150th Birthday of Maria Montessori

Portrait of the Italian physician, educational reformer, philosopher and philanthropist who developed the Montessori method. To the right, three pedagogical teaching aids and the Italian Republic monogram "RI". The commemorative inscription "MARIA MONTESSORI" is arranged at the lower left within a square, flanked by the years "1870" above and "2020" below. In the lower-left corner of the square is the Rome Mint mark "R"; in the lower-right, the initials "LDS" of coin designer Luciana de Simoni.

Maria Montessori is one of the most influential educators of the modern era, whose ideas have shaped education systems around the world far beyond Italy. As the first woman in Italy to complete a medical degree, she turned increasingly to educational research following her clinical work with children with disabilities. From this combination of medicine, psychology and pedagogy emerged the Montessori method: an approach that regards the child as an independent being who learns from within, and that consistently shapes the learning environment accordingly. Her first Casa dei Bambini opened in 1907 in a poor district of Rome - an experiment that quickly attracted international attention.

In the 20th century, the Montessori method spread rapidly: schools were established across Europe, North America and Asia, her books were translated into numerous languages, and Montessori herself lectured on every continent. Despite exile and political persecution - her schools in Italy were closed under Mussolini - she worked tirelessly to further develop her educational concept. Today, several tens of thousands of Montessori institutions worldwide form part of her legacy. Italy honoured one of its most significant daughters on the occasion of her 150th birthday in 2020 with a commemorative coin recalling her lasting impact on education and scholarship.