award, badge, crown, laurel, decoration, honorary citizenship, medal, order, plaque, plate, ribbon, diploma, certificate, applause, homage, tribute, commendation, gift, brooch, coin, compliment, honourable mention, festschrift, dedication
During her student years Maria Montessori won a prize for her work in general pathology. Throughout her life she would be the recipient of many awards and prizes, culminating in a three-time nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize towards the end of her life. Enjoy the background to these distinctions and major events.
Awards and Honours
Bestowed on Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori was no stranger to special awards and expressions of recognition of her work. In her early student days, she was often the recipient of commendations for outstanding research work and papers. Whereas she herself did certainly not promote rewards in her approach to education, her exceptional work could not escape the eyes of institutions, universities, and governments who wished to confer official honours on Maria Montessori to demonstrate their fullest appreciation. The greatest honour that Montessori could have received, however, was the unstinting support of her co-workers, the resounding ovations of her audiences, but foremost all the students and teachers that helped raise awareness of the philosophy, started schools and made sure Montessori education has spread around the world occupying a place in current school landscapes wherever we are in the world.
In this category Awards and Honours the AMI Legacy Team will be sharing background stories around some of the prestigious awards Maria Montessori received during her lifetime, but also some anecdotes around objects and gifts received by students and admirers.
- Legion d’honneur (France)
- Officer in the order of Orange Nassau (the Netherlands)
- Honorary citizenship Perugia
- Honorary citizenship Chiaravalle (Ancona)
- Honorary Doctorate University of Durham
- Honorary Doctorate University of Amsterdam
- Three times nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize
- Coins and stamps
- Broch Chiaravalle
No one who has ever done anything really great or successful, has ever done it simply because he was attracted by reward. Every victory for good, every advance in human progress, comes from some inner compulsion.
Maria Montessori, The Advanced Montessori Method, Page 2