Mario Montessori Sr. – Born on 31st March 1898, Mario was the only son of Maria. He accompanied Maria to the US when he was seventeen. Together they established the Association Montessori Internationale as a parent body to oversee the activities of schools and societies. Owing to efforts of Mario, after the establishment of AMI, activities of Montessori movement became quite organized.
Maria’s stay in the US was quite trying for her and Mario proved to be a calming influence. Mario protected his mother from those who were always trying to climb on the bandwagon of her fame. As Maria became older she became more dependent on her son in the organizational details.
Mario accompanied Maria on her travel to India and reached Adyar, Chennai in October 1939. This trip to India was on the invitation of Theosophical Society that was headquartered in Chennai. Because of World War II, they were forced to extend their stay in India. Since they were Italians, the British Government interned Mario to a camp for civilians in Ahmednagar and also placed some restrictions on the movements of Dr. Maria. On 31st August 1940 British Government released Mario. It was Maria’s birthday, and letter from the Government said that‘he’was a birthday gift”from the British Government!
Between 1939 and 1946 the Montessoris conducted sixteen courses, which they called the Indian Montessori Training Courses, a name which has continued even to this day. Dr. Maria would give her lectures in Italian and Mr. Mario would translate it in English. Together they trained over thousand Indian teachers in the Montessori Method. In 1946 they returned to Holland after staying in the Indian subcontinent for nearly seven years.
Maria and Mario conducted courses, and organized lectures, in London, Scotland, Rome, Berlin, Ceylon, India, Pakistan, Holland, France.
After Dr. Maria Montessori passed away Mr. Mario continued the work of spreading the Montessori Movement actively.
He continued conducting the training courses In 1956. Mario published the book “The Human Tendencies and Montessori education”. He was awarded a Honorary Doctorate by the Edgecliffe College, USA in the year 1970. He implemented the Training of Trainers programme for the first time in the year 1976.
Mr. Mario Montessori’s wife Ms. Ada shared his work in the Montessori field. His daughter Renilde, later, became the President of the Association Montessori Internationale After a brief period of failing health and eyesight, Mario passed away on the 10th of February 1982.
