“nido” (nest) until they can confidently walk.

Structure of Schools Coincide with Planes Montessori felt that an arbitrary limit to the number of years in university level study was unnecessary, as the study of culture could go on throughout a person's life.The fourth plane young adults (eighteen years to around twenty-four years ) are ready to fully embrace the study of culture and the sciences in order to influence and lead civilization.The work of the third plane child (twelve to around eighteen years ) is the construction of the adult self in society.The second plane child (six to twelve years) is the formation of intellectual independence, of moral sense, and of social organization.The first plane child (birth to around six years) is seen as a concrete, sensorial explorer and learner engaged in the developmental work of psychological self-construction and building functional independence.Didactic materials- preplanned teaching devices.Repetitive exercises develop sensory and muscular coordination.3 major types of activities and experiences: practical, sensory, and formal skills and studies.

Educators are called “directresses” rather than “teachers”.

The function of the environment is to allow the child to develop independence in all areas according to his or her inner psychological directives.

Free activity within a 'prepared environment“.

Incorporates inquiry- students learn concepts from working with materials, rather than by direct instruction.

The purpose of Montessori schools is for students to learn to respect individual differences, and to emphasize social interaction and the education of the whole personality rather than the teaching of a specific body of knowledge.

A method of seeing children as they really are and of creating environments which foster the fulfillment of their highest potential - spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual.

Montessori Schools Devin Collins, Elena Thomopoulos, Jenn Lyons and Shannon Keen

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