History of the Montessori Education Approach

Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, developed the Montessori approach in Rome, Italy. Dr. Montessori, working with under-privileged children in the early 1900's, discovered that young children become absorbed in a serious interaction with specialized manipulative materials. Through this interaction and experience in her prepared environment, the children developed an extraordinary high level of intellectual and social ability at young ages.

Expanding her study of the young child, she gradually refined her approach to all child development areas through her experience and research in countries as diverse as Spain and India until the time of her death in 1952. The Montessori Method is now being successfully implemented with children in nearly every country of the world.

The Montessori Education Method

The Montessori Education Method became a significant influence in the United States in the early 1960's, when parents and educators began to appreciate the importance of early childhood education. Today there are more than 3,000 Montessori programs in this country, which have a tremendous influence in all facets of American education. The Montessori Method is applied most frequently in pre-school and elementary education grade levels. Montessori education has no religious affiliation, is not a therapy, nor is it an approach useful only with certain categories of special children. The Montessori Method is effective in pre-school, elementary school and high school. In addition, Montessori techniques can be used successfully with gifted children, children with learning disabilities and other special needs.