Maria Montessori (1870-1952)
Italian doctor and educational radica
Maria Montessori was a woman of vision. In a remarkable life spanning eight decades, Maria Montessori, challenged convention to pioneer a radical new system of education; one which focused on the child as an independent learner and which spread to all corners of the world, affecting the schooling of millions.
Her visionary method of education has helped produce some of the most creative and successful people on the planet including the founders of Amazon.com, Wikipedia and Google. But Montessori's revolution might never have occurred had she not had the tenacity to confront prejudice head on.
As a young woman in nineteenth century Italy she defied social convention to study medicine and to become one of Europe's first female doctors. She campaigned tirelessly for the rights of women, children and the disadvantaged. She risked public condemnation by teaching sexual health to women and defied Italian society to become an unmarried mother.
By the 1930's her system of education had spread across from the USA to Japan. But she was forced to flee her homeland when she dared confront Mussolini. Her works were later burned by Hitler and she became a nomad, travelling the world and spreading a message of peace through education.
She leaves a legacy of thousands of Montessori schools across the world and having revolutionised the way in which the world views its children.
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