Maria Montessori (1870 -1952), the physician and educator, was the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome Medical School. Her classic of educational philosophy is still relevant today. The author explains to parents and teachers how to free a child through its own efforts. First published in English in 1912, these tried and trusted methods have proved their worth for over a hundred years. Emphasizing the individuality of the child in order to nurture the joy of learning, Montessori avoids rote memorization and drilling, encouraging abstract thinking with the aim of fulfilling a child's emotional, physical and intellectual potential.