Your child will be bringing home the new skills learned at school. They will discover a sense of independence that will become very apparent in their home life. If you see your child asserting more independence, you can support your child by slowing down to their pace, maintain consistent discipline, tolerating mistakes, and reinforcing the child's learning process. By doing these things you are reinforcing what they learn in the Montessori classroom.

Montessori classes are multi-aged groups spanning three years. This allows for social development, children helping children and shared learning as well as independent growth. Because of the different ages and abilities, teaching one another becomes a reality. This leads to an atmosphere of respect, generosity, and cooperation that children find satisfying. Children are free to move purposefully around the classroom. They are free to talk to and work with other children. The Montessori works are purposeful and educationally relevant. Everything in a Montessori learning environment is child-centered. The focus of the activity is on the children learning, not on the teacher teaching. 

In order to reap the fullest benefits of a Montessori classroom, one must understand the importance of the three-year cycle. The primary classroom (3-6 year old) was developed with the mindset that the children would join Montessori at 3 years old and then stay for three years, thus completing the cycle. This idea coincides with the data that Maria Montessori discovered pertaining to the Planes of Development. It is of the utmost importance that when you enroll your child at 3 years old, you understand that for your child to reach their full potential, they will be expected to stay at Northside for 3 years.

The role of the Montessori teacher in the classroom is fewer directives than is customary in the traditional classroom. The classroom is designed for the needs of the children. The teacher's role is to be a guide, observer, and caretaker of the environment. The teacher carefully prepares the classroom by providing a stimulating environment and by removing obstacles to learning. The teacher will present a lesson to a child or small group of children and then step back to allow them to pursue the work independently. The teacher will observe the child, help them overcome difficulties, and redirect the child when necessary.