First published in 1914, “Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook” by Maria Montessori is the practical and accessible guide book to the author’s famous educational approach. Montessori, born in 1870 in Chiaravalle, Italy to an educated and well-off family, became a famed Italian physician, author, and educator who applied rigorous scientific principles to the study of the schooling of young children. The result was a revolutionary approach that emphasized the importance of self-directed activity for children and that the learning environment must be adapted to the developmental level of the particular child. Montessori placed great importance on the role that physical activities have in helping children master both practical skills and abstract ideas. Montessori’s methods were a radical departure from the standard educational practices in both Europe and America in the early twentieth-century and have become widely influential in how modern educators teach young children in an interactive, engaging, and vibrant environment. In “Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook,” she distills her extensive knowledge and research down to its basics and explains how to apply her methods to the education of grade school children. This detailed and approachable guide is indispensable for all educators and parents practicing the Montessori method.
