Maria Montessori lived from 1870-1952. She was the first female doctor of medicine in Italy. Through her work with handicapped and socially deprived children, she developed her unique educational method, know as the Montessori Method. As a result of her further study, observation, and experimentation, she found the principles of her method to be applicable to all children. Dr. Montessori's influence can be seen not only in the number of schools that bear her name, but throughout the fields of child care, education, and child development.
Children have sensitive periods or phases of development for certain types of learning.
During this time the child's focus is intensified on one area of her development - such as learning to read. Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment. Careful observation of the child is necessary in order to continually adapt the learning environment so that the child may fulfill his greatest potential - physically, cognitively, emotionally, and spiritually. Dr. Montessori gave the world a scientific method, practical and tested, for bringing forth the very best in young human beings. This system of education is both a philosophy of child development and a rationale for guiding such growth.