“The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six.”
— Maria Montessori
The children are free to choose which material they will use and do it as often as they need to. This enables the children to devote themselves intensively to something and to begin and complete it according to their own interests.
Each material contains its own error control, so that no adult has to say: "You did something wrong". This way, the motivation remains intact and the child can develop according to his/her own work rhythm.
We encourage emotional and social development by giving the children help in a positive discussion, for example in the event of a dispute. It is important to provide the children awareness of their own boundaries, as well as of others. We adhere to the principle:
“My freedom ends where the limit of the other begins.”
This principle also gives rise to the prerequisite for integration, i.e tolerance and acceptance, which enables children of mixed ages, genders, cultural history and needs to live together.
The children walk and talk in the room as it suits their work. The limits of behavior are measured against the needs of others, i.e. freedom goes hand in hand with one's own discipline and consideration.
The rules for living together are constantly updated and must be simple, clear and logically understandable for the children and have general validity. The educator, with his/her transparent authority, serves as a behavioral modeling for the children.