Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori was a doctor, educator, mother, and icon in the educational sphere. She became one of the first female physicians in Italy in 1896. Her early work as a physician led to her being employed as a surgical assistant in Rome. It was through this position that she came to work with the poor, children in particular. From there, she went on to work on a research program, where she worked with children in an asylum in the slums of Rome. It was here that her method and her role as an innovative educator were born. She became an advocate for social reform through education. She petitioned heads of state for the education of teachers to work with children with special needs and asked that adequate provisions be made available to these children to help them learn and grow. She studied sensorial education for children with special needs at an institution in Paris. It was there, under the tutelage of Edouard Séguin, that Montessori developed respect for the needs of ...
