The pre-school child from birth to six
years of age is in the first developmental stage. Children at this age have an extraordinary ability to absorb knowledge from their surroundings. Maria Montessori called this ability the absorbent mind,
and it is at its peak during the pre-school years.
To be satisfied, calm and happy, children under six need to move, explore and discover. They see the world through fresh eyes and are curious about everything. Since they
learn by touching and manipulating objects, they need to be able to touch and feel. They are keenly attuned to all that stimulates their senses: shapes, sounds, colors, smells, textures and tastes.
The pre-school child responds
to order because of an innate need to know where things belong and how pieces fit together. They want to master the movements of their own bodies and do so by learning to balance, run, skip, jump and walk. This is not a time for
passive learning.
The customs and traditions of their families and other people fascinate them. Dr. Montessori encouraged schools to celebrate the cultures and traditions of the world as a means for better understanding all
people of the world. This is a wonderful time to learn about geography.
The Bright Star classroom allows the children to move, touch, manipulate and explore. It gives them the freedom to choose their own work according to their
interests. Most of the materials are self-correcting and build the child's confidence as challenges are mastered. In our environment children learn to work independently based on their own initiative. This leads to self confidence,
concentration and a love of learning.
