Prepared environment in a Montessori school

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What they have in common

That a child can choose, focus and make mistakes without anyone rushing them

That comes down to five concrete signs, and you notice them the moment you step into the prepared environment.

01

Children of different ages together

A six-year-old explains something to a four-year-old. There is no one class per age: the little ones learn by watching and the older ones consolidate their own learning by teaching it.

02

Long work periods, no bells

No one breaks the morning into forty-minute subjects. Each child stays with their task until it is finished. That sustained concentration is half of Montessori.

03

Material to touch, at their height

The shelves are within reach and the material is made for hands: the beads, the sandpaper letters, the pink tower. They understand the world by touching it.

04

No stickers, no punishments

There is no smiley-face chart or rewards for good behaviour. A child does things because they are interested, not for a reward or out of fear of being told off.

05

A trained guide in every classroom

The person accompanying your child is a guide with recognised Montessori training. They observe, and know when to step in and when to step back.

Some of these you can see the moment you walk into a classroom. Others you only learn by asking.
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