Maria Montessori

By Desiraewelle

  • Maria Montessori was Born

    Born to Alessandro and Renilde Montessori in Chiaravalle, in the province of Ancona, Italy

  • Moved to Rome

    Montessori family moved due to Alessandro's job.

  • Entered 1st Grade

    Attended the public school on the Via di San Nicolo de Tolentino.

  • Technical School

    At 12 years old Maria decided she did not want to attend the classical school that most women went to. Instead she desired to go on to a technical school.

  • Attended Regia Scuola Tecnica Michelangelo Buonarroti

  • Attended Regio Istituto Tecnico Leonardo da Vinci

    She studied modern languages and natural science. Her favorite subject was mathematics. She desired to become an engineer.

  • University of Rome

    Montessori no longer wanted to pursue engineering she decided she wanted to study medicine - something no women in Italy had ever done. Her father opposed.

  • Diploma di licenza to Study Medicine

    Passed her exams, making her eligible to begin the study of medicine. Since she was a women there was opposition. It is said she applied to Pope Leo XIII to intervene so she would be allowed to study medicine.

  • Rolli Prize and Scholarship

    Won during her 4th year at the University of Rome, in her 2nd year in medicine she impressed the faculty and won the coveted prize. Through scholarships Montessori was able to pay most of her own way through medical school.

  • Assistant Position in Hospital

    Won a competition for the coveted position. Allowed Montessori to gain clinical experience a year before her graduation.

  • First Woman to Graduate from a Medical School in Italy

  • International Women's Congress in Berlin

    Montessori was a delegate for Italy, at 26 years old. She spoke on the rights of working women.

  • Psychiatric Clinic and Rome Asylums

    Montessori began to work with nervous diseases and mental illness. She was responsible for visiting the Roman Asylums where she first started working with feebleminded children. She began to read the work of Itard and Sequin on mentally defective children.

  • University courses on Pedagogy

    Montessori attended the courses as an auditor and read all the major works on educational theory of the past 200 years.

  • Mario Montessori Born

    A child born from a love affair between Dr. Montessori and her colleague Dr Montesano. Kept secret, Mario was sent away to grow up in the countryside near Rome. Montessori would visit, but would not explain who she was.

  • Director of Orthophrenic School

    A new school to train teachers in the care and education of deficient children. Montessori began to experiment with the materials to stimulate the senses. She had great success. Some of the children were able to achieve the same results on state exams as typically developing children.

  • Left the Orthophrenic School

    Most likely due to the birth of Mario and the betrayal she felt when the father, Dr. Montesano married someone else.

  • University of Rome - Philosophy

    Began second degree and did anthropological research in the elementary schools. Appalled at the method of teaching and poor hygienic conditions Montessori wrote articles for better sanitary conditions and improved health care.

  • Lectured at the University of Rome

    From 1904-1908 Montessori lectured on anthropology and educational methods. The aim of the course was "to lay practical foundations of a far-reaching reform in our schools."

  • Mario Montessori Boarding school in Florence.

    7 years old. Montessori would visit, but would not say she was his mother.

  • Casa dei Bambini

    Opened her first Children's House. using the didactic materials. Montessori's observations of the children in San Lorenzo would go on to become the "Montessori Method." At the request of the parents Montessori made materials to aid in reading and writing. The children found quick success.

  • 2nd Casa dei Bambini

    In San Lorenzo

  • Casa dei Bambini - Milan

    First Casa established outside of Rome. Anna Maccheroni was in charge.

  • First Training Course

    Training course for 100 students, most were teachers, at Citta di Castello.

  • 1st Book Written

    Urged by her admirers to put her ideas and methods into a book. Montessori wrote the 1st edtion originally titled, The Method of Scientific Pedagogy Applied to the Eduation of Young Children in the Case dei Bambini. It would come to be known as the Montessori Method.

  • Teacher Training Courses - Casa at Via Giusti

    A demonstration school aided by the Franciscan sisters.

  • Devoted her life to the Montessori Movement

    Montessori gave up all other work to devote all her time and energy to the Montessori movement, to train teachers and spread her ideas. She resigned from her University of Rome Lectureship and removed her name as a practicing physician. (40 years old)

  • "The Montessori Method" - English Translation of Montessori's Book -

    Appeared in the U.S. and the 5,000 copies sold out in 4 days. 2nd place on the Nonfiction Best Seller List in 2012

  • Mother - Renide Montessori Dies

    Montessori would grieve and continue to wear a black mourning dress for most of her life.

  • 1st International Training Course

    Located in Rome students from all over the world, 67 from the U.S.

  • 1st Trip to the United States

    The first Montessori school was set up in Tarrytown, New York by Anne George in 1912.

  • Mario joins Maria

    Mario was 15 years old and knew Maria was his mother. He would be by her side for much of the rest of her life.

  • 2nd International Training Course & 3rd Book

    Book - Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook
    Training course was in Rome.
  • Period: to

    World War 1

  • 3rd International Training Course - U.S.

