María Antònia Canals completed her teaching studies in 1950, and three years later earned a licentiate in exact sciences at the University of Barcelona.

From 1956 to 1962, she implemented a method of pedagogical renewal in early childhood education, following the Montessori model.

In October 1962 she founded the Ton i Guida school, working in an area of Barcelona with a need for greater attention, with students who were immigrants and had very poor living conditions.

Its techniques differed from those of most schools in Francoist Spain, more closely resembling ones from the Second Republic, and classes were taught in Catalan rather than Spanish.

The endeavor got off to a difficult start, especially in regard to financing, but between 1972 and 1975 it had more than 400 students and was considered a model school.