These “unfortunate” children were successful in passing exams on the same level as their “normal'' counterparts. These 22 children who had previously thrown their food onto the floor to play with it showed the ability to care for themselves.
The legacy of these two doctors, and others, greatly impacted Maria Montessori in her work. She now had her chance to put into practice and experiment with the theories and modified materials of Itard and Seguin. In 1900 she was appointed the co-director of a training institute established by the National League for Retarded Children. Montessori worked for, and later volunteered in the psychiatric clinic of the University of Rome doing research work. She was one of Italy’s first female physicians blazing a trail that others would follow (6)Īfter her graduation from University, Dr. She ranked among the highest in her class and became the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome’s school of medicine (5). Montessori’s inclination in the field of medicine was pediatrics. She frequently worked apart from the rest of the class as propriety of the day dictated that she could not dissect cadavers alongside her male peers. She was admitted, but found continued obstacles in her path. When Montessori was rejected, she refused to be defeated and took additional courses to prepare herself. She applied to the University of Rome’s medical program, then considered a man’s field. Again, her father disapproved of her choice, but walked her to and from classes daily. Here she found that biology interested her and decided to become a doctor.
Her father was a conservative gentleman and disapproved of this path, but even so she intended on a career in engineering (4).Īs it came time for university studies Montessori became a student of Mathematics, physics, and science at the University of Rome. At the age of 13 she, with the help of her mother, entered an all-boys technical school. In her earlier years, Montessori showed a particular proclivity in mathematics (3). This gave her the advantages of education in the larger cities of Italy and Maria Montessori used those opportunities.
The family moved in 1875 when her Father’s work took their family to Rome (2). Her father, Alessandro Montessori worked for the Italian Ministry of Finance as an official in the state-run tobacco industry. She was born into a well-educated, middle class family (1). Maria Tecla Artemesia Montessori was born Augin Chiaravalle, Italy.
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