ABSTRACT
This chapter elaborates on the principles which underpin Montessori education across the age groups. The chapter provides examples of the organisation of Montessori schools around the world. It explores the structure of a typical day in a Montessori setting and the differences between a day in a setting for babies and toddlers, nursery and primary-school-age children. The chapter explains how areas of learning are organised in the classroom and how this organisation impacts the role of the teacher as the child grows older. The interpretation of the principles which inform Montessori practice is debated within the Montessori community and is deeply influenced by the approach adopted by the various training organisations educating Montessori teachers around the world. Children who progress from Montessori nurseries onto primary education, around the age of six, are used to making choices and taking responsibility for their actions.
