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Maria Montessori
was born in Italy in 1870 and to prove her
exceptional qualities, became the first woman to
graduate in medicine in Italy. She became
increasingly interested in the needs of children and
by 1900 she was teaching Pedagogy at the University
of Rome. Parallel to her medical career, she was
intensely involved in work with children,
experimenting and developing a highly imaginative
approach to Education.
By 1910, Maria Montessori was already known as a
great educator and the originator of the educational
system that bears her name. Her success in Italy led
to the opening of other Montessori schools. For the
next 40 years, she traveled throughout Europe, Asia
and the United States lecturing, writing and
establishing teacher-training programs.
Addressing influential groups, she insisted that
adults should motivate children by providing them
with the right materials, by showing them how they
are used and then leaving the children to learn for
themselves.
When Maria Montessori died, in Holland, in 1952, the
value of her lifetime work was clearly apparent. The
Montessori Method was and remains, a widely
acclaimed educational concept with a proven record
of success and many dedicated followers. |
