Maria Montessori (1870-1952), Italian educator. After being the first woman to graduate in medicine from the University of Rome, Montessori worked with mentally handicapped children and then as a teacher in various universities. Her research into philosophy and child development led her to develop the Montessori method of education, which assumes that children learn best by interacting with concrete materials. She spent her life promoting her methods through her writing and teaching. Color enhancement of BM8763.