Maria Montessori between Medicine and Pedagogy Roots, actuality and educational perspectives

This paper examines the thinking of Maria Montessori in relation to the contribution of other branches of educationalscience to the epistemological status of pedagogy. Specifically, it situates the interconnections betweenMontessori’s approach and medicine (primarily auxology and child neuropsychiatry) understood as a Naturwissenschaften,as well as the practical implications of this interrelatedness, within a heuristic framework thatextends beyond the field of special education. Analysis of Montessori’s scientific output around the turn of thetwentieth century is followed by a proposed outline of its present-day relevance, in terms of promising avenuesof inquiry informed by Montessori’s initial ideas and educational work and recent neuropsychological research.