The Classroom

Although activities are prepared with their own developmental aim in mind, they are building blocks to prepare for what comes later in the child’s development. Sometimes this preparation is for the next progressive activity, but often that learning may occur much later, e.g. the sensorial base for mathematical understanding in the abstract, or moral development.

Order is the foundation of a Montessori classroom. In pre-primary, the physical order of the prepared environment is obvious, but order also underlies all of the less tangible aspects of the environment, e.g. the consistency of the adults and their approach, the order of presentation, etc. For the older child, the social order becomes more important.

Essential to the prepared environment is the child’s freedom – to choose to work for as long as they want to, to not work, to work without being interrupted by other children or by the constraints of a timetable, etc., as long as their activity does not interfere with other children’s right and freedom to do the same.

Composite classes of a 3-year age range allow for children to learn from each other in a non-competitive atmosphere and directly prepares the child for living in society. Grace and courtesy are instilled from an early age due to the leadership and responsibility that a mixed age classroom promotes.

Children are not allocated to a fixed desk and may choose to work at a desk, on the floor, with others or solo. Freedom of movement within the classroom is an important component of allowing access to materials and learning self-management within the environment and time.

The environment and its materials are prepared in a way that allows the child to become aware of their mistakes and to correct them for themselves so that they understand that it is alright to be wrong and that we can learn from our mistakes.