Practical Life Exercises are critical for children’s success. At the primary Montessori level, your child practiced from the following five categories of Practical Life Exercises: Preliminary exercise – examples: sitting, standing, walking Care of the environment Care of the person (self) – examples: washing hands, buttoning, and putting a jacket on Grace and Courtesy Grace = the beauty of form, good will and forgiveness Courtesy = politeness and generosity Education of movement – this is to achieve the integration between mind and body (muscle) But Practical Life Exercises are not just for the primary level – they must continue during the child’s entire development.

Dr. Maria Montessori said that the first 24 years of life are made up of four planes of development: The 1st plane – birth to 6 years old The 2nd plane – 6 to 12 years old The 3rd plane – 12 to 18 years old The 4th plane – 18 to 24 years old The 1st and 2nd planes of development are complementary and they constitute childhood. The 3rd and 4th planes of development constitute adulthood.

Going out is not a field trip. A field trip is planned and organized by the teacher and the whole class goes out together under the teacher’s lead. In contrast, going out is a work that the child initiates and carries out. During the 1stplane of development (birth to age 6), children need to adapt both to the environment of their family and to the life that family is living. It is through that adaptation that children develop their sense of security during the 1stplane of development.

We help children prepare for their life not only for middle school or high-school. Dr. Maria Montessori said that her method was to give aid to all aspects of life. It was through Dr. Maria Montessori’s observations of children that she recognized the constructive power within any human person. That observation made her significantly aware of the importance of liberty. However, it is not liberty on its own that will allow for the positive construction of human beings.