A progressive system of education for early childhood through adolescence developed in the first half of the twentieth century by Maria Montessori (1870-1952), an Italian physician turned educator.

María Montessori' s educational methods are based on individualized, self-directed study, with children choosing the activities they want to work on and proceeding at their own pace, either alone or in small groups, using specially devised instructional materials that allow them to monitor and correct their own errors. The cornerstone of the method is the enjoyment and satisfaction that are produced when children's natural love of learning is respected and allowed to flourish without the regimentation of traditional instructional systems.

Historical Background

Maria Montessori pursued a lifelong interest in human development, first as a physician and later as an educator. The first woman in Italy to be awarded a degree in medicine, she began developing her educational...