Frequently Asked Questions

How can I hold The Silent Journey & Discovery^®at my school?

Please contact us for information on obtaining a license to hold this event at your school.

Is The Silent Journey & Discovery^® used as an admissions program?

The event is specifically developed for currently enrolled families at Montessori schools.

What is the cost of the program?

Your school's investment in the program will depend on several factors including school size, location, previous experience, and commitment.   We will be happy to help you establish a budget.

Who is Barbara Gordon?

Barbara is a pioneer in early childhood education and Montessori in Texas. She has a B.S. from Texas Technological University, a master’s degree in special education from Texas Woman’s University, and Montessori primary training from the Centro de Estudios de Educación in Mexico City.  Barbara served as the Head of School of St. Alcuin Montessori School in Dallas for 24 years. In 1971, she founded the Montessori Academy of Grapevine, subsequently renamed The Barbara Gordon Montessori School in her honor by the school’s parents.  An internationally recognized expert in Montessori education, Barbara has been a consultant and Head of School at Montessori of Maui in Hawaii, The Whitby School in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Children’s Montessori School in Ipswich, Massachusetts.  Barbara is a frequent lecturer and workshop presenter on parent education and school administration throughout the United States and around the world.  She served for 10 years as President of the Montessori Administrators’ Council USA.  She is the founder and former Executive Director of AMITOT, a nonprofit organization that inspects and licenses Montessori schools in the State of Texas, and President of The Montessori Institute of Texas, a professional development organization for Montessori teachers, administrators, and parents.  

When did the The Silent Journey & Discovery^® begin?

In the mid 1970's, in an effort to help parents' understanding of their child's experience in the classroom,  Barbara Gordon, then the Head of School of St. Alcuin Montessori School in Dallas, Texas, (called Montessori Academy at the time) began to work with the staff to develop a program of presentations to the parents in the various areas of language, math and cultural subjects.  After years of hearing paretns of six-year olds say "I think it is time for my child to go to a real school", Barbara realized that parents were not relating to their child's educational growth in the Montessori environment.

After sepending some time brainstorming with the staff, the idea for a hands-on, participatory experience through which parents could discover how their children learn in a Montessori environment, evolved as "The Journey."  The parents were allowed to choose from among specific Montessori materials selected for their workshop, manipulate and work with them in the classroom environment just as their children choose work and make discoveries at school.

Upon observing the interaction of the parents with the materials during the first "Journey", it was evident some type of preparation was needed, even though most parents had observed their children at work in a classroom beforehand.  They needed time to actually absorb the beautiful and intentionally structured environment before beginning to work with the materials.  Thus began the "Silent" portion of The Journey where parents spend time studying and observing the classroom environment without comment.  "The Journey" was restructured and became the two-day workshop that continues to be utilized today known as The Silent Journey & Discovery ^®.