THE MONTESSORI THREE-YEAR CYCLE

Although the youngest children at Mansio Mens are in class with children their same age, the 3-6 year olds are in a mixed-age grouping in accordance with the Montessori three-year cycle. There are numerous benefits to this essential element of a Montessori education where children of various ages live and learn together.

First, it exposes the younger children to the work of the older children and helps them aspire to one day master those same works. Little ones look up to "big kids" even more than they look up to adults. Second, it encourages mentoring by the older kids that helps reinforce the skills they already know. By "teaching" the younger children, they increase their own understanding of the concepts.

The final stage of this cycle is the kindergarten year. Unlike traditional schools that begin with kindergarten and put these young children at the start of a new school experience, the Montessori cycle places them at the culmination of a three-year cycle during which they have experienced an intellectual explosion.

Maria Montessori noticed that children tend to go through a social and emotional growth and transition period during their 6th year prior to further intellectual surges in their 7th and 8th year. She found that maintaining the same environment during this critical transition enhanced their readiness for academic challenges in the first and second grade.

Attending kindergarten at Mansio Mens is not a requirement for enrollment or attendance in the preschool (3-6 year old) program. This is a decision that must be made on an individual basis. Many, but not all, Mansio Mens parents have chosen for their child to complete this final stage of early childhood development.

For more information, visit Pre-Primary Programs and Kindergarten.