Maria Montessori was not afraid to go against tradition, a personality trait that allowed her to pioneer a new way of approaching early childhood education.
Montessori became a doctor at a time when most women in Italy did not pursue careers. During her training, she learned of the work that two French educators were doing with children with developmental disabilities.
Montessori further refined this sensory-based approach to education. She opened a school for children with developmental challenges, and many of her students made such great progress they were able to enter mainstream, public schools. Next, Montessori raised eyebrows by opening a school for children living in a slum of San Lorenzo. The scholastic success of these children, waifs that many people thought “couldn't learn,” drew the attention of educators from around the world.
Montessori was convinced that each young child came equipped with an “absorbent mind,” and that education was a matter of making information available as that mind became ready to absorb it. A more self-directed attitude toward learning guaranteed that students’ motivation stayed high. Montessori noted that young children are eager to master skills that lead to independence. She recognized the benefit of working with the unique “schedule” programmed into each child’s brain, instead of forcing memorization of bits of information.
Montessori wrote 25 books about her educational theories and practices. Montessori traveled extensively, training educators and supervising schools. Wichita Montessori school has a special connection to this educational pioneer, as Montessori personally helped instruct one of WMS’s teachers, Indranie Weerakoon.
