Maria Montessori, the first female to receive a doctorate in medicine in Italy, became one of the greatest pioneers in the study of child development. After her 1896 graduation in Rome, Montessori worked with mentally challenged children. Her rigorous scientific analysis, coupled with her natural compassion for the uniqueness of the individual child, attracted widespread attention. Her unparalleled success garnered an invitation for a university lectureship in pedagogy. These now famous lectures soon became academic models for Italian, and eventually, international education.
While gratified by the academic
accolades of her pedagogical peers, in 1908, Dr. Montessori began using her
unprecedented approach with a group of children living in the slums of San
Lorenzo, Rome. Within a year, the achievement of the students solidified the
merits of Dr. Montessori's approach to education. Internationally known individuals who began their education as Montessori students include:
- Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, former U.S. first lady
- Julia Child, author, chef, television host
- Anne Frank, author
- Sergey Brin & Larry Page, founders of Google
- Helen Keller, author and educational activist
- Sigmund Freud, father of psychoanalysis
- Alexander Graham Bell, inventor
- Princes William and Harry, British Royalty
Dr. Montessori wrote 25 books on the theory and practice of early childhood
development and education. The Rattan Montessori School aspires to incorporate
these timeless practices into the daily routine of all its students.
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