Dr. Montessori’s mantra was “Follow the child.” She knew that children have an innate desire and passion for learning, and that our job as educators is to support this natural process. Our guides (we call our teachers ‘guides’) selectively and carefully design the classroom to foster each child’s independence, and autonomy and competence. The child’s freedom to choose one’s lessons, within limits, nurtures individual initiative and personal responsibility.

Each child learns at his/her own pace. Through individualized learning within uninterrupted blocks of work, the children follow their passions and natural curiosity. With the support of the meticulously prepared classroom and nurturing guidance, balanced within a structure of freedom and responsibilities, the child develops concentration, inner discipline, internalization of the learning and metacognition (thinking about thinking).

Students of multi-age, usually 3-year groupings, are in a classroom community where they naturally learn with and from each other. The atmosphere in the classroom is one of collaboration and cooperation. The older children freely share their knowledge, which not only benefits the younger children, but also deepens the older child’s knowledge and enhances their leadership and confidence.

Children experience consistency through their three-year cycle, with their teachers, peers and classroom environment. There are many benefits to this, not the least of which is the deep connections children develop with their teachers. The teachers, in turn, truly and deeply get to know each student, intimately understanding how each child learns best and can provide the appropriate next learning experience oat precisely the right moment. The third-year, we call it the capstone year, is the culmination of this learning, a time when the child has internalized these early concrete experiences, creating a strong foundation for the future learning.