
What is Montessori?
Montessori is an approach to early education that focuses on the immense capacity of children to absorb information when given the freedom and independence to learn at their own pace.
It was developed by Maria Montessori, whose desire to help children was so strong that she gave up both her university chair and medical practice to work with a group of 60 young children belonging to working parents in the San Lorenzo district of Rome. It was during this time that Montessori observed children’s effortless ability to absorb knowledge from their surroundings, as well as their tireless interest in manipulating materials.
Children teach themselves – is the crux of Montessori philosophy. This simple but profound truth inspired Maria Montessori’s lifelong pursuit of educational reform, methodology, psychology, teaching and teacher training – all based on her dedication to furthering the self-creating process.
The work of Maria Montessori lives on through the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), the organisation she founded in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1929.