Who was Maria Montessori?

Maria Montessori was born in Italy in 1870.  She showed signs at an early age of being a trailblazer and having big dreams.  She was the first woman to graduate medical school in Rome.  Her first assignment after graduating was to work with a group of 'defective' children in a psychiatric clinic.  She observed these children and devoted care to them and soon they began learning.  These children were tested and found to be of 'normal' standard.  This was an achievement described as the first 'Montessori Miracle'.  Montessori then questioned what her practices could do with 'normal' children.  Montessori spoke about her belief that learning is something that unfolds naturally within a child and that when provided a prepared environment and trained teachers, children thrive, learn, develop, mature, and find a peace within themselves because they are satisfying their need to learn.  

In 1907, Montessori opened her first school called 'Casa dei Bambini'.  Montessori wanted to teach children ways to develop their own skills at a pace they set.  The school was in a housing project and focused on children learning 'self-development'.  Teachers would present materials and lessons as children showed an interest and readiness to learn new skills.  The success of this school sparked the opening of many more Montessori schools.  Maria Montessori became well known world wide and was a well respected educator.  

With many years of observing and working with children, Maria Montessori found that children progress through different 'sensitive periods'.  These are times when the brain is most ready to learn something new so the child seeks out ways to perfect that new skill.  In the Montessori classroom, we may see children in a sensitive period for math and have a desire/need to count for days on end.  Or, they may be in a sensitive period for order and we will carefully observe children performing a lesson exactly how they were shown it, being careful and intentional with their movements.  Maria Montessori saw children as competent beings and believed they should be encouraged and allowed to make decisions.  In the Montessori classroom, children are given the freedom to make choices as well as the opportunity to understand the responsibility that goes along with that freedom. Children have the ability to choose work and respect the materials and environment.  Because they are given this freedom, they take ownership in their space and the community that resides there.  The children will give reminders to one another to clean up a work, or return a work to it's proper place, if they forget or make a mistake.  Children are trusted and encouraged and take on leadership roles in the classroom that leads to positive social interactions as well as accountability.   

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