Who Were the First Social Entrepreneurs?

Dr. Maria Montessori

Children teach themselves. This simple idea inspired Maria Montessori's lifelong pursuit of educational reform. In 1906 she founded Casa dei Bambini or "Children's House" in Rome. There she developed what ultimately became the Montessori method of early childhood education. Montessori's theories were based on what she observed children doing by themselves, unassisted by adults. Her work changed the way we think about children, and her method has been adopted all over the world.

Photo: Library of Congress