To relieve poverty in Madagascar
was born in 1870 in Chiaravalle, Italy and died in 1952 in Noordwijk in the Netherlands. Raised from a very traditional male dominated family, her wish to study further was supported by her mother. She then could face the social and cultural limits dedicated to women at that time. At the end, she was able to study at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in Rome. From there she was interested in the physical and psychological development of the child from birth.
She first work with deficient children and realise that these children learn like all children. She also undertook studies in Anthropology that led her to a teaching chair in pedagogical anthropology in the University of Rome.
In 1907, Maria Montessori heard about children for whom parents are looking for a care system and decided to take care of them. The same year she opened the first children’s house “la casa dei Bambini” in San Lorenzo, Rome, which welcomed young children. She has used this experience to develop and implement educational materials that children can actually experience.
In 1909, in Italy, Maria Montessori gave the first training course in her pedagogy, attended by about a hundred teachers. She also published Volume 1 of Scientific Pedagogy, a book in which she explains her method and origins.
In 1930, Maria Montessori met with Anna Freud, participates in the Congress of Education, met with Mahatma Gandhi in 1931. She gave training courses and conferences.
In 1949, she published The Absorbent Mind, in which she transmitted her spiritual and philosophical approach to the child, among many other books.
She has dedicated her life to the human being.
Montessori pedagogy has inspired thousands of teachers around the world, leading to the creation of many nursery and primary schools, middle schools and high schools.
As a proud Montessorian parents, la "casa dei Bambini" was the most evident inspiration for the launch of Akanin'ny Kilonga in Antananarivo Madagascar, for a first step.
Dr Maria Montessori
