Maidford Montessori Nursery

Dr Maria Montessori (1870 – 1952)

In 1870 the world saw the birth of a truly remarkable woman called Maria who has had a profound influence on how education has progressed over the last 100 years. She was the first young woman to be awarded a place at the University of Rome Medical School, from where she graduated in 1896 with top honours.

As Maria Montessori began her work with children who had special needs, she was dismayed at the way these children were treated and educated and so began implementing radical changes to the environment in which they were living and the way in which they were treated. It quickly became apparent just what wonderful things these children, previously labelled 'stupid' and 'slow', were able to achieve in a loving and safe environment.

It was due to her incredible success with these children, that in 1907 she was invited to open and run the 'Casa dei bambini' or 'house of children' in one of the worst slums of Rome. Here she continued her scientific observations and studies of the child in a 'controlled' environment. The ideas she developed from observing these children were revolutionary and still remain challenging and innovative today.

It was on these studies of the child, made in the casa dei bambini, that she based the core foundations of the Montessori method that would develop into the one we admire today. These theories were not clinical and cold but tailored for the needs of a growing child, they came from her profound love and respect for all children.

Montessori stated that the first six years of a child’s life are of utmost importance
She observed that by giving a child the opportunity to choose freely from a range of specifically designed self-educating materials in the prepared environment, that they will naturally be attracted to what will best serve their educational and emotional needs
All children, said Montessori, are intrinsically motivated to learn and they absorb knowledge without effort when provided with the right kind of activities at the right time in their development
It is the role of the teacher to prepare the environment with the materials that will do this, and to help each child develop the kindness, courtesy and self discipline that will allow them to become full members of society, to be on hand at all times to encourage, answer questions, and to promote a harmonious learning atmosphere

This "Montessori method" proved so popular that she dedicated the rest of her life travelling around the world establishing schools and lecturing about her discoveries. Dr Maria Montessori died in 1952 at the age of 82 leaving behind her the legacy of the Montessori Method of Education, an educational method that is embraced by children and adults worldwide. It is a method that combines child-centred equipment with a fresh and modern approach that enables each child to achieve their full potential.