The Montessori Method was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori who was the first woman in Italy to receive a medical degree. She believed that each child is born with a unique potential to be revealed, rather than a blank slate waiting to be written upon. Based on her observations of the child’s natural development, Dr. Maria Montessori believed that the child’s emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual self were interconnected with one another. The Montessori approach is a child-centered environment that encourages independence by providing developmentally appropriate materials that is used at their own pace. The use of materials alongside different age groups will create self- confidence, awareness of their surroundings and other people.
The integration of different ages is also part of the Montessori Theory where children of different age groups learn from one another. The interpersonal relations and cultural differences allows for the children to acknowledge the differences in each culture. The different age group allows the older children stature role models to the younger ones and the younger ones feel the support from the older children. The curriculum is tailored to each individual child. The goal of the Montessori education is to foster the child natural inclination to learn.