Dr. Montessori believed that every person must educate themselves: that a teacher is merely there to provide information and to guide a student through the learning environment. She felt, therefore, that the goal of early childhood education should be to create a child’s curiosity, a love for knowledge and a strong desire to learn. Montessori classrooms provide a prepared environment where children are free to respond to their natural tendency to work.

“Montessori schools promote hands on, self paced, collaborative, joyful learning. Children in Montessori follow their interests, wherever that passion leads; giving them strong academics, leadership, self discipline, responsibility, independence, initiative and a lifelong love of learning.”

“The child's development follows a path of successive stages of independence, and our knowledge of this must guide us in our behaviour towards him. We have to help the child to act, will and think for himself. This is the art of serving the spirit, an art which can be practised to perfection only when working among children.” (The Absorbent Mind, p. 257)