Dr. Montessori best described the three to six year old child as having an “absorbent mind.”
She believed that children ages three to six to have “intense mental activity” which ultimately translates into a need to process and learn as much new information through their environment as possible. The preschool classroom is the next learning extension after the toddler classroom; whereby students build upon their knowledge foundation.
The three to six year old child is consciously learning through purposeful work in an attractively prepared environment where important cognitive, social and emotional skills are developing. Students move freely around the classroom and choose personal work based on whether they are ready for it.
The Montessori classroom provides the correct amount of structure, freedom and guidance for students to excel at their own cognitive pace.