Maria Tecla Artemisia

Montessori.
Early life and Career;
*She was an Italian Physician and educator best known for the philosophy of education.
Montessori was enrolled in classes at an all-boys technical school, with hopes of becoming
engineer. She soon had a change of heart and began medical school at the Sapienza
University of Rome. Her educational method is in use today in many public and private
schools globally.
*Montessori was born on August 31, 1870 in Italy. Her father was an official of the
Ministry of Finance and her mother was well-educated. She was very close to her mother
who readily encouraged her and a loving relationship with his father, although he disagreed
with her choice of education.
*She started her education in 1876 in Rome. After completing her graduation in 1890 in
Physics-Mathematics, she decided to study medicine. But she was discouraged by Guido
Baccelli, the professor of clinical medicine at the University of Rome. She enrolled in the
same university in a degree course in natural sciences, in 1893 qualified entrance into the
medical program at the university.
*Montessori graduated from the University of Rome in 1896 as a doctor of medicine. Her
thesis was published in 1897 in the journal Policlinico. She found employment as an
assistant at the university hospital and started a private practice.
*Montessori continued with her research at the university’s psychiatric clinic. She visited
asylums in Rome where she observed children with mental disabilities, this became the
foundation of her educational work. She read the studies of Jean Marc Gasphard Itard and
Edouard Seguin, who greatly influenced her work. Montessori created a far more specific
and organized system for applying them to the everyday education of children with
disabilities.
*In 1899 Montessori was appointed a councillor to the newly formed National League for
the Protection of Retarded Children. She was appointed as director of first Orthophrenic
school in 1900 opened by National League. The school was an immediate success, attracted
the attention of government and department of education and health. Some these children
later passed public examination given to so called “normal” children.
International Growth of Montessori Education;
*In 1909, Montessori work began to attract international observers and visitors and was
published internationally. In 1911, Montessori education was officially adopted in public
schools in Italy and Switzerland and was planned for UK. By 1912, it was spread in many
other western European cities. The Montessori Method: Scientific Pedagogy as Applied to
Child Education in the Children’s Houses, where it became a best seller.
* She travelled US(1915), later for further development she came back to Europe and took
residence in Barcelona, Spain(1915-39). Montessori spoke on peace and education, the 6th
International Montessori Congress(1937) was held on theme “Education for Peace”.
Montessori held peace conferences from 1932 to 1939 in Geneva, Brussels, Copenhagen and
Utrecht, which were later published.
Montessori in India;
*One student of India attended the 1st international course in Rome in 1913. The
Montessori Society of India was formed in 1926.
*Montessori came to India in 1939 and lived here till 1946. She gave a training course at
the Theosophical Society in Madras in 1939 and had intended to give a tour of lectures at
various universities and then return to Europe. When Italy entered WW2 on the side of
Germany in 1940. Britain interned all Italians as enemy. While Montessori herself was
confined to the Theosophical Society compound and was reunited with her child Mario
after two months. Montessori remained in Madras and Kodaikanal until 1946, although
they were allowed to travel in connection with lectures and courses.
*In 1944 she gave a series of 30 lectures on first three years of life, these lectures are later in
1949 collected in a book What You Should Know About Your Child. A term “cosmic
education” was developed in India by Montessori and Mario it means ‘to learn and get
education directly from nature’. In 1944, she travelled to Sri Lanka. In 1945, she attended
the 1st All India Montessori Conference in Jaipur and in 1946, she and her family returned
to Europe. After independence she again visited to India and also to Pakistan and founded
Montessori association in 1949.

Awards and Honours;

*Three times nominated for Nobel Peace Prize.
*French Legion of Honor.
*Officer of the Dutch Order of Orange Nassau.
Death;
Montessori died of a cerebral hemorrhage on May 6, 1952 at the age of 81 in the
Netherlands.
Montessori Method and Works;
*This method is for young children and stresses the development of a child’s own initiative
and natural abilities, especially through practical play. Children were divided in three
meaningful age groups: 2-2.5years,2.5-6years and 6-12years. In the last age group deal with
abstract concepts based on their newly developed power of reasoning, imagination and
creativity.
*Montessori published a number of books, articles and pamphlets during her lifetime. The
major works were published in The Montessori Method, Pedagogical Anthropology, The
Advanced Montessori Method-Spontaneous Activity in Education and The Montessori
Elementary Material.
*The Montessori Method: Scientific Pedagogy as Applied to Child Education in the
Children’s Houses.

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