Maria Montessori
M aria Montessori was born
August 31, 1870 in Chiaravalle, Italy.
Dr. Montessori was the first woman to graduate from the University of
Rome La Sapienza Medical School, and the first female doctor in Italy. As a member of the University’s
Psychiatric Clinic, she became interested in educating children with special
needs and learning disabilities.
In 1896 Dr. Montessori was appointed head of an institution in Italy that
was devoted to the care and education of mentally handicapped children. Soon after working with these children,
she had several 8 year olds take state exams, and they passed with above
average scores. This success
prompted Dr. Montessori to look into the effects of her teaching philosophy on
children without disabilities.Dr. Montessori then started a school in Rome, which opened in 1907. This school was called "Casa dei Bambini" or "Children's House". At this school, she focused on teaching children ways to develop their own skills at a pace they set for themselves. This is a Montessori principle known as “spontaneous self-development”. The success of this school prompted the opening of many more like it around the world, and sparked an interest in the Montessori method of education. In the 1920’s, Mussolini exiled Dr. Montessori from Italy because she refused to compromise her principles and make children into soldiers. She lived in Spain until the Spanish Civil War in 1936, at which time she moved to the Netherlands. In 1939 she was invited to visit India, where she worked with her son, Mario Montessori, to lay a strong foundation for the Montessori Movement in India. In 1949 she left India, and returned to the Netherlands where she stayed until her death on May 6, 1952. |
Calendar of Events
- 05/20/2013 | 05:00 Girls' Soccer Game
- 05/21/2013 | 05:00 Flag Football Game
- 05/22/2013 | 04:30 Girls' Soccer Game
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