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About Montessori

History of Montessori

The first Montessori school opened its doors more than 100 years ago, and the rest was history. Find out how a single institution led to a worldwide movement.

A Movement in
Milestones

1906

A Movement is Born

Maria Montessori is invited to create a childcare center in San Lorenzo, a poor, inner-city district of Rome.

1907

The Doors Open

Casa dei Bambini, Italian for “Children’s House,” opens for underprivileged kids whom many had thought were unable to learn.

1909

Buzz Builds

Montessori schools open on 5 continents. Dr. Montessori publishes her first book The Montessori Method, which is translated into 10 languages in 3 years.

1911

1911

Montessori Comes to the U.S.

By 1911, word has spread overseas. Montessori is gaining popularity in America and the first school opens in Scarborough, New York. Dr. Montessori travels to the U.S., giving lectures that draw large crowds. In 1915, she is invited to showcase her method at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. This fuels more American interest, and more than 100 Montessori schools open in the U.S. by 1916.

1950

Nancy McCormick Rambusch Revives Montessori in the U.S.

In the early 1920s, Montessori loses steam in the U.S.. Language barriers, World War I restrictions, anti-immigrant sentiment, and criticism from influential educators like William Kilpatrick contribute to the movement’s fading popularity. By the 1950s, a renewed interest emerges thanks to educator Nancy McCormick Rambusch. Rambusch devotes herself to Dr. Montessori’s method and sees new ways to utilize it in American schools. In 1960, Rambusch founds the American Montessori Society.

Today

Montessori Endures and Expands

Born over a century ago in a single classroom in Rome, Montessori has evolved into a global force. In the U.S., around 5,000 Montessori schools serve over 1 million children. Initiatives like Day One Academies highlight the method’s impact on education. Recognizable figures like NBA MVP Stephen Curry and Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin credit Montessori for their success. Today, Montessori classrooms not only endure—they expand, catering to diverse needs, including bilingual, faith-based, and inclusive programs.

Why look for AMS affiliation?

AMS member schools and the affiliated teacher education programs are dedicated to meeting quality standards, and work to provide an authentic Montessori education.

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FAQs

How and when did the Montessori method start?

In 1906, Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian educator, physician, and scientist, who had just judged an international competition on the subjects of scientific pedagogy and experimental psychology, was invited to create a childcare center in San Lorenzo, a poor, inner-city district of Rome. There, she would be working with some of the area’s most disadvantaged, and previously unschooled, children.

She opened the doors on January 6, 1907, calling the center the Casa dei Bambini—Italian for “Children’s House.” Dr. Montessori was determined to make the Casa a quality educational environment for these youngsters, whom many had thought were unable to learn—and she did.

To learn more about the history of Montessori, visit this page. To learn more about Dr. Maraia Montessori, go here.

What are the benefits of a Montessori education?

Montessori education is own for individually paced learning and fostering independence, the Montessori Method also encourages empathy, a passion for social justice, and a joy in lifelong learning.

Given the freedom and support to question, to probe deeply, and to make connections, Montessori students become confident, enthusiastic, self-directed learners. They are able to think critically, work collaboratively, and act boldly—a skill set for the 21st century.

For details on how a Montessori education provides these benefits, check out this page.

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