Montessori education is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori. Montessori education is characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological development, as well as technological advancements in society. Some of the essential elements of Montessori Education are:   Mixed age classrooms, with classrooms for children aged 2½ or 3 to 6 years old by far the most common     Student choice of activity from within a prescribed range of options Uninterrupted blocks of work time.