Parkside adheres to the philosophy pioneered by Maria Montessori in the early 20th century. Montessori was Italy’s first female physician. She based her philosophy on her extensive scientific observation of the behavior of young children. Dr. Montessori’s theory of education is rooted in the idea that children learn best in a social environment that respects and supports their individual personalities and their unique modes of development. It is a sensori-motor approach with an emphasis on self-directed, non-competitive learning. Montessori believed that children can create themselves through purposeful activity and that they possess unusual cognitive ability and sensitivity for absorbing from their environment.