    Training course was in San Francisco and her son Mario came with. Worked closely with Helen Parkhurst.

  • Barcelona & 4th International Training Course and book

    Moved to Barcelona (which would be her home until 1936).
    4th International Training Course in Barcelona and 4th Book, the Advanced Montessori Method.
  • Period: to

    Lectures and Distrust

    Montessori continued to lecture London, Amsterdam, and Milan. Montessori believe that she was the only one that could properly train teachers and was very controlling of publications about her method. Wanting to ensure it was done properly she may have inadvertently halted its popularity and spread as well intentioned individuals fell out of favor with her.

  • Met with Mussolini

    Resulted in official recognition and widespread establishment of Montessori schools by the Italian government.

  • Mario Receives his Montessori Diploma

    At a training course in London.

  • League of Nations.

    Speaks in Geneva on “Education and Peace”

  • Mussolini provides funds & Fascist Government starts to intervene

    Mussolini allots 10,000 lire from his personal funds for the society's work. Fascist Government tells Montessori to include the Fascist anthem and Italian folk songs and composers in the music classes.

  • Teacher Training Course for Italian Teachers

  • Writes - The Child in the Family

    Will be issued in English in 1936

  • Montessori Teacher Training Center created in Rome

  • Association Montessori International (AMI)

    Montessori and Mario found AMI, headquarters are in Berlin

  • Gandhi Visits Montessori Schools

    Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement, visits Montessori schools in Rome.

  • 2nd International Montessori Congress in Nice, France

    Lecture on Peace and Education

  • Germany Closes all Montessori Schools

    Nazis end Montessori movement in German.

  • 3rd International Montessori Congress (Amersterdam)

    Also, training courses in London, Dublin, and Barcelona.

  • 4th International Montessori Congress (Rome)

    Jean Piaget would attend and be president of the Swiss Montessori Society for many years.

  • Italy closes all Montessori Schools

    After conflicts with the fascist system, all Montessori schools in Italy ceased to exist in a single day.

  • 5th International Montessori Congress (England)

  • Montessori Flees Barcelona and Settles in Holland

    Due to conflict in Spain Maria left her home of 20 years. Leaving quickly on a British Battleship she left most of her personal possessions behind. Arrived in English and persuaded by Ada Pierson (a student of hers) to go to Amsterdam. Mario join her with his children (separated from his 1st wife) Eventually a training center is set up in Holland and the AMI would go on to move its headquarter there.

  • 6th International Montessori Congress (Copenhagen)

    Theme is “Educate for Peace.” 200 representatives, none from Italy, Germany or the Soviet Union.

  • 7th International Montessori Congress (Scotland)

  • Hitler's Troops took over the Montessori Schools in Vienna

  • Goes to India with Mario for Training Course

    Village of palm-leaf huts was built for the training course. Mario would translate into English for her. 300 hundred attended. In India Maria no longer wore black, instead long, flowing white dresses often with the traditional garlands of flowers that her students gave her.
  • Period: to

    World War 2

  • Mario is interned in India

    Mario is interned by the British Government in India as Italy enters WWII on the side of the Germans.

  • Mario is Release on Montessori's 70th Birthday

    Out of respect for Montessori, Britain gives her a gift on her 70th Birthday - releasing her son. The Montessori's would not be allowed to leave the country until the war is over. Montessori would lecture throughout India during WWII.

  • Series of Lectures at Ahmedabad on the 1st three years.

    While in India Maria turned her attention to the study of very young infants.

  • All India Montessori Conference.

  • WWII Ends, Montessori and Mario return to Holland.

    Finally able to leave India, Maria and Mario return to Amsterdam and reunite with his children.

  • Montessori Returns to Italy

    Montessori schools start to be reopened. Maria lectures at the University of Rome.

  • Mario Weds Ada Pierson

    Mario marries his 2nd wife, Ada Pierson. Ada had looked after Mario's 4 children in Holland when he and Maria were stuck in India during WWII.

  • Montessori Returns to India

    Mario goes with and Ada joins in October with youngest daughter Renilde.

  • Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize (1949,1950 & 1951)

  • 8th International Montessori Congress (Italy)

  • Training Course in Pakistan

    Assited by Mario and Albert Joosten (former student).

  • 80th Birthday

    Lecture tours in Norway and Sweden. International conference in Amsterdam in honor of Maria Montessori’s 80th birthday.

  • 9th International Montessori Congress (London)

    Last training course attended by Maria. 150 delegates. Mario discussed her method during the day, trained teachers showed how it was applied and in the evening Montessori spoke of her philosophy.

  • Last Training Course (Innsbruck)

    First time back in Austria since 1930. Training course was from July -October. From here she went to Italy to give lectures in Rome and then returned to Holland.

  • Maria Montessori dies - 81years old

    Maria Montessori dies Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands. Working till her last moments Montessori was considering a trip to Africa. It was suggested she not travel due to health and that someone else could lecture for her. She questioned Mario, "Am I no longer of any use then?" She died an hour later from a cerebral hemorrhage.