One will often hear Montessori teachers referred to as "guides". This is because they are experts at assisting children in finding their own strengths and capabilities through the use of developmentally appropriate lessons and enticing, self-correcting materials.

Montessori classrooms are divided into multi-age groupings based on each child's stage of development. Students stay with one class for an entire three-year cycle. This allows for natural skill growth like leadership, citizenship, role modeling and mentor-mentee dynamics.

Maria Montessori’s idea of the prepared environment was that everything the child came in contact with would facilitate and maximize independent learning and exploration. This calm, well-ordered environment has a lot of movement and activity.

Children learn they are responsible for the environment, materials, society, and each other.Ultimately, they are responsible for structuring their own time management to accomplish their freely chosen work, which builds autonomous, productive and happy children.