Dr. Montessori & Ms. Anna Neri
“Within the child lies the fate of the future.” — Dr. Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori was clearly ahead of her time, and her core principles—that effective learning is self-directed and calls for the development of the whole person—uniquely prepare children for our fast-changing world.
Our school’s founder and direct pupil of Dr. Montessori, Ms. Neri, was likewise ahead of her time—recognizing early on that bilingualism and cultural understanding are essential to educating children for a truly global future.
Dr. Maria Montessori
Dr. Maria Montessori was one of the first women to practice medicine in Italy. A scholar of biology, psychiatry, anthropology, and medicine, she graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Rome in 1896. As a physician, Dr. Montessori was in touch with young children and became profoundly interested in their development. Through careful and exhaustive scrutiny, she realized that children construct their own personalities as they interact with their environment. She also observed the manner in which they learned as they spontaneously chose and worked with the autodidactic materials she provided.
She studied children of all races and cultures in many countries around the world, soon seeing the universality of the laws of human development. She continued her observations throughout her life, widening and deepening her understanding until her death in 1952. Also a devoted humanitarian, she was three-times nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy efforts toward a more peaceful humanity.
Dr. Maria Montessori was a scientist, and as a good scientist, she was earth-bound and highly spiritual in her pursuit of truth. Through her studies of educational methods, she declared two principles as the foundation of Montessori pedagogy: the universal characteristics of the human child, and the child as a unique, unrepeatable, respectable, and admirable individual to be unconditionally accepted as one of life’s most marvelous expressions.
Ms. Anna Neri
Anna Franchi Neri, affectionately known as Ms. Anna to generations of families, founded Spring Bilingual Montessori Academy in 1967. A lifelong educator, linguist, and visionary, Ms. Anna was deeply devoted to the Montessori philosophy and to the belief that multilingualism and education are essential paths to peace.
An Italian native, Ms. Anna began her Montessori journey in Austria, where she studied directly under Dr. Maria Montessori and her son, Dr. Mario Montessori, earning her Montessori International Diploma in 1951. She held several Italian teaching credentials and continued her academic work in child psychology at the Catholic University in Córdoba, Argentina.
While in Argentina, Ms. Anna led a Montessori training program for educators and maintained ongoing correspondence with Dr. Mario Montessori—ties that would continue throughout his life. Her global work in education and her deep personal commitment to Montessori principles ultimately culminated in the founding of Spring Bilingual Montessori Academy, a school that would reflect her passion for cross-cultural understanding, early childhood development, and language learning.
Ms. Anna continued to serve as SBMA’s Directress for many decades, guiding the school through growth and change while remaining deeply connected to her students, staff, and international partners. Now in her 90s, Ms. Anna remains a cherished part of our school community. She continues to follow SBMA’s work with deep interest and pride. Many of the traditions she began—from multilingual education and peaceful cultural exchange, to our joyful song at year’s end—continue today as a living legacy.
At Spring Bilingual Montessori Academy, we are honored to carry forward Ms. Anna’s vision of education as a bridge between cultures, a path to independence, and a spark for peace.