Close your eyes and think of your favorite and most impactful superhero... not the crime-fighting, vigilantes like Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and the like-though they are pretty awesome. Open your eyes again, and look at this picture. Guess what! You're looking at one of the most impressive superheroes who ever lived.
created by Paola Trabalzini, Professor at LUMSA University of Rome
In my own words
There are countless resources about Dr. Montessori. Rather than creating yet another biography of her, I'm going to paint you a picture of words, if you will, derived from my research and experiences. Like so many great humans both past and present, Dr. Montessori was a rebel from the start! Being the only and first female, Italian doctor of her time, she was ready to take society by storm while humbly sticking her tongue out at it, saying, "Just you wait to see what a woman can do!" And so uniquely did she! She became interested in the forgotten and outcast children of Italy's asylums, carefully studying and interacting with them only to find that they, too like the able-body and minded, had worth. Her work with these precious gems led her to her own school, Casa dei Bambini, where she taught children of a mixed-age group according to each child's personal interests and developmental needs. In other words, she respected and followed the child, taking a supporting role in his/her learning. Dr. Montessori valued and based each child's lesson plan on her scientific observations, allowing the child to take the driver's seat in his/her development. Though she left this earth in 1952, her work was not buried with her. Montessori, now known as an untraditional system of education, can be seen across 6 continents. Yes; it's a form of education, but this is the tip of the iceberg! Montessori affects the child, the adult, and the surrounding environment, creating a harmonious relationship amongst all three. But never forget that the emphasis is giving honor to the worthy, capable and precious child.
" I did not invent a method of education, I simply gave children a chance to live."
Dr. Maria Montessori, 1914
Dr. Maria Montessori, 1914