Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori was born in 1870 in Italy. At the age of 26, she earned the distinction of being the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome in medicine. Her work with children began a year later. This eventually led to the opening of the first Montessori school in 1907 in Rome. The Montessori Method proved so successful, she gave up her medical practice and two chairs at the university in order to expand her ideas. Her theories spread through Italy and to other parts of the world: Spain, the Netherlands, the United States, England and India. Maria Montessori died in 1952 at the age of 82. Her tireless efforts are her legacy to all the children of the world, regardless of nationality or creed. Today there are over 8,000 Montessori schools worldwide.