Maria Montessori

Hello. I am Maria Montessori. I was born on August 31, 1870 in Italy. I took an unconventional approach when receiving my own education. I was the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome La Sapienza Medical School, and was the first female doctor in Italy. In 1896, I served as the director of the Scuola Ortofrenica, which was an institution that cared for individuals with cognitive disabilities. After achieving acclaim for my work educating children with cognitive disabilities, I became interested in the potential of average children. In 1907, I started a school in a poor neighborhood in Rome, Italy called Casa dei Bambini. I believe that children should be allowed to work at their own pace, that children are capable of self-directed learning given the right environment, and that teachers should serve as observers and guides in the child's learning process, and I applied these beliefs at Casa dei Bambini. After Casa dei Bambini opened, others learned of my methods, and interest grew around the world. Though not always popular (I had some clashes with Mussolini!), I have influenced educational practices for over a century. Variations on my method of teaching are in practice today, all over the world.