The Montessori method of education was developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori. Emphasizing independence, it views children as naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a sufficiently supportive and well-prepared learning environment. It discourages some conventional measures of achievement, such as grades and tests. Montessori developed her theories in the 1900s through scientific experimentation with her students; the method has since been used in many parts of the world, in public and private schools alike.
Didactic material “Math rods” – ten rods identical with the Red Rods in length, but divided into red and blue sections. The shortest rod is red. The second is twice the size of the first; one half is painted red and the other half is blue. The third rd is three times the size of the first and is divided into three sections; the first painted red, the second is blue, and the third red. All the other rods are divided in a similar fashion, alternating red and blue, the first section always being red.