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Born to Alessandro and Renilde Montessori in Chiaravalle, in the province of Ancona, Italy
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Montessori family moved due to Alessandro's job.
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Attended the public school on the Via di San Nicolo de Tolentino.
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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.
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She studied modern languages and natural science. Her favorite subject was mathematics. She desired to become an engineer.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Won a competition for the coveted position. Allowed Montessori to gain clinical experience a year before her graduation.
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Montessori was a delegate for Italy, at 26 years old. She spoke on the rights of working women.
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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.
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Montessori attended the courses as an auditor and read all the major works on educational theory of the past 200 years.
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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.
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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.
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Most likely due to the birth of Mario and the betrayal she felt when the father, Dr. Montesano married someone else.
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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.
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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."
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7 years old. Montessori would visit, but would not say she was his mother.
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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.
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In San Lorenzo
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First Casa established outside of Rome. Anna Maccheroni was in charge.
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Training course for 100 students, most were teachers, at Citta di Castello.
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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.
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A demonstration school aided by the Franciscan sisters.
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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)
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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
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Montessori would grieve and continue to wear a black mourning dress for most of her life.
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Located in Rome students from all over the world, 67 from the U.S.
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The first Montessori school was set up in Tarrytown, New York by Anne George in 1912.
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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.
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Book - Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook
Training course was in Rome. -
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Training course was in San Francisco and her son Mario came with. Worked closely with Helen Parkhurst.
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Moved to Barcelona (which would be her home until 1936).
4th International Training Course in Barcelona and 4th Book, the Advanced Montessori Method. -
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.
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Resulted in official recognition and widespread establishment of Montessori schools by the Italian government.
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At a training course in London.
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Speaks in Geneva on “Education and Peace”
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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.
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Will be issued in English in 1936
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Montessori and Mario found AMI, headquarters are in Berlin
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Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement, visits Montessori schools in Rome.
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Lecture on Peace and Education
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Nazis end Montessori movement in German.
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Also, training courses in London, Dublin, and Barcelona.
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Jean Piaget would attend and be president of the Swiss Montessori Society for many years.
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After conflicts with the fascist system, all Montessori schools in Italy ceased to exist in a single day.
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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.
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Theme is “Educate for Peace.” 200 representatives, none from Italy, Germany or the Soviet Union.
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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.
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Mario is interned by the British Government in India as Italy enters WWII on the side of the Germans.
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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.
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While in India Maria turned her attention to the study of very young infants.
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Finally able to leave India, Maria and Mario return to Amsterdam and reunite with his children.
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Montessori schools start to be reopened. Maria lectures at the University of Rome.
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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.
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Mario goes with and Ada joins in October with youngest daughter Renilde.
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Assited by Mario and Albert Joosten (former student).
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Lecture tours in Norway and Sweden. International conference in Amsterdam in honor of Maria Montessori’s 80th birthday.
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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.
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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.
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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.