I will write about three important events that forever influenced the course of education in the United States. I will also talk about a very important and influential woman who wanted to help others (especially children) first and foremost. America and education around the world should feel enormous gratitude towards each of these topics I will talk about. Personally, as I researched each one, I feel more motivated and driven to impact my community and raise awareness about how important education is. The influential woman I mentioned above is Maria Montessori. Maria Montessori was extremely complete with her talents. Today it is famous for the Montessori Method, used in public and private schools around the world. The Montessori Method is the development of the child's initiative and natural abilities, especially through simple but effective play. This method not only allows children to develop at their own pace, but provides each educator with a clear understanding of the child's development. Maria started out as an Italian doctor, which was very rare at the time for a woman to become a doctor. Having always had a passion for children's education in general, he began to make major strides in the field of education and ultimately innovate the way students would learn in the near future. She used her underlying talents to make studies and observations that led her to question the lackluster methods of teaching children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In 1897 Montessori had what she called a revelation. “I had the feeling that mental impairment was primarily a pedagogical problem, rather than primarily a medical one.” With this new insight and ideals, he began to shift his time toward furthering his education and making change. She wants…half of paper…culture for the benefit of people and education everywhere is unlimited. Another major event occurred for education in 2001, under the leadership of President George W. Bush. The No Child Left Behind Act was created in 2001, to address a wide range of concerns about the state of education and those of disadvantaged students across America. This has led to the government taking a more predominant role in education. The No Child Left Behind Act was put in place to help disadvantaged students, teachers, and the education system reach their full potential and succeed in life. This law also pushed student achievement to the highest levels and held both states and schools more accountable for each student's progress. They represented significant changes in the educational landscape of the time and helped shift the country's focus on education (U.S. Department of Education, 2001).