Montessori in Greece
In 1916, Queen Sophia of Greece, in an effort to improve the living conditions of young children, founded a nursery school in Athens. Later, this nursery evolved into a Model Montessori Preschool, under the direction of Mrs. Gropengiesser. She had most likely received some form of training in the Montessori method, although we do not know exactly what that entailed. The nursery the Queen had founded housed the first Montessori educational center in Greece.
Although Dr. Montessori kept a signed photograph of Queen Sophia in her office, we do not know whether the two women ever met or whether the Queen’s interest in the Montessori method stemmed from her visits to schools in other European capitals. In any case, Queen Sophia was a staunch supporter of Montessori education and wished to introduce it to Greece.
To that end, in 1921 she invited Professor Stylianopoulos from Smyrna to train Montessori educators in Athens. However, just forty days after the seminar began, Professor Stylianopoulos was recalled to Constantinople, and the classes were suspended. Queen Sophia then contacted Dr. Montessori, who was in Spain at the time, asking her to send someone to Greece to train the young teachers who had been selected. Dr. Montessori recommended Caterina D’Erginiu Caterinici, who arrived in Athens in January 1922, most likely from Romania.
This photograph of Queen Mother Sophia, with her handwritten dedication, can be seen today on the wall of Maria Montessori's office at AMI.
The training seminar was inaugurated in the presence of Queen Sophia and members of the Greek and Romanian royal families. Thirty young female students, who were in their final year of high school, participated in the seminar. The goal was for them to establish schools in rural Greece and on the islands after completing their training. Queen Sophia hoped that one day Dr. Montessori would visit Greece to evaluate the results of this effort. However, this never happened.
We do not know how the program concluded or what became of these young teachers. The political situation in Greece at that time was particularly unstable, and it is rather unlikely that new schools were established, either in the provinces or in Athens, which was grappling with a massive wave of refugees from Asia Minor.
Montessori education appears to have taken a back seat, at least until 1934, when Maria Goudeli attended a six-month training program led by Dr. Montessori in Madrid. Upon her return to Greece, she founded a Montessori preschool and an elementary school class, both of which are still in operation in Athens to this day.
Since then, repeated efforts have been made to establish Montessori schools in Greece. Some of these schools have managed to survive and continue to operate, despite the difficulties they face within an educational system that does not favour such initiatives.
In 2002, following a series of public lectures, it was decided to organise the first AMI 3-6 Associated Course (at what was then “The Montessori Workshop”) with the aim of training teachers working at these few schools. Interest in Montessori education was rekindled and higher standards were established.
In 2010, the first AMI 3-6 Diploma Course was held in Greece at “The Montessori Institute,” marking the beginning of a new era for Montessori education in the country.
Since then, Montessori Greece has gradually evolved into an internationally recognised Training Center of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), offering education, professional development and specialisation programmes for educators, as well as lectures and seminars for parents, schools, and the general public.
Today, more than a century after Queen Sophia took an interest in the Montessori method, the original vision remains alive. With respect for the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori and through ongoing collaboration with AMI, Montessori Greece continues to work toward the dissemination of authentic Montessori education throughout Greece, supporting educators, schools and families, and contributing to the creation of environments where every child can develop their potential in an atmosphere of respect and freedom.
If you have any information you can contribute regarding the history of Montessori education in Greece, please send it to info@montessorigreece.gr