Who?

Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator in the field of early childhood education. She is best known for developing the Montessori method and educational philosophy.

What?

Self-directed learning: children are encouraged to independently choose and engage in activities that interest them. This promotes a sense of autonomy, intrinsic motivation, and a love for learning.

Prepared environments: a variety of hands-on, sensory-rich materials that are accessible to children at all times. The environment is organised and aesthetically pleasing, with a focus on order, beauty, and simplicity.

Mixed-age grouping: Montessori classrooms typically have mixed-age groupings, where children of different ages work together in the same environment. This allows for peer learning, collaboration, and social development

Why?

Montessori’s work directly shaped:

• observation-based practice

• child-centred pedagogy

• hands-on experiential learning

• prepared learning environments

• mixed-ability classrooms