• by Larry Dobrow , Featured Columnist, June 20, 2006

Montessori counts Prince Harry and Google's Sergey Brin and Larry Page among its grads. The method is taught at more than 5,000 North American schools. But to many people, Montessori education remains a mystery: Is it exclusively for wealthy families? For gifted students?

To clear up such misconceptions, the Montessori movement began publishing the bimonthly M: The Magazine for Montessori Families, which debuted earlier this year. "We found we'd been doing an incredible job of educating children, but not so good a job at educating parents and the population at large," concedes Michael Jacobson, M publisher.

The debut issue offers a school-selection guide for parents and tips on reinforcing lessons at home. Subscribers also receive M: The Montessori Folios, which takes a research-based look at topics surveyed in the magazine. M has inked deals with such advertisers as American Airlines and Windjammer Cruises. Jacobson projects around 200,000 subscribers by the start of the new school year in the fall.