Points of Arrival

Throughout the child’s Montessori experience, there are points of arrival: those moments where threads are pulled together, islands of information coalesce into a solid formation, or something which was cloudy yesterday comes into sharp focus today. The third year is when these connections are deeper and more frequent, more multi-faceted and, in some cases, almost audible in the room. The three year cycle is not arbitrary – it is in fact very purposeful and it follows the developmental planes of a child’s life from ages 3-6 years. Developmentally, children in their sixth year are beginning to look outward and to spread their wings in the world. It is vitally important to ensure that they have a solid perch to stand on and the tools they will need (numeracy, literacy and the skills to prepare for their work) before they take off. Montessori differs from most other systems in terms of the time at which industry and capability is emphasized. The very smallest in our casas are incredibly powerful human beings and to watch the discoveries they make every day is the greatest reward of teaching them.