Maria Montessori's scientific pedagogical method: A contextualized analysis of her main works

• Grant number: 24/20586-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Education - Educational Teaching and Learning
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Rodrigo Nishiwaki da Silva
• Grantee: Giovanna Beatriz da Silva
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This Scientific Initiation project presents an investigation into the scope of the theoretical contributions and practical applications of Maria Montessori's theory to the education of children in Brazil and around the world from the mid-20th century to the present day. Although the method has historically been placed in the same category as various other pedagogies presented as contrary to traditional practices, the Montessori method has specificities that may explain why it has spread globally to this day. The study will be carried out through a bibliographical, qualitative and exploratory research with the aim of understanding how and if Maria Montessori's thinking, based on her work "The Discovery of the Child: Scientific Pedagogy" (2017) and the compilation of the author's lessons organized in "The Creative Development of the Child: The Montessori Approach" (2023), originally published in 1909 and 1998, and compared with Hermann Röhrs' work 'Montessori' (2010), is influencing the field of Education and what results research into the Montessori method has presented, especially in Early Childhood Education today.