Why does Montessori have mixed-age groups in each class (i.e. 3 to 6-year-old classes, 6 to 12-year-old classes)?
Maria Montessori discovered that putting older and younger children together helps them learn from and teach each other. This is good for the older children because they can be useful and helpful to the younger ones, which both reinforces what they have learned and enhances their self-esteem. Younger children have role models to follow and are integrated into the classroom by these helpful older children. If you think about it, every normal community has mixed age groupings and Montessori classrooms model society in this way. What does polishing a mirror and washing a table have to do with education? One unique aspect of a Montessori classroom is the Practical Life area. Through repetitive, hands-on and very purposeful activities, the child learns to do things for herself. At the same time, indirect learning beyond polishing a mirror, using tweezers, folding laundry or opening and closing bottles is occurring. The children learn concentration, coordination, manual dexterity, order and
