At the turn of the century Dr. Maria Montessori, the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome, College of Physicians and Surgeons, began her work with children as a physician.

In later years she became an educator and anthropologist. Studying children in all conditions throughout the world, she discovered many universal principles underlying the development of all children.

Dr. Montessori discovered that children long for independence, and that their physical and mental development is dependent on movement. She recorded exceptional powers of concentration in even the smallest child.

Children learn, she found, in a child-sized environment that is stimulating and inviting, one that offers beauty and order. Placed in that environment, the child may choose his or her own work activities that have meaning and purpose for him or her.

“A child’s desire to work represents a vital instinct” – Maria Montessori