Dr. Maria Montessori, often considered the first female physician in Italy, innovated the Montessori approach to education. The Montessori method concentrates on the specific developmental needs of the child. Montessori believed that everyone learns differently and at their own pace. She created a new type of classroom and a prepared environment to accommodate and stimulate her students’ interests. The Montessori method has successfully been practiced for over a century. Montessori education concentrates on the specific needs of the child. Children are taught on a one-on-one basis in a Prepared Environment, specially designed to meet the requirements established by Maria Montessori. This shift in focus, from the traditional classroom model, helps create a better sense of self for the children, both in terms of independence and self-discipline. Not only are the educational needs of the children met and nurtured, but also, and just as crucial in Montessori, their social development is enhanced in mixed-age environments, predicated on openness and diversity.