Maria Montessori

The Montessori Method

Dr. Maria Montessori was an Italian physician and educator known for the Montessori philosophy of education that bears her name. She opened the first Montessori school—the Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House—in Rome on January 6, 1907. Guided by her observations of children, she created a classroom environment in which children moved freely and independently, choosing activities to work with according to their own interests and academics levels. The Montessori classroom fulfills the child’s plea, “Help me do it myself!” in fostering a setting where children refine skills and develop mastery over themselves and their environment. Over 100 years since Dr. Montessori opened her school, the Montessori method classrooms is used all over the world.