Maria Montessori bila je talijanski pedagog. Djelovala je na početku 20. stoljeća i smatra se jednom od najvažnijh osoba u povijesti predškolskog odgoja. Njezina specifična pedagoška načela poznata su u cijelome svijetu. Koncept joj je primarno baziran na činjenici da je svako dijete rođeno sa svim vještinama i da se te vještine same trebaju razvijati. Glavna misao: "Pomozi mi da to sam napravim" izvrsno opisuje koncept Montessori pedagogije. Opisuje da je uloga odgajatelja osigurati okruženje za dijete da se razvija. U ovom radu naglasak je na edukaciji o okolišu..Maria Montessori ističe važnost odraslih i njihovu ulogu u obrazovanju djeteta kako se ponašati i kako biti odgovoran u očuvanju okoliša. Smatra da se treba unaprijediti i dječji entuzijazam koji je danas često potisnut.

Maria Montessori was an italian pedagogue from the beginning of 20th century and probably the most popular name in the history of pre-school education. Her specific pedagogical principles are well known all over the world. Her concept is primarily based on the fact that child is born with all abilities and should be let develop those abilities by itself; central tought „Help me to do it myself“ excellently describes this concept. It means that role of the educator is to provide an appropriate conditions for child to develop in optimal way. In this work our attention will be put on education for environment. Maria Montessori put an impact on role of adults whose task is to teach children how to behave carefully and responsably in relation with environment. Children should realize the importance of individual's activity to improve human's surrounding. She considers that it can also improve child's spiritual development which is pretty postponed nowadays. That's how child should develop understending of the universe as a whole.