Maria Montessori

Before Maria Montessori stepped into the world of educating young children in 1907, there were very few advocates for children. Her special gift was attunement to the child. She was able to enter the child's mind by simply observing closely and patiently. So doing, she knew their needs and motivations, understanding as few had before her how the child learned. Her philosophy and methods grew out of her observations and proved so enormously successful, they spread around the world in a system of education known today as Montessori.

Maria stressed that her methods were grounded in an enlightened respect for the child. For her, children were whole and complete while also developing. This is a paradoxical stance to take. If something is developing, how can it be complete? If something is whole, how can it become?

On the following pages, we offer an overview of Maria's philosophy and methods for parents of children in Montessori classrooms and for parents considering Montessori for their children. After reading our overview, we hope parents will learn more by reading more and by visiting a Montessori classroom.

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