Just who is this woman who began an educational revolution that changed the way we think about children, more than anyone before or since?

Maria Montessori always seemed to be ahead of her time. She was born in Italy in 1870 and against all tradition began, at age thirteen, to attend a boys' technical school in preparation for her dream of being an engineer. After seven years of engineering she began pre-med and became the first female doctor in Italy.

In her work at the University of Rome's psychiatric clinic, Dr. Montessori developed an interest in the treatment of children and for several years, wrote and spoke on their behalf. She based her conclusions on the direct observation of children, accepted no preconceived opinions or theories about their abilities and did not attempt to manipulate their behavior toward any end. She constantly experimented and developed materials based on the needs interests, and developing abilities of children.

At age twenty-eight, Dr. Montessori became the director of a school for "unhappy little ones" which she called mentally disabled children. She spent eleven hours a day at the school, and late into the night at home, working on this project.

After two years under her guidance, these children, who formerly had been considered ineducable, took a school examination along with normal children and passed successfully. Educators called Dr. Montessori a miracle worker. What was her response? If mentally disabled children could be brought to the level of normal children, Dr. Montessori wanted to study the potential of "normal" children.
She went back to school to study anthropology and psychology and finally, in 1907, received the chance to intensively study normal children. She was asked to take charge of fifty children from the dirty, desolate streets of the San Lorenzo slum in the city of Rome.

"Like others I had believed that it was necessary to encourage a child by means of some exterior reward that would flatter his baser sentiments, such as gluttony, vanity, or self-love, in order to foster in him a spirit of work and peace. And I was astonished when I learned that a child who is permitted to educate himself really gives up these lower instincts. I then urged the teachers to cease handing out the ordinary prizes and punishments, which were no longer suited to our children, and to confine themselves to directing them gently in their work."

The news of her amazing success soon spread around the world and people came from far and wide to see the children for themselves. She was as surprised and awed as the visitors to the Casa dei Bambini.