The children are at a transitional age during which they learn more about their abilities and how to apply them to their lives and the world around them. Montessori education places great importance on the role of adults as facilitators of a child’s development.

Breakfast is a very important meal in the day, and we ask that your child get some form of protein during breakfast as they are expending a lot of energy during our 3-hour work period. Fruit is also important as it is a complex carbohydrate and will last longer than the quick fix of pop-tarts or other like items. We suggest eggs, whole grain bread or muffins, fruits, hot cereals, and yogurt as a good start to the day.

The Importance of the 3-Year Cycle and What to Expect

Parents can guide children towards mastery by developing a ‘practice makes perfect’ mantra. Building persistence overcomes resistance…when you focus on these tools to build your child’s motivation. 

The Value of Giving Children Choices 

When children are given choices, they will ‘buy into’ tasks more easily. 
Here’s why:

Learning social and emotional discipline skills that teach our children positive outcomes are one of the foundations of Dr. Maria Montessori’s philosophy on how to create well-rounded young people. 

Montessori teachers use specific discipline skills that address behavioral concerns they’ve observed. Negative behaviors include aggression, defiance and motivational issues.

Designed to build positive intent in social and emotional arenas, these tools focus on emphasizing:

One tool Montessori teachers use to develop students' social skills is 'noticing.' By using verbal cues, teachers can use their skill of noticing to encourage students to make intelligent choices due to noting a behavior they want to repeat.

"This skill is part of the foundation to the successful implementation of conscious discipline," writes Jenny Spencer, Author and Certified Instructor of Conscious Discipline®. "It helps us…build relationships as we encourage helpfulness in our students." 

Montessori said that the sensitive period for order begins at birth, peaks during early toddlerhood, and generally lasts until around age five. Characterized by an inner need for consistency and repetition, the child in this sensitive period craves routines and predictability. Included in this is the child's physical environment where everything has its place.

There is a brilliant film entitled, 'Mother Nature's Child'.  It spoke about the relationship of the child with nature and its importance in the development of human beings.  The term "biophilia" literally means "love of life or living systems." It was first used by Erich Fromm to describe a psychological orientation of being attracted to all that is alive and vital.  Edward O.

Imagination...we would be lost without it! As humans, we have used our imaginations to enrich every aspect of our lives. Men and women have imagined new ways to use modern imagination build houses, grow food, communicate with each other, fly an airplane, cure or live with disabilities and illnesses, travel, play, and so on. Imagination is something we value, promote, and encourage in our culture. But how do we support its development in our toddlers?

Maria Montessori's most prominent work is her book entitled The Absorbent Mind. Throughout all her work she cites this phenomenon in children. It is the reason behind so much of what is incorporated in the Montessori classroom. The absorbent mind is best explained by the child's ability to acquire its native language.