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Did you know that Springmont (formerly First Montessori School of Atlanta) was the first school in the southeastern United States to guide children using the Montessori method named for its creator, Dr. Maria Montessori? 

Maria Montessori was born August 31, 1870, in Chiaravalle, Italy, and became Italy’s first female doctor, graduating from the University of Rome in 1896. As part of her work in pediatrics, she observed children with mental disabilities, prompting her to develop her child-centered approach to learning. In 1907, she opened Casa dei Bambini, a thoughtfully prepared classroom that offered real-life experiences and hands-on learning using multi-sensory materials based on children’s developmental stages. Activities for the children included personal care such as dressing and undressing, care of the environment such as dusting and sweeping, and caring for the garden. Today, thousands of schools worldwide use the Montessori pedagogy, sharing her cornerstone belief that every child possesses the ability and skills to reach their full potential. 

Dr. Montessori was a trailblazer ahead of her time, and we are inspired by her daily. In honor of her and her extraordinary work, we will celebrate her birthday all next week! We invite you to stop by the Pavilion August 26-20 to take a photo at our photo station. If you post your pictures on social media, please use the hashtag #HBDMariaMontessori and tag Springmont!