Dr. Maria Montessori was an Italian physician, educator, philosopher and humanitarian. Her life work began in 1907, when she opened her famous "Casa dei Bambini" or "Children’s House".

She was one of the first educators who were particularly observant of children and their needs. She was so interested in working with the children that she devised a method so natural yet significant in a child’s development.

Through her observations and work with children she discovered their astonishing, almost effortless ability to learn. She believed that education begins at birth and that the first six years of a child’s life was of crucial importance.

Her passionate belief led her to years of tireless research and the creation of a self-motivating environment. Her main purpose was to provide the child with informative and educational materials to explore and develop his natural capabilities and in turn nurture his potential.

Maria Montessori’s philosophy is based on scientific observation of the child at various stages of development: infancy, childhood, adolescence and maturity. By cultivating a method of opportunity and acceptable freedom within a prepared and self-educating ‘Children’s House’ environment she has created the manifestation of her motto, ‘Teach me to do it myself’. Her ideas aroused world-wide interest because her methods proved successful with children of varying abilities from varied social backgrounds.

Many ideas originated by Dr. Montessori are now widely accepted by educators, particularly the importance of early childhood education and of 'hands-on' learning methods for young children. The Montessori Method includes the use of a wide range of specially designed teaching materials which form part of a "prepared environment," to enable children to learn individually at their own pace in a non-competitive atmosphere.

Montessori education will

• instil a love of learning in children
  
• empower children to develop as unique individuals
  
• teach children how to make decisions
  
• develop independence, self-confidence and self-esteem in children, and
  
• offer children the possibility to reach their full potential as human beings in today’s society.

Montessori Education is not simply to teach children basic skills and knowledge; it is to create a deep stable foundation on which the children will build the rest of their lives.