Darwin Public School

The first five years have so much to do with how the next 80 turn out. The Montessori classroom is a special and unique place, set up purposefully to foster self-directed investigation, independence in work, and the joy of learning. Montessori schools feature mixed-age classrooms and each activity is intended to be self-correcting and hands-on. Each activity is a building block to the next. So, when children learn to trace shapes inside metal inserts that have various geometric shapes, they unwittingly practice the fine-motor skills that will enable them to pick up writing, which they typically do much faster than the average child. Dr. Montessori has beautifully designed them so that the child will discover step-by-step what she is supposed to learn.