ANN ARBOR CHILDREN'S HOUSE

MONTESSORI SCHOOL

The Kindergarten Year

The third year in a Montessori classroom is thought of as the traditional Kindergarten year.  If the child has previously been in the classroom, it is a time when earlier lessons are integrated into the child’s mind.  Montessori believed children have an ‘absorbent mind’ during the ages of 3-6.  They learn effortlessly during these years and develop a love of learning.  The Kindergarten year is well within this range and children continue to flourish in a fully prepared environment. 

Children entering the classroom for the Kindergarten year tend to immediately enjoy the rich array of materials and the freedom of choice.  They also benefit from being in a multi age classroom as older children become the leaders and role models of the group.  They are often seen helping the other children and giving lessons on works they have mastered.  These activities help increase self-esteem and confidence.  It also helps to reinforce the knowledge they have learned. 

The children continue to learn through hands on, concrete materials.  This is essential in their continued development, growing into abstract material at their own pace.   Typically, children in a Montessori setting learn to read and learn material ahead of “age level” and are fully prepared for further academic studies.  They have developed the ability to concentrate and focus their attention.  Here they continue to develop self-discipline, an internal sense of order and purpose. 

There continues to be a spontaneous love of learning as the children are able to explore their interests.  Older children are exposed to areas of education such as grammar, geometry, writing, geography, land studies, biology and cultural studies which are typically addressed in later years in traditional schools.

The Montessori classroom challenges children and sets high expectations while allowing children to progress at their own pace.  They are treated as the individuals they are thus they don’t need to stop their learning progress while other students are ‘caught up’ to their level. 

Each child is respected as an individual and spends each day in a warm and supportive environment.  Dr. Montessori believed the 3-6 age when a child is in school is more important than the university years as information is absorbed easily.  There is no other time in human development when learning is ‘easier’ making the ‘Kindergarten’ year an essential time in academic studies.  Being in this fully prepared Montessori environment is highly beneficial to the older child’s development.