Montessori education has always been about more than academics. It’s about guiding human development, nurturing independence, curiosity, and connection to the world. For many families, those values become even more important as children enter adolescence, a stage defined by questions of identity, belonging, and purpose.
Maria Montessori anticipated this stage long before modern research confirmed its importance. She described Erdkinder, the “children of the land,” as a prepared environment where young people could bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood through meaningful work, community life, and authentic responsibility. It wasn’t an afterthought; it was the next natural step in her vision.
At Meridian, this understanding has shaped our work for nearly two decades. Through Meridian Micro Farm, we’ve built a Montessori adolescent program that honors Montessori’s original intent while adapting to the needs of 21st-century learners. The result is an environment where learning remains human and relevant—where adolescents can explore independence without isolation, curiosity without comparison, and structure without rigidity.
Even with all Montessori has offered the world, adolescence is still the stage most often overlooked — and most in need of renewal. Across the nation, young people are struggling with disconnection, anxiety, and a loss of meaning. Life expectancy for teens and young adults has even declined in recent years, underscoring how urgently this age group needs attention, belonging, and purpose. Montessori’s vision offers a clear path forward: real work, real relationships, and an environment that connects learning to life itself.
For families continuing from Meridian Micro School, this next step offers continuity, a chance to deepen the same values that have guided your child’s education since the beginning. For families coming from Montessori elementary schools in Cincinnati, it offers a rare opportunity to remain within a true Montessori framework through adolescence, one that connects the philosophy you know with the developmental realities of today’s world.
Meridian Micro Farm represents the evolution of Montessori’s Erdkinder vision: deeply rooted, developmentally aligned, and designed for this generation. It reflects what a modern Montessori middle school and high school experience can be, grounded in community, connection, and purposeful work.
As we look ahead, we’re preparing to share more about how this next stage will unfold, an exciting collaboration that will further expand what’s possible for families seeking a complete Montessori education through adolescence.
To learn more about Meridian Micro Farm and the adolescent experience, visit our Adolescent Program page.
The microschool movement is focused on sustainability, not “school choice.” “School choice” is largely being funded by billionaires with a goal to privatize public schools. The grassroots microschool movement, which evolved from the desire to incorporate the freedom and flexibility of homeschooling with the benefits of traditional schooling, operates outside of any movement to privatize public schools or shift funding to private schools. We have never needed public schools to “fail” in order for grassroots microschools to succeed, and we never will.
While pandemic wasn’t necessarily a part of our emergency preparedness plan, Meridian Learning has a high level of expertise in navigating unique circumstances. Part of planning for unseen events is the ability to anticipate changes, as well as the ability to execute new plans quickly. Our organization utilizes a network of national and international experts to guide decision-making. Additionally, our micro model, which Meridian has pioneered in the education industry, enables us to remain highly flexible when most other schools cannot. Our organization is guided by the Montessori philosophy, rooted in science and research-based practice. Our efforts to advance this practice continue. Here are some specific ways we have accommodated concerns regarding COVID-19.