Phoebe Child (12 May 1910–13 February 1990) was one of the pioneers of the

Montessori Method The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...

of children's

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...

and a co-founder of the Montessori World Educational Institute.

Biography

Born in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, she first studied the Montessori approach with Maria Montessori in London in 1929. She then joined fellow students, Margaret Homfray, and Edna Andriano, in Italy to serve as English translators for the 1930 course in Rome. She, along with Margaret Homfray, continued to work with Montessori and later traveled with her to Ireland to translate her lectures in teacher training.

St. Nicholas Training Centre

In 1946, Montessori worked with Child and Homfray to start an English Montessori teacher training program, which later became the St. Nicholas Training Centre for the Montessori Method of Education. The training program eventually offered full-time residence training in two former embassy sites in Princes Gate in London, as well as a correspondence course. Phoebe Child and Margaret Homfray served as co-principals for the training college for many years and trained thousands of Montessori teachers from all over the world. They also helped set up the St. Nicholas training center in Ireland and then went on to establish the Montessori World Educational Institute in the United States and Australia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Child, Phoebe English educational theorists 1990 deaths 1910 births