Dr. Maria Montessori, the renowned educationist started the first Montessori school in 1907 at Rome. The Montessori education was introduced in India in 1920s. At present there are around 22,000 Montessori schools in more than 110 countries. There are over one hundred and fifty in India.

The Montessori thinking emanates from the notion that children develop and think differently from adults; that they are not merely "adults in small bodies". This method rejects the traditional measurements (marks, grades etc.) to evaluate the abilities of a child.

The Association of Montessori International (AMI) was founded by Dr. Maria Montessori in 1929. The Kalakshetra Foundation, Thiruvanmiyur, takes the privilege of hosting the 26th International Montessori Congress under the auspices of the AMI. It will be held, next year, from January 5, 2009, to be precise. This is for the first time that the International Montessori Congress is held in India.

This time, the theme of the International Montessori Congress, which is held every four years, is Sadhana. It is the mind and body coming together to perform complex multi-level tasks, initially thinking but eventually lived, and carried out without effort.

Andr� Roberfroid, President, AMI hopes to advance AMI's commitment to place the children at the centre of our society and assist them in becoming the transforming elements leading to a harmonious and peaceful humanity. "Indiais the spiritual home of the Montessori Movement".

At a press meet held at Kalakshetra, the President said that the Chennai Congress would concentrate on bringing body and mind together and reverberating Montessori principles in daily life. Every adult has to adhere to the Montessori principles, he said.

Roberfroid further stated that the Montessori education is very relevant to human beings, as it focuses on the basics of humanity.

"According to the census conducted in 2007 during the Centenary of Montessori Movement, there are 30 Montessori schools in Chennai", said Rukmini Ramachandran, Director of Training, AMI, Chennai.

Megan Tyne, Project officer, AMI said that the Montessori atmosphere is very individualistic where the child learns himself/herself. It further encourages the children to evaluate themselves".

She also said that AMI has to work much more seriously to safeguard and propagate the work of Dr. Maria Montessori, which are the aims of AMI.

U. Bakialakshmi