2025.04.04

In the footsteps of the pioneers ~ The life of Maria Montessori and the educational revolution

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Maria Montessori. Anyone involved in education has probably heard this name at least once. She is a great figure who not only revolutionized the world of education at the beginning of the 20th century, but also contributed to the social empowerment of women. Its educational philosophy is still supported and practiced around the world today. In this article, we look back at the life of Maria Montessori and delve into how her educational revolution was innovative and impacted modern education.

Article Contents

Maria Montessori, a pioneer in education
- 1. Maria Montessori's Birth and Adolescence ~ Budding as a Pioneer

Maria Montessori, a pioneer in education

1. Maria Montessori's Birth and Adolescence ~ Budding as a Pioneer

Maria Montessori was born on August 31, 1870 in Chiaravalle, a small town near Ancona, Italy. At that time, Italy was a young nation that had just been unified, and the whole society was oscillating between tradition and transformation. Her father, Alessandro, was a strict man who worked as a state employee, while her mother, Lenilde, had a deep interest in education and played an important role in fostering Maria's curiosity and inquisitiveness.

From an early age, Maria showed a keen curiosity and extraordinary intelligence, as well as a passion for education. However, society at that time was negative about women's higher education. Her strong will to pursue higher education challenged the conventional wisdom of the time and foreshadowed the role she would later play in education.

At the age of 13, she entered the Polytechnic School, where she showed her talent in mathematics and science. During this period, her interests turned to rigorous disciplines such as mathematics and science, which fostered logical thinking. However, there was always a deep concern for humanity and a sense of mission to contribute to society. It is not hard to imagine that the learnings and experiences of this period had a profound impact on her later teaching practice.

2. The Path to Medicine and the Transition to Education ~ Encounters with Children

Maria went on to study at the Sapienza University of Rome and became Italy's first female doctor of medicine in 1896. In the society of the time, it was an unprecedented feat for a woman to earn a doctorate in medicine, and it was a testament to her fortitude and outstanding abilities.

Montessori began his career as a doctor of medicine and initially worked in psychiatric hospitals treating children with intellectual disabilities. This encounter would change her life forever. At that time, children with intellectual disabilities were not considered to be the subject of education and were largely neglected. However, Montessori becomes aware of the potential they possess and explores ways to encourage their growth.

In observing children with disabilities, she found that they exhibited amazing concentrations and learning abilities in response to specific environments and stimuli. This discovery was an important inspiration for her later creation of the Montessori Pedagogy. In traditional education, children were viewed as receivers of knowledge in a one-sided way, but Montessori convinced me that children have the ability to learn and grow on their own.

3. Establishment of the "Children's Home" and the birth of the Montessori pedagogy

In 1907, Maria Montessori founded the "Children's House" (Casa dei Bambini) in the San Lorenzo district, a slum in Rome. The facility was intended to educate and care for poor children in the slums, but initially the children were cared for by people with no expertise in education.

However, Montessori focused on closely observing the growth of children and creating an environment in which they could demonstrate their ability to learn on their own. She has introduced specially designed materials and teaching materials to allow children to learn at their own pace and according to their own interests. This approach had a surprising effect, with children learning spontaneously and demonstrating incredible concentration and creativity.

Through her practice in the Children's Home, Montessori codified her own teaching theories and practices. That was the birth of the "Montessori pedagogy" that later spread around the world. Her pedagogy was aimed at seeing children as agents of learning and growth, not just recipients of knowledge, and to bring out their full potential.

4. The core of the Montessori pedagogy ~ Bring out the child's self-education ability

The core of the Montessori pedagogy is to maximize children's ability to learn and grow on their own (self-education). She emphasized creating an environment where children were free to follow their interests and curiosity. The classrooms are designed to allow children to move around freely and learn using materials of their own choosing.

