"Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future." - Maria Montessori.
Maria Montessori was born in Italy on August 31, 1870. She became a doctor, specializing in pediatrics and psychiatry. Through her work with children, she became interested in child development and education. She began testing her educational method with special needs children and, because of her success, she wanted to see if "normal"" children would benefit from this style of education as well. (Rambusch, Montessori's Method: Stewardship Of The Spirit). She thought that "children are endowed with unknown powers, which can guide society to a radiant future," and that in order to allow children to fully develop, they need a free environment in which they can explore and learn from experiences. (Tzuo, p. 36) This belief lead her to create her own method of education. Her alternative education style is known as the Montessori Method of Education. It greatly differs from traditional education methods through its approach towards the teacher's role as well as the learning environments role in a students education.
Montessori Education follows a more "child-centered philosophy"" in that they place a "greater emphasis on children's freedom with respect to their learning initiatives " and less of an emphasis on the teachers control over the student" (p. 33). They focus more on "the importance of children's individual interests " so as to allow them the freedom "to create their own learning"" (p. 36). However, the teacher's role in a Montessori school has not been eliminated: it has just been changed. They still guide the child in learning, but their main focus is to try and maintain a "secure, socially responsive environment in which all individual and group interests are respected, " as well as preparing and arranging "a series of motives that inspire children to develop without any need of direct instruction" (p.
