Cycle 1

CYCLE 1 OVERVIEW:

Our Cycle 1 classrooms give your child everything they need to create an ordered foundation to build on in the future.

Cycle 1 is for children aged 3 to 6 and takes your child through to the end of what is equivalent to kindergarten in many other schools. Children at this age are engaged in what Maria Montessori called ‘a process of self-­construction’ ­ they are keenly observing the world around them and absorbing knowledge and experience at an enormous rate.

They go through what we call ‘sensitive periods’, which can be thought of as windows of opportunity for a child when they are interested in particular aspects of their environment to the exclusion of all others. These aren’t chosen at random by the child; they are driven by an inner need for development. You may notice this yourself in your child as they show an intense interest in repeating certain activities or actions at length for no obvious reason!

The Cycle 1 classroom is carefully designed to harness this huge potential for self­development children have at this age. Materials from across our six main Cycle 1 curriculum areas of Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, Science and Culture are laid out in a logical, orderly fashion; for example, from left to right, from top to bottom, at the appropriate height etc. These materials are designed to attract the children to touch, explore and choose the work that they are most receptive to, and thus best able to absorb, at that point in time. Everything in the environment is there for a particular purpose or, in several cases, a multitude of purposes.

Our Directors are skilled at finding the balance between allowing children to take the maximum advantage of these sensitive periods while ensuring that they spend an appropriate amount of time developing in each curriculum area; Language, Maths, Science, Practical Life, Sensorial and Culture.  Please explore the gallery below to learn more about some of our classroom materials.

Read about Cycle 2 (6-9 year olds)