09/13/2026
The Montessori method favors low, open shelving to make the materials accessible to the children without having to ask for help. Our Rainbow Room was designed with our youngest kiddos in mind and had one row of low, open shelves with age-appropriate puzzles and other work materials. But when we were a month into school and found that that design was just not meeting the needs of our current students who do most of their work in that room, guess what?
We didn't try to change the students.
🌈We changed the room.🌈
We now have a softer space with more opportunity for our kiddos to meet their sensory and motor needs without "making a mess" or misusing our learning materials.
We will introduce the learning materials for shorter periods, and in this way, the materials will garner more focused attention and respect from the children, and the children's experiences with them will be more impactful.
These students will all get to the point where they are able to move to the Big Room and use the materials from the shelves appropriately and put them back. That day is not today, and that is okay.
The Montessori mantra is "Follow the Child." We are not their teachers. We are their guides, helping them along on their journeys. And we are honored to be here. ❤️
