Dr. Marlene Barron’s distinguished international career in Montessori education spanned over 50 years. She founded the Staten Island Montessori School in 1965 and served as Head of West Side Montessori School in New York City from 1979 to 2007, co-directing its teacher education program until 2008. Holding a Ph.D. in early childhood education from New York University with a specialization in emergent literacy, she continued her work after retirement by supporting schools and teacher training programs in China and Japan. Among her many publications is a four-book series for parents, Real Montessori Education Happens in the Family (2017, CITIC Press, Beijing). Her earlier works include the Ready, Set, Learn series (Wiley, 1995/96), I Learn to Read and Write the Way I Learn to Talk (1990), and several key texts for educators such as Recording and Reporting and Sensorial Ideas. A passionate advocate for high-quality education, Dr. Barron brought dedication, vision, and excellence to every aspect of her work. Most importantly, she was a Montessori mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She passed away on June 1, 2022, at the age of 83.
