The Montessori Reader

By Maria Montessori

The Montessori method revolutionized how children were educated. The Montessori method is characterized by an emphasis on self-directed activity on the part of the child, using specialized materials that are presented very precisely by the teacher. It stresses the importance of adapting the child's learning environment to his or her developmental level, and of the role of physical activity in absorbing abstract concepts and practical skills. Collected here in this 3-in-1 omnibus edition are Maria Montessori's three most important works: The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook, and The Montessori Method.

The Absorbent Mind was Maria Montessori's most in-depth work on her educational theory, based on decades of scientific observation of children. Her view on children and their absorbent minds was a landmark departure from the educational model at the time. This book helped start a revolution in education. Since this book first appeared there have been both cognitive and neurological studies that have confirmed what Maria Montessori knew decades ago.

In Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook, Maria Montessori explains the basic of her system, how it works and why it works. There are dozens of figures to help illustrate her points. "My method is scientific, both in its substance and in its aim. It makes for the attainment of a more advanced stage of progress, in directions no longer only material and physiological."

The Montessori Method teaches reading via phonics and whole language, the comparative benefits of which are currently being recognized. To all educators this book should prove most interesting. All who are fair-minded will admit the genius that shines from the pages which follow, and the remarkable suggestiveness of Dr. Montessori's labors. -Henry W. Holmes

• Language: English
• Publisher: Start Publishing LLC
• Release date: Mar 25, 2013
• ISBN: 9781625588760

Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was an Italian educator and physician. Born in Chiaravalle, she came from a prominent, well-educated family of scientists and government officials. Raised in Florence and Rome, Montessori excelled in school from a young age, graduating from technical school in 1886. In 1890, she completed her degree in physics and mathematics, yet decided to pursue medicine rather than a career in engineering. At the University of Rome, she overcame prejudice from the predominately male faculty and student body, winning academic prizes and focusing her studies on pediatric medicine and psychiatry. She graduated in 1896 as a doctor in medicine and began working with mentally disabled children, for whom she also became a prominent public advocate. In 1901, she left her private practice to reenroll at the University of Rome for a degree in philosophy, dedicating herself to the study of scientific pedagogy and lecturing on the topic from 1904 to 1908. In 1906, she opened her Casa dei Bambini, a school for children from low-income families. As word of her endeavor spread, schools using the Montessori educational method began opening around the world. In the United States, the publication of The Montessori Method (1912) in English and her 1913 lecture tour fostered a rapid increase of Montessori schools in the country. For her groundbreaking status as one of Italy’s first female public intellectuals and her role in developing a more individualized, psychologically informed approach to education, Maria Montessori continues to be recognized as one of the twentieth century’s most influential figures.