Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori (1870–1952) was an Italian physician and educator. She received her doctorate from the University of Rome in 1896, becoming one of the first women in Italy to earn a medical doctorate. In 1907, she took scientific direction of the Casa dei Bambini in Rome, the first Montessori children’s house, where she developed the foundations of her educational method. She presented her ideas in numerous publications, lecture tours, and training courses.