Im in Child care and my discription of her is: The truth: In the early 1900's, Maria Montessori was the FIRST women in Italy to recieve a degree in medicine. In her early career she was an assistant doctor ata clinic that searved students with mental disabiliies. She developed a theory, that was: Children learn best by being active. She lead he development of he first Montissouri school in rome. Straigh from my book honestly!