History Note
Each month of 2007,
Access Press will feature an important person or persons in disability
history: local, regional or national
Maria Montessori:
Pioneer educator
of children
with disabilities
by the Access Press Staff
Maria Montessori, after becoming
the first Italian woman to earn a degree of doctor of medicine in
1896, became interested in education for special needs children while
stationed at the University of Rome’s psychiatric clinic. Montessori
(1870-1952) believed the focus in working with children who have
intellectual disabilities should be educational, not medical. Eventually,
the Italian government began an institution to train teachers for
this very purpose. After opening numerous schools based on her teachings,
Montessori was eventually nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1949, 1950 and
1951. ![]()
Source: Museum of disABILITY
History; www.museumofdisability.org
