Preface
前言

The process remained mysterious until, aided by the intuition of one who loves truly, Dr. Maria Montessori penetrated into the hiddenrealm of the child's psyche and revealed it. The children who made this revelation possible came from the lowest strata of society; they were tearful, frightened and shy, yet greedy, violent, possessive and destructive. Gradually, as their psychic needs were fulfilled, they underwent such an extraordinary transformation that the press of the time wrote of "converted children." The witnessing of this spiritual phenomenon changed Dr. Maria Montessori's life. It is true that the children learned writing spontaneously at four and a half years, but what was really important was their changed behavior. Man is not made of culture alone; there is something much more essential. If this part continues to be disregarded and emphasis put only on culture, the more advanced man becomes, the more dangerous he will be. Man has discovered flight, he has discovered atomic energy, but he has failed to discover himself.
借助于瑪利亞·蒙臺梭利博士的直覺，這個過程才不顯得那么神秘化了。蒙臺梭利真正地熱愛兒童，洞察和揭示了兒童的整個心靈。使得這種揭示成為可能的兒童來自社會的最低層；他們眼淚汪汪、膽戰(zhàn)心驚、畏畏縮縮，卻又貪婪、粗暴、懷有占有欲并具有破壞性。漸漸地，當他們心靈的需要得到滿足時，他們經(jīng)歷了一種極不尋常的變化，時間在他們身上打上了“皈依了的兒童”的印記。對這種精神現(xiàn)象的目睹，改變了蒙臺梭利博士的生活。兒童確實在4歲半時就自發(fā)地學習寫字，但真正重要的是他們行為的改變。人并不僅僅是由文化構(gòu)成的；在人身上存在著某種更本質(zhì)的東西。如果這部分東西仍然被忽視，而僅僅強調(diào)文化，那么，人越是進步，他將越是危險。人已經(jīng)發(fā)明了飛行，發(fā)現(xiàn)了原子能，但他還未能發(fā)現(xiàn)自己。

Here in lies the real value of Dr. Maria Montessori contribution. To illustrate the radiance of the emerging souls of the children, she undertook a campaign that lasted all her life. After her death the Association Montessori Internationale continued her task with congresses and study conferences,by establishing Montessori societies and training courses. If children are to be given the aid they need,people must be trained. As time went on training centers were established in Ceylon, Denmark, England, Eire, France, Germany, India, Italy, Pakistan, Switzerland, and the United States. The people trained spread out to all continents, to the old and the new nations.
這里有著蒙臺梭利博士所作的真正有價值的貢獻。為了揭示兒童正在形成的心靈的光輝，她發(fā)動了一場畢其終生的運動。在她去世后，國際蒙臺梭利協(xié)會通過建立蒙臺梭利學會和開設訓練班，利用各種大會和研討會繼續(xù)她的工作。如果要給予兒童所需要的幫助，人們必須受到訓練。隨著時間的流逝，在錫蘭、丹麥、英國、愛爾蘭、法國、德國、印度、意大利、巴基斯坦、瑞士和美國建立了蒙臺梭利訓練中心，受過訓練的人們分布在世界各國。

But Dr. Montessori's books remain the most effective instrument of the Association, and this first American translation of The Secret of Childhood is a very welcome addition indeed-for our work in all the English speaking countries, but especially in the United States. For here a number of schools use Montessori only as a teaching method. Here also, many people maintain that this is what Dr. Montessori meant. They disregard what she most valued: the contribution the child can give humanity. I have often thought this notion should be refuted because of the confusion it causes, but where can one find a person to speak with sufficient authority?
但是，蒙臺梭利博士的著作仍然是國際蒙臺梭利協(xié)會的最有效工具；《童年的秘密》這本美國最早的譯本，在所有的英語國家里，尤其在美國確實是很受歡迎的一本書。這里有一些學校僅僅把蒙臺梭利作為一種教學方法在使用。這里也有很多人認為這就是蒙臺梭利博士的本意。他們忽視了蒙臺梭利最看重的東西：兒童所能給予人類的貢獻。我常想到，應該批駁這種看法，因為它引起混亂。但是，在哪里才能找到一個說話有足夠權威的人呢？

Here is the answer. Let Maria Montessori speak for herself.
答案就在這里。讓瑪利亞·蒙臺梭利為自己辯護吧！

Mario M.Montessori
馬里奧·M·蒙臺梭利

Director General, Association Montessori International
國際蒙臺梭利協(xié)會總干事

【海藍點評】

《童年的秘密》的前言就全部在這了。這是馬里奧（兒子）為蒙臺梭利（母親）寫的，從中我們看到很多的蒙臺梭利培訓機構(gòu)在各國建立。另外概括出兩點：

第一文章中說到：只有經(jīng)過訓練才可以去幫助兒童。可見蒙氏教師是需要嚴格把關的。

第二蒙臺梭利的精髓不是簡單的作為教學方法，而是：兒童所能給予人類的貢獻。