The Montessori Work Cycle

Through decades of observation around the world, Dr. Montessori came to understand that children, when left in freedom, displayed a distinct work cycle which was so predictable it could even be graphed. This cycle, with two peaks and one valley, lasted approximately three hours.  In our classrooms, we aim for children to have three hours of open, uninterrupted time to choose independent work, become deeply engaged, and repeat to their own satisfaction.  You can see in the video above, which was created by a professional photographer taking 4000 photos of her son over 3 hours at his school in the US, just what can be achieved in a single work cycle!