Why are there children of different ages in the same Montessori classroom?
Dr. Montessori observed that adult society is represented by multi-age beings and the benefits of peer observation and learning and collaboration could be successfully implemented in a classroom. Young children flourish more rapidly in classes that span two or three years. Multi-age grouping encourages older children to assist and mentor their younger classmates, while the younger ones look forward to moving on to the more challenging activities they see around them. Most importantly, the multi-age grouping allows children to master work at their own pace. Students move on to advanced topics as they are academically prepared for them, not simply when they reach a given age level.
