Doctor, anthropologist and educator, Dr Maria Montessori (1870-1952) spent more than 50 years studying the development of the human being from the moment of birth through maturity. With scientific accuracy she discovered and recorded the natural laws which guide the development of all children, regardless of ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender or social class. At each stage of development the child expresses very different physical, psychological and intellectual needs. Education must respond to these changing needs. Each stage of development requires a different educational environment, a different approach from the adult educator, and different educational materials for the children to use. That is when we see the phenomenon, so characteristic of Montessori schools, of children expressing joy in learning and thirsting for knowledge – of responsible individuals who participate in and contribute to their small community with a deep sense of affection and love.
The Montessori approach is acknowledged worldwide and is the most universally practiced alternative method of education. More than ever before, the Montessori approach responds to the needs of the contemporary child, supporting the advances in recent scientific research in the field of neuroscience and education.