About Maria Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori, one of Italy's first female doctors in the late 1800s, practiced at a clinic in Rome, caring for the impoverished and their children. 

While observing emotionally and mentally challenged children in a Rome asylum, she recognized sensory deprivation and how they sought tactile stimulation through crumbs. 

Dr. Montessori proposed education, not medicine, as the solution. Without a predefined method, she employed scientific observation akin to her medical training, discovering what engaged the children, how they learned, and how to facilitate learning. 

Many of these children later excelled in state exams, with marks higher than children without disabilities, earning her acclaim.

 Her ideas were then integrated into the Italian education system. Invited to establish a center for children of working parents in Rome's slums, the first Casa dei Bambini (House of Children) opened in January 1907. Her work was coined "an education for life," extending beyond classrooms to daily existence.



What is Montessori? 

Montessori is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning, and collaborative play.

It is a dynamic relationship between the child, the adult, and the learning environment.


Observe the arrows in this diagram, and their bidirectional nature. Both the environment and child engage in a reciprocal interaction. The environment exerts a magnetic pull on the child, who in turn learns from the resources it offers. Simultaneously, a dynamic interplay unfolds between the adult and the environment. The adult curates and adapts the surroundings to cater to the child's requirements, thus fostering a harmonious relationship.

At the core of this interaction lies a symbiotic rapport between the adult and the child, grounded in mutual respect. The adult assumes the role of an attentive observer, stepping in to give only as much assistance as necessary before stepping out of the way, subsequently allowing the child to autonomously pursue self-mastery.

Dr. Montessori emphasizes that Montessori education is not meant to inundate the child with mere facts but to nurture their intrinsic thirst for knowledge. 

These principles seamlessly extend to our homes, influencing our role as caregivers. By establishing an all-embracing environment within our adult spaces, we foster a sense of belonging and contribution for our children. Cool Bananas will provide you with helpful resources to skillfully arrange your home and life, thoughtfully incorporating your children into your everyday schedules. This approach nurtures your children's active involvement, allowing them to share their accomplishments with you, champions their independent discoveries, grants them appropriate freedom alongside well-defined and consistent boundaries, and creates an environment conducive to their success.