If you look at any natural social grouping in life you will find mixed ages, genders, cultures – the more mixed the richer the environment.

By grouping the children in a three-year age brackets (18m – 3 years, 3 to 6 years, 6-9 years, 9-12 years etc.), all sense of competition amongst the children is removed as each child works at his or her own pace. Slow learners are never left behind and so are not left feeling isolated from the rest of the class.

The children learn to communicate and socialize with other children of all ages at all levels. The younger child easily learns from the older more capable child in the environment, whilst the older child in so doing becomes more responsible and develops tolerance and nurturing for the younger child. There are many things, which no teacher can convey to a child of three, but a child of five can do it with ease!

The principle of Mixed Age Groups is central to the Montessori pedagogy and runs throughout all environments.

Whilst Dr. Maria Montessori advocated giving the children certain measures of freedom within which to function – it is very clear that this freedom is ‘within limits’. Every school has a set of rules and regulations that are at one with the norm of society and these rules may not be broken rules have consequences. 

Morning Star “Golden Rules:"

• No child may harm any living thing such as other children, adults, animals, plants etc.
• No child may damage any equipment, property or other things.
• No child may disturb anyone or anything while they are working or engaged in any activity.

Misdemeanours are treated with love and understanding, usually with re-directing the activity or asking the child to work closely with the directress so that subsequent behavior can be observed. This usually does the trick – but if not, the “time-out” method may be used. The child is never labeled as ‘naughty’ and still remains feeling loved and part of the environment. The amount of time a child usually sits “out” is 1 minute for every year of age – i.e. a 4 year old will sit for four minutes or less before being approached by the teacher. The freedom and order in a Montessori classroom can only come about through the development of order within the child. Through this kind of freedom that the child is given in the Montessori environment, he has a unique opportunity to reflect upon his/her own actions, to determine the consequences both for himself and others, to test himself against the limits of reality and discover his/her own shortcomings and capabilities.

Dr Montessori makes a distinction between Fantasy and Imagination; fantasy being based on that which is not real but imagination, being based on the real, nurtures the world of endless possibilities.

While young Young children are busy trying to understand the world they should be provided with objects and images found in the creation.  Through the real the child is able to create himself within this world and develop an understanding of what is around him and how he fits in.