Maria Montessori

Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori (1870–1952) was an Italian physician and

educator best known for the philosophy of education that bears her name, and her
writing on scientific pedagogy. When Maria graduated secondary education, she
was first interested in mathematics, and decided on engineering, but finally
became interested in biology and determined to enter medical school. In 1896 she
became the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome Medical School
and joined the staff of the University's Psychiatric Clinic.
Maria’s early medical practice focused on psychotherapy. She later developed an
interest in education, attending classes on pedagogy and engaging herself in
educational theory. Her studies led her to observe, and call into question, the
principal methods of teaching children with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. She started her first classroom “Casa dei Bambini” or Children’s House
in 1907.
Maria Montessori has written a number of books. Some appreciated worldwide, e-
g, ‘The Absorbent Mind’, ‘The Montessori Method’ and ‘The Secret of Childhood.’

The Montessori Method of Education

Dr. Maria Montessori is the founder of the Montessori method of education.
The Montessori method of education is a child-centered educational approach
based on scientific observations of children. Montessori's method has been used
for over 100 years in many parts of the world.
The Montessori method views the child as the one who is naturally eager for
knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared
learning environment. It attempts to develop children physically, socially,
emotionally and cognitively.
Montessori method based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and
cooperative play. In Montessori classrooms, children make creative choices in their
learning, while the classroom and the highly trained teacher offer age-appropriate
activities to guide the process. Children work in groups and individually to discover
and explore knowledge of the world and to develop their maximum potential.
The model has two basic principles:
● First, children and developing adults engage in psychological self-construction
by means of interaction with their environments.
● Second, children, especially under the age of six, have an innate path of
psychological development.
Based on her observations, Montessori believed that children who are at liberty to
choose and act freely within an environment prepared according to her model
would act naturally for optimal development.