Biographical Sketch of Dr. Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori,
the first woman M.D. in Italy, was one of the great pioneers in the
study of child development. Upon graduation from Rome University Medical
School in 1896, she worked with mentally deficient children, which reflected
not only compassion, but also a rigorous scientific ability. She became
a lecturer at Rome University and set down the foundation of scientific
pedagogy in Italy.
In 1905,
Dr. Montessori began her innovative approach with a group of children
in the slum area of San Lorenzo in Rome. Within a year, her accomplishments
with these children earned worldwide acclaim and became a landmark in
the education of young children. She wrote 25 books on the various aspects
of her theory and practice, and formulated her approach for elementary
children in 1912.
Century
House Montessori School BVI adheres to the original precepts of Dr.
Montessori’s principles of Education.
PHILOSOPHY
The philosophical
foundation of the Montessori approach is based on the premise that education
should be an aid to life. In order to develop their physical, intellectual
and spiritual powers to the fullest, children must have freedom –
a freedom to be achieved through order and self-discipline. Respect
for a child’s personality and trust in the inner potentialities
are prerequisite to the foundation of an adequate educational alliance.