“We, adults, are often not as inclined to help a small child as an older child, perhaps one who is four years old, who is full of love, help, and admiration for the small child. This admiration and approbation help the soul of the small child enormously."

DR. MARIA MONTESSORI

What really is the benefit of sending your young child to a Montessori school?

The outcomes for a Montessori child are tremendous: autonomy, discipline, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, leadership and more. The Montessori environment consists of mixed ages with children grouped together all based on the same plane of development. Due to the mixed age grouping, children quickly learn how to communicate with one and use each other as resources in the classroom.  Allowing the once three year old to remain in the same classroom, with the same cohort of children and then age to the four year old and finally the 5 year old or kindergartener, sets the child up for success and practice as a leader in the classroom.  These little leaders have spent their younger days looking up to the older child, seeking help, observing their work and being inspired.  As the now older child, the kindergarten student can experience these organic opportunities to help, mentor and lead. 

Traditional schooling is the only place where students are consistently grouped based upon age versus skill level or ability.  The older child, modeling and helping the younger will naturally step into a leadership role and reap these benefits.  These leaders will teach younger ones, step in and volunteer to help, guide instead of doing and share the joy in their younger friends' accomplishments. They will naturally have experiences where their self confidence is deepened and fostered.  As much as parents want their children to be confident, it cannot be commanded to happen.  The child must participate in organic experiences that allow for this to happen.  Thank goodness the Montessori environment and classroom community does this all naturally!

These skills and experiences all lend itself to great leadership. No matter their birth order at home all children in our environment have the opportunity to be the oldest and take part as a leader in the classroom.  The children will then take these demonstrated leadership skills and go out into the world assuredly and confidently as they share this with others.