Maria introduces early childhood education and adult literacy course to UNESCO

(Part II of “The Story of Maria”)

In 1946 when UNESCO was founded as part of the United Nations system dedicated to non-political concerns of mankind as Education, Science (Social and Human Science, Natural Science, Communication and Culture) Dr. Maria Montessori became a member of the Italian delegation. On the 40th anniversary of UNESCO in Paris, 40 years later in 1986, Minister of Foreign Affairs Salvador “Doy” Laurel appointed me to represent the Philippine National Commission in UNESCO in Paris headquarters. I was then elected to the UNESCO Conseil Executif, the highest and most prestigious body of the agency. It was also the 20th year of the Operation Brotherhood Montessori school operation complete with preschool to professional high school. I was excited to see the large portrait of Dr. Maria Montessori prominently displayed in front of the plenary hall. I was told by the UNESCO French archive director that the dottoressa deserved this honor as one of the major UNESCO luminaries, for if it were not for her both Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Adult Literacy Education would not have been introduced to the world. These interventions are recorded in the archives and often referred to since these two themes are deemed the solution of UNESCO as “education for eradicating poverty and education as the armament of peace.”

The Star of Bethlehem

It was on the feast day of Epiphany, Jan. 6, 1906 when Dr. Maria Montessori inaugurated the first Casa dei Bambini (Montessori preschool for three- to six-years-olds) at the rehabilitated slum area of Quartiere di San Lorenzo in Rome. The past year, 60 slum preschoolers who were vandalizing their newly constructed tenement building were miraculously “converted” to love work and order in a small classroom filled with scientific toy-like Montessori apparata, which the porter’s daughter, whom Dr. Montessori trained, guided them to use.

A strange feeling made the Dottoressa announce emphatically, “Just as the Star of Bethlehem beckoned the three wise men to come, and see the Light of Christ, so will this light shine fourth within the child to illuminate the world.” Her system, correctly applied in different societies did ignite the spirit of the young child transforming him to love work, love order, obey and be self reliant – thus transforming the nation.

In the autumn of 1949 she was invited to address a gathering of UNESCO. On this occasion she received a great ovation from all present, the whole assembly rising to its feet to acclaim her. At the end of her conference in December of the same year, the French nation honored her by decorating her with the medal of the Legion d’ Honneur. This dignity was conferred upon her with great solemnity by the Rector of the Sorbonne in the name of the French Republic.

Early in the next year (1950) we find Dr. Montessori on a lecture tour in Norway and Sweden; and in the summer of the same year, she was back again in Italy, in Perugia, directing a training course for teachers. This was given at the International Center for Educational Studies, which had been recently formed in connection with the University of Perugia of which she was made Directress. In recognition of her work there, she was made “honorary citizen” of Perugia. When the course was over, a similar honor was paid her by the cities of Ancona (her birthplace) and Milan.

An unstoppable lady with her son Mario

In all these “journeyings oft” and endless labors, Dr. Montessori was assisted – with touching fidelity and continuous devotion – by her son Mario. As the decades passed Mr. Mario Montessori, with an inherited ability shared in an ever-increasing degree the immense burden of her responsibilities. At her death, she appointed Mr. Montessori as her successor in the task of directing and coordinating the work of the Association Montessori Internationale – a position he has more than merited by his profound insight into the Montessori method and his lifelong commitment to “Mammolina” and her cause.

This responsibility includes the publication of certain researches which he and Dr. Montessori worked out together, especially those dealing with the development and care of children from 0-3 years; and also the application of her principles to secondary education. A still heavier responsibility laid upon Mr. Montessori’s shoulders is the delicate task of safeguarding the integrity of the Montessori movement, in the many countries where it is active, by recognizing under the aegis of the Association Montessori, Internationale only such “Montessori” schools and training courses that faithfully interpret, both in spirit and practice, the Montessori principles. This is the objective of the Philippine Federation of Montessori Schools led by the author as organized by former DECS Secretary Ricardo Gloria and SEC Chairman Perfecto Yasay.

Permeating the whole sphere of education from early childhood right up to university age

Gratifying as it must doubtless have been to Dr. Montessori to have felt herself so widely appreciated, she herself had no intention of resting on her laurels. She realized that what she has accomplished was only the first step. There was much more still latent in her “movement” than anyone else realized.

People regarded her then (as many do still) simply as the founder of a new method of education for small children. This was true enough as far as it went, but it was only a part of the story, and not even the most important part. She knew that she had discovered a key, which could unlock immeasurable constructive energies for human development. The immense potential energies were still waiting to be set free. “My discovery would act like a leaven, which would in due time, permeate the whole sphere of education right up to university age.”

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(Ref: Maria Montessori Her Life and Work by E.M. Standing)