First published in 1912, "The Montessori Method" is the English edition of Maria Montessori's groundbreaking 1909 work on early childhood education. Maria 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. Over a hundred years later, "The Montessori Method" continues to provide invaluable insight and guidance to both teachers and parents so that they may develop the most effective and supportive learning environment for their students and children. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.