Dr. Maria Montessori began her career as an educator of children working with a group of fifty children, three-to-five year olds, on January 6th, 1907 in the city of Rome. She had at her disposal an untrained assistant, a room, a bit of furniture and developmental materials to aid sense perception which she had previously used when working with mentally handicapped children. Those children who were older had to be encouraged before their interest was aroused. Once enticed to use the materials, their attention was volatile. Dr. Montessori was astonished to see that the little ones, however, were intensely attracted by the materials, working spontaneously and repeatedly with them in total concentration.

Being a scientist, Dr. Montessori observed and responded to this phenomenon of spontaneous work generated by the apparatus. Little by little, through the experimental process of trial and error, she created a highly specialized form of apparatus, which to the child afforded a source of profound satisfaction. In addition, she provided an environment suited to and respectful of the children's inherent characteristics, "the prepared environment."

Out of this experimental foundation, the Montessori Method of Education evolved. Observing the quality of interaction between the children and their environment, and the choice or rejection of materials placed at the children's disposal, Dr. Montessori formulated a comprehensive science of human life in all its aspects and manifestations.