“I have found that in his development, the child passes through certain phases, each of which has its own particular needs. The characteristics of each are so different that the passages from one phase to another have been described by certain psychologists as ‘rebirths’.”

DR. MARIA MONTESSORI

Maria Montessori discovered that children go through different stages of development that she coined planes of development.  Each Montessori classroom is designed for children or ages in which the planes of development are the same.  The children share the same characteristics in terms of their development.  Ages 0-6 incorporate the 1st plane of development.  Our toddler and primary classrooms are designed to meet the needs of the children they house. Characteristics of the first plane include the need for physical and psychological independence.  Children are also focused primarily on themselves.  There are several sensitivities that are characteristic of this plane: movement, senses, order, language, concrete experiences and small objects.  Stepping into our classrooms all of these needs are met in order for the child to reach their fullest potential.  Everything in our environments are concrete, hands on materials.  The materials are meant to be enticing and call to the child to touch them.  There is a specific order about the room and everything has its place.  This is why they can so easily put things back where they belong; the children thrive on the order.  There are small objects, materials to refine the senses and a plethora of language materials.  Most notably, the environments and materials themselves are designed for movement.  Children regularly walk about the room even while completing their work or tasks. 

It's important to note that each Montessori classroom changes as the child does.  Montessori realized that children think and learn differently due to the different planes.  A three year old doesn't learn or think the way a 7 year old does nor a 12 year old.  Yet, often we are teaching them the same way.  Montessori was a pioneer in her time in understanding not only that there were different planes but also in how to implement and modify the classroom environments to correspond to these planes.  A child's motto in the first plane is "Help me to do it myself"!