Some of the distinctive elements of Montessori education include:

It is important to create an environment with specially designed teaching materials and teaching materials so that children can learn and grow on their own.
Teaching materials are available for learning various fields such as teaching tools and sensory education, language education, and arithmetic education. These tools are designed to allow children to learn at their own pace and with their own hands.
Children are free to choose activities according to their interests and developmental stages. Teachers observe children's activities and provide support as needed.
Sensitive period: In children's development, there is a "sensitive period" in which it is easy to acquire certain abilities. In Montessori education, the educational environment is prepared according to this sensitive period and the growth of the child is encouraged.
Self-education: Rather than one-sided teaching by teachers, we emphasize children's ability to learn and grow on their own. Teachers support and observe children's activities to encourage their development.
Cooperative and Montessori education provides opportunities for children of different ages to learn and grow from each other by working together.

5. The concept of "sensitive period" and the key to capturing child development

In Montessori education, the concept of the "sensitive period" is very important. She believed that there is a "sensitive period" in children's development when it is easier to acquire certain abilities at certain times. The sensitive period is a great opportunity to acquire certain abilities, and providing the right environment during this period will allow children to develop efficiently.

Some of the main sensitive periods advocated by Montessori include:

It is a sensitive period of exercise, a time when you enjoy moving around, and it is important to develop your athletic skills during this period.
It is a period of sensory sensitivity, a time to explore the world through the five senses, and it is important to hone your senses during this period.
It is a time when you enjoy learning and using words, and it is important to develop your language skills during this period.
It is a sensitive period of order, a time when we seek order and rules in the environment, and it is important to develop the habit of following the rules during this period.
It is a sensitive period of sociality, a period of seeking to interact with others, and it is important to develop social skills during this period.

In Montessori education, the educational environment is prepared according to these sensitive periods, and the ability of children to learn and grow on their own is maximized.

6. Maria Montessori: The Method of Love and Creation – Depicting Her Struggles and Passions

The film Maria Montessori: The Method of Love and Creation, which is scheduled to be released on March 28, 2025, depicts Maria Montessori's seven-year struggle to establish her own pedagogy. The film gives us the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of her humanity by portraying her passion as an educator as well as her struggles and struggles as a woman.

The lead actor, Jasmine Trinca, is expected to captivate the audience with her brilliant portrayal of Maria Montessori's complex emotions. Through the film, interest in the Montessori pedagogy will increase, and more people will be exposed to her teaching philosophy.

7. Social Transformation through Montessori Peace Philosophy and Education

Maria Montessori was more than just an educator, she was also a peace activist. She believed that the growth of children would contribute to world peace, and she advocated for social change through education. Especially after World War II, UNESCO and other international arenas worked to spread "children's rights" and "peace education", and its influence spread around the world.

She believes that "children have the power to create peace" and aimed to sow the seeds of peace in their hearts through education. Her peace philosophy is still very important today, suggesting that education is the key to social change.

8. Outcomes of Montessori Education, Its Effects and Implications

Montessori education has a strong reputation around the world, and its results are supported by numerous studies. Children who receive a Montessori education have been reported to improve a variety of abilities, including independence, creativity, cooperation, and problem-solving skills.

In addition, many of the world's most successful celebrities have received Montessori education. For example, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos have also received Montessori education. These examples suggest that Montessori education is a highly effective pedagogy for unlocking children's potential and laying the foundation for their success in society.

9. International Expansion, Expectations for the Future, and Contribution to Contemporary Education

Montessori education has been adopted in more than 110 countries, and about 20,000 more educators teach children this way. This pedagogy transcends cultural and linguistic barriers to provide learning opportunities to children around the world.
The International Montessori Association (AMI) supports the international spread of Montessori education. AMI promotes teacher training and educational programs around the world, helping to maintain and improve the quality of Montessori education.
Montessori education has the potential to solve the challenges of modern education. For example, the need for individualized education, the importance of active learning, and the promotion of independent learning in children are examples of Montessori education's principles, which provide important implications for contemporary educational reform.

Summary ~ Maria Montessori's legacy

Maria Montessori has upended the concept of education and created innovative pedagogy to unlock the potential of children. Her life and accomplishments inspire us to rethink not only education, but society as a whole. Her philosophy of education is still very important in the present day and will be a beacon for the future of education.

The concept of "children's ability to self-educate" advocated is a philosophy that should be shared not only in the field of education, but also in society as a whole. It is our mission to pass on her legacy to the next generation and to build a society where all children can reach their full potential. We hope that the release of the movie "Maria Montessori: The Method of Love and Creation" will be a big step in that direction.

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