am running for State Superintendent. Children are more challenging to deal with than ever before. Parents are angry. Teachers are tired and quitting. And the rise of mental illness and decline of academic achievement among California children is an alarming trend. 

The politics of education are deeply divided. There is conflict and distrust between teachers and parents. Public Instruction needs reform. And we need renewed faith in the system in order for all stakeholders to prosper. I think I can help.

First, here are the good things that are happening in California education.

Tony Thurmond, our Honorable State Superintendent, is about to preside over the most significant increase in per-pupil spending ever! Our state is poised to see spending rise from an average of $14,000 to over $20,000 per pupil, annually.

California may switch to enrollment-based funding, rather than attendance-based funding. This will make it easier for schools to create annual budgets. 

There may be increased funding to help homeless children and families. It's hard to learn when you are a homeless child.

 

And now the bad news.

Public Education, by and large, is based on a top-down style of leadership and uses punitive measures designed to punish children for failing. Many people I know have a traumatic story about their experience at Public School.

Conflict is built into the system. For years the only way to address behavior has been to punish children. In fact, many adults cannot imagine how to relate to children without threats and punishment. 

The truth is we have all been gaslighted. Have you ever heard terms like, "This hurts me more than it hurts you."

Our education system doesn't just unfairly target Black and Brown children. Poor children are targeted. Neurodivergent children are targeted. Disabled children are targeted. LGBQT+ children are targeted.

Learn more about how we can support the most vulnerable students.

We have been conditioned to accept punishment as part of education, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Education should nurture a child’s spirit, not crush their spirit.

Too many children have been chewed up and spat out of Public Education with their spirits destroyed.

Unfortunately, as our leaders continue to pass the buck, teachers get blamed for a system that is failing.

And because many parents endured harsh treatment in school when they were students, there is a huge amount of distrust between parents and teachers today. 

Today, stressed out parents expect more from the Public Schools where they are required to send their children.

Conditions for teaching have deteriorated significantly over the last few years, and there is an exodus away from the profession. Our state is facing a severe teacher shortage. Teachers are desperate for better ways to engage their students. The majority of teachers show up every day with love for their children, only to be met with outdated, punitive policies they are required to follow. Other issues include pay that does not increase with cost of living, and long uninterrupted periods of time supervising children. Sometimes teachers cannot even take a break to use the bathroom.

So, why Montessori Education?

The science of learning clearly indicates that Montessori techniques work. Maria Montessori developed her methods over a lifetime of scientific observation and discovery. Montessori Education has been influencing and inspiring Public School Education for years. There are over 500 District, Magnet and Charter Public Montessori Programs open in America today. Many of these schools have operated with success for decades.

Children learn better when they experience joy and are not under threat of punishment. In Montessori schools cooperation is encouraged, compliance by force is avoided. Teachers and parents are empowered to meet the needs of their children and work together.

Montessori teachers are trained to respect and give individual lessons to all children, because all children are unique.  The Montessori phonics approach to reading makes learning to read and write fun! In Montessori Schools children learn to care for their environment. And children can move freely, they are not forced to sit still.  

Outside of the classroom, Montessori is a movement of supportive and concerned educators and community who promote children's rights, the science of learning, and peace and justice through education.

Montessori Education blessed my life growing up. While working in a Montessori School I witnessed happy, enthusiastic children learning academics along with practical life skills! Currently as a Montessori Education Publisher, I am thrilled to work with a community full of leaders who are concerned and vocal about issues regarding children's rights and social justice.

Today, more than ever we need to examine commonly held assumptions about education and how we relate to children. We need to trust the data, and trust the science. We need to restore faith in our education system in order to restore trust between parents and teachers. And we need to do that by innovating curriculum, and trusting teachers to lead and transform Public Instruction, and by empowering and supporting parents to meet the needs of their children!

Today, we need education that will enable children to thrive both socially and academically. We need students leaving our schools with bright minds and strong spirits. We need to invest in Public Education.

We need more Montessori Inspiration in Public Instruction.

Sign up below to get involved and save our children!