Shazia Saleem Roll No.
D - 13003 Module -1
Life & Work of Maria Montessori
(Lady Ahead of Her Time)
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Peace making effort at childhood
When Maria opened her eyes on 31st August, 1870 to an educated middle class family in
Ancona (Italy), women were allowed to prove their adeptness only at home making, with
children or as nuns.
As a child, Maria showed interest in the poor by doing some knitting for them daily. This
is foreseen as to the beginning of her peacemaking efforts of bringing the adult and the
child together. When she was young she had overheard a teacher of her mention about her
eyes and as a protest never raised her eyes at that teacher. It is here that Montessori principle
of not talking about children in front of them and thus giving respect even to the youngest
child.
Barriers till her graduation
Her father was a finance manager for a state-run industry. Maria experienced a long period
of opposition from her father Alessandro and other males of male dominated society of that
time. But her mother Renilde an unusually well-educated and broadminded lady, supported
her educational pursuit.
Her father suggested her a teaching career, she refused and chose engineering to pursue her
love for mathematics. To study this, she had to study in a school for boys. Later she
switched to medicine. A woman studying medicine was unheard of, thus she was first
rejected by the board of education but eventually triumphed. She became the first woman
medical student of Italy. She was able to pay and finish her studies by getting scholarships.
Shazia Saleem Roll No. D - 13003 Module -1
Her father disapproved her career choice, this though ended at the lecture that Maria so
eloquently delivered as a new graduate. Her father attended it and was given a multitude
of congratulatory remarks for having such a remarkable daughter.
First lady Doctor of Italy in 1896
In the same year she represented the women of Italy, in a feministic conference. She talked
about the cause of the working women. In a similar seminar she talked about child labor.
This was a sign to her deep connection with children, though unknown to her.
As a physician Maria specialized in pediatrics and new field of psychiatry. She continued
research at the University of Rome’s psychiatric clinic in 1897 there she worked for
physically or mentally disabled children. The children were placed in a bare room. She
observed that children after their meals would throw food on the floor and play with them.
She observed that these children had no toys to manipulate or use their hands on. She
decided that there had to be more than medicine to be able to these children.
Application of ideas of Jean Itard & Eduoard Seguine
Jean Itard & Eduord Seguine were two French doctors who believed in the education of
the deviated children. Maria shared the conviction that medicine was not the answer, but
rather education. She shared this idea at 1899 pedagogical congress. In 1900 the National
League opened Orthophrenic School—a medico pedagogical institute for training teachers
in educating mentally disabled children with an attached laboratory classroom. She was
appointed co-director. Teachers studied psychology, anatomy and physiology of the
nervous system, anthropological measurements, causes and characteristics of disabilities
and special methods of instructions. During her two years at the school Montessori
developed methods and materials, which she would later adapt to use with mainstream
children.
Shazia Saleem Roll No. D - 13003 Module -1
Montessori’s work with these children was so successful that her children eventually
passed a public examination given to normal children. It bothered her “how these normal
children in ordinary schools could have been equaled in intelligence by her ill students”.
Maria Montessori School
In 1906 there opened a housing project in the district of San Lorenzo, a slum area. In
Montessori’s desire to work with normal children, she was given the task of taking care of
young children of this area. The parents of this area were not able to take care of their
young children, as they had to work during the day. Maria was given a room to take care
of these children.
She equipped the room with child sized furniture. She was given an assistant who had no
teaching experience, which she appreciated as she tried her new methods for which a
background in education would have hindered. She did not give her assistant limitations,
but only showed her, how to present the materials. She observed child concentrating on
graded wooden cylinders with such concentration that efforts to distract her were useless.
And when the child had finished she seemed rested and happy.
Casa Dei Bambini (1907)
After all these observations and changes Casa dei Bambini started as a classroom that we
see in Montessori schools today. The fame of her school & methods quickly spread. Many
visitors from overseas were coming to observe these children. In 1909, she wrote “The
method of Scientific Pedagogy as Applied to Infant Education and the Children’s Houses”.
“Free choice is one of the highest of all mental processes”
Shazia Saleem Roll No. D - 13003 Module -1
The Montessori Movement
As the fame of Maria & her methods grew, she was plunged into the responsibility to
further teach others of her method. She saw it as a duty on behalf of all the children in the
world as a way to promote their rights and liberation.
In Rome a Montessori society was started called “Opera Montessori” and other similar
movements began in Europe and America. In 1929 she started “Association Montessori
International”. In 1949 she addressed UNESCO where she received an ovation and was
nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 3 times.
Lady ahead of her time – Modern Neuroscience
Montessori’s approach was far in advance of the general psychological understanding of
her time. She had raised voice for needs, rights and liberation to children, not only of her
time but all the generations coming after her death. She was highly respected for children’s
rights, women movement and peace education. She is no longer among us but her methods
& beliefs will always be a key to peace making processes.
I beg the dear all powerful children to unite with me for the building of peace in
Man and in the world.
The first duty of an education is to stir up life, but leave it free to develop, claimed Maria
Montessori more than a century ago. Today, the education triangle that her education and
her fundamental principles are based on are being proven by neuroscience. Steve Hughes,
a neuropsychologist, pediatrician is firm in his conviction that Montessori Method
strengthens certain brain functions that help expand cognitive development.
Shazia Saleem Roll No. D - 13003 Module -1
References
https://montessori.org.au/biography-dr-maria-montessori
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Montessori
www.dailymontessori.com/dr-maria-montessori/
https://studymoose.com/the-life-and-works-of-dr-maria-montessori-essay
https://amshq.org/Montessori.../History...Montessori.../Biography-of-Maria-Montessor..
