Dr. Maria Montessori was an Italian physician and educator. She pioneered a revolutionary educational philosophy and pedagogy based on her work with children. The essential point of her pedagogy focused on love for the child and the relationships among all living things. She believed that education should prepare a person for all aspects of life. She designed materials and techniques that would promote a natural growth of learning in students.

She opened the first Montessori school, “Casa dei Bambini” in 1907 in an impoverished neighborhood in Rome. Her method allowed children to gain a sense of self-direction, and they saw rapid growth in their learning and self-construction in a very short time. Over the years, she studied children of all races and cultures in many countries around the world, continually modifying and expanding upon her methods and creating specialized materials to meet the needs of the children as they learned.  

Her philosophy and methods spread rapidly throughout Italy and Europe, and after some hurdles with critics, have been propagated via her organization, the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), and the American Montessori Society (AMS). She continued her observations throughout her life, widening and deepening her understanding until her death in 1952. Her son, Mario Montessori, worked diligently with her to continue her work and research, and he was her successor in continuing her legacy.

PHILOSOPHY/ WHAT IS MONTESSORI

Dr. Montessori devised her educational philosophy and curriculum around the unique developmental needs of the child at each phase of development. She described the period from birth to age 6 as the first plane of development, emphasizing the “absorbent mind” of children, which allows them to absorb information about their environment.

The Montessori Method of education is a child-centred educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. Dr. Montessori’s Method has been time-tested, with over 100 years of success in diverse cultures throughout the world.

Montessori education offers our children opportunities to develop their potential as they step out into the world as engaged, competent, responsible, and respectful citizens with an understanding and appreciation that learning is for life.

• Holistic Learning: Montessori education nurtures not only academic skills but also social, emotional, and physical growth. This comprehensive approach ensures that children are prepared for all aspects of life.

• Each child is valued as a unique individual: Montessori education recognizes that children learn in different ways, and accommodates all learning styles. Students are also free to learn at their own pace, each advancing through the curriculum as he is ready, guided by the teacher and an individualized learning plan.
• Beginning at an early age, students develop order, coordination, concentration, and independence: Classroom design, materials, and daily routines support the individual’s emerging “self-regulation” (ability to educate oneself and to think about what one is learning), toddlers through adolescents.
• Prepared Environment: The prepared environment is one of the core components of the Montessori philosophy. According to Dr. Montessori, the learning environment, and everything that the child comes into contact with should foster independent learning and exploration. The key components of the prepared environment are Freedom, Beauty, Structure and Order, Nature and Reality, and Social and Intellectual Environment.
• Vertical grouping: Students are part of a close, caring community. The multi-age classroom re-creates a family structure. Older students enjoy stature as mentors and role models; younger children feel supported and gain confidence about the challenges ahead.
• Montessori students enjoy freedom within limits: Working within parameters, the students are active participants in deciding what their focus of learning will be. Montessorians understand that internal satisfaction drives the child’s curiosity and interest and results in joyous learning that is sustainable over a lifetime.
• Students are supported in becoming active seekers of knowledge: Teachers provide environments where students have the freedom and the tools to pursue answers to their own questions.
• Self-correction and self-assessment are an integral part of the Montessori classroom approach: As they mature, students learn to look critically at their work and become proficient at recognizing, correcting, and learning from their errors.
• Emphasis on Self-Esteem: A strong sense of self-esteem is central to Montessori education. At Casa Bambino, we create an inclusive environment that supports the development of confidence, resilience, and emotional intelligence.
• Teacher as Guide: Teachers introduce cultural concepts and guide exploration. They support children’s interests in different cultures, facilitating a deeper exploration of global diversity.