Our Philosophy
Maria Montessori believed that the most important aspect of her work was her discovery that children become joyful, caring, and self-motivated learners when they can independently choose an activity that allows them to concentrate deeply on their current interests.
At these times, young children learn with great ease, reaching surprising levels of achievement.
@Athenree montessori philosophy
At Athenree Montessori we aim to create:
An environment that “follows the child”
Excellence in learning, creating independent thinkers who are eager to explore and experiment
Ecology, conducting our lives sustainably, mindful of our impact on other natural things
Generosity of Spirit, ‘good people create good people’, as children learn to be part of a community, they are learning about respect for each other and the environment
Who is Maria Montessori…
Maria Montessori was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator, acclaimed for her educational method that builds on how children naturally learn.
She was born on August 31, 1870, in the provincial town of Chiaravalle, Italy. Her father was a financial manager for a state-run industry. Her mother was raised in a family that prized education. She was well-schooled and an avid reader—unusual for Italian women of that time. The same thirst for knowledge took root in young Maria, and she immersed herself in many fields of study before creating the educational method that bears her name.
Maria’s early medical practice focused on psychiatry. She also developed an interest in education, attending classes on pedagogy and immersing herself in educational theory. Her studies led her to observe and call into question, the prevailing methods of teaching children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The opportunity to improve on these methods came in 1900 when she was appointed co-director of a new training institute for special education teachers. Maria approached the task scientifically, observing and experimenting to learn which teaching methods worked best. Many children made unexpected gains, and the program was proclaimed a success.
In 1907 Maria accepted a new challenge to open a childcare centre in a poor inner-city district. This became the first Casa De Bambini, a quality learning environment for young children. The youngsters were unruly at first, but soon showed great interest in working with puzzles, learning to prepare meals, and manipulating materials that held lessons in math. She observed how they absorbed knowledge from their surroundings, essentially teaching themselves.
Utilising scientific observation and experience gained from her earlier work with young children, Maria designed learning materials and a classroom environment that fostered the children’s natural desire to learn. News of the school’s success soon spread through Italy and by 1910 Montessori schools were acclaimed worldwide.
