Montessori
Philosophy

What is Montessori?

Montessori is a philosophy of education with the fundamental tenet that a
child learns best within a social environment that supports each individual’s unique development.

Dr. Maria Montessori, creator of “The Montessori Method of Education”, based this new education on
her scientific observations of young children’s behavior. As the first woman physician to graduate
from the University of Rome, Dr. Montessori became involved with education while treating children
labeled as “retarded”. In 1907 she was invited to open a child-care center for desperately poor
families in the San Lorenzo slums of Rome. She called it a “Children’s House”, and based the
program on her observations that young children learn best in a homelike setting, filled with
developmentally appropriate materials that provide experiences contributing to the growth of
self-motivated, independent learners.

Dr. Montessori designed materials and techniques for self-contained hands-on areas of the
classroom. Practical life, sensorial, math, language and geography materials are all within easy
reach and invite exploration. A child may work alone or ask another child to share in a project,
read a book, or have a snack. Within the environment a sense of community develops, based on
respect for learning and for one another.