Dr. Maria Montesori And Dewey And Montessori's Educational System

The founder of one of the most popular and influential student- based educational systems in history was Dr. Maria Montessori. She is considered to be a true pioneer in her role as a feminist character in history that gained recognition for her intelligence and ability to affect the educational system by putting the needs of children before anything else. Because of her success in Italy, she was invited to travel the world to expose her educational programs and to lecture those interested in her type of teaching. Her beliefs were based on the fact that all children are born with an immense creative potential, the motivation to learn, and the right to be treated as an individual.
Originally, students in Montessori 's era were taught in a manner

While Montessori was interested in developing the intellect of children in order for them to use their imagination to form social relationships and individual’s talents, Dewey favored the development later in childhood in order to allow other growth in other areas. For example, Dewey did not like Montessori 's teaching of reading. He felt that children should not be taught to read until 8; Montessori believed it was when they were ready for it, usually beginning around the age of 4 or 5. The developments that Dewey was concerned with not only included physical but also mental

Because both believed in the active engagement of students in the classroom, they agreed that learning was not a passive process of information. The active engagement of children and physical things helps them to understand and form mental images; both theorists supported this type of learning. While Dewey believed that growth was most influenced by society, both theorists agreed that learning was also absorbed unconsciously from the environment. This fact helped Montessori and Dewey understand why children processed differently. Lastly, Montessori stressed individual skills, while Dewey concentrated on a group