Maria Montessori.
Maria Montessori was an Italian doctor and educator who built a type of education around the idea that children learn naturally
At a young age she was confident student who was not willing to be limited by traditional expectations for women. When she was 13 she entered a male only school to prepare for a career in engineering.
She changed her mind and decided to become a doctor instead. She wasn’t successful at first but studied more and was eventually admitted. She was one of the first female doctors in Italy.
She developed an interest in education and attended classes to grow her knowledge. She was made one of the directors for a new school for special education teachers. She observed and experimented to learn which teaching methods worked best. Many of the children made unexpected gains in her method which included life skills and hands on materials that children could choose for themselves after they had had a lesson.
For the rest of her life, Montessori continued to grow her knowledge of the best methods for education. She spoke, wrote and developed an educational programme. Through her efforts and the work of others, Montessori education spread worldwide.
She campaigned forcefully on behalf of women’s rights including the need for more opportunities for women. Maria Montessori lived through two world wars. This helped form her view on peace education. While traveling and teaching in India in 1940, she was caught amongst hostilities between Italy and Great Britan and was forced to live there until the end of the war. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize six times and was a passionate advocate of peace.