"The child must be able to carry out his own reasoning, his own judgement, his own thinking." - Dr. Maria Montessori

"The child who wants to walk by himself must be allowed to try - what strengthens any developing power is practice and repetition." - Dr. Maria Montessori

"In order to learn, the child must first be able to concentrate... But no one can force concentration upon him. He develops concentration by fixing his attention on some task he is performing with his hands." - Dr. Maria Montessori

"His impulses are so energetic that our usual reaction is to check them... But we must consider that exploring his environment is the child's natural way of learning." - Dr. Maria Montessori

"If we were to establish a primary principle, it would be to constantly allow the child's participation in our lives. For he cannot learn to act if he does not join in our actions, just as he cannot learn to speak if he does not hear... To extend to the child this hospitality, to allow him to participate in our work, can be difficult, but it costs nothing. Our time is a far more precious gift than material objects." - Dr. Maria Montessori

"The child tends always to expand his independence... He wants to act of his own accord, to handle things, to dress and undress himself." - Dr. Maria Montessori

"The young child passes through a series of sensitive periods during which he experiences an intense and specialized interest in the things around him... A particular object or a particular skill can awaken so much enthusiasm in him that it becomes incorporated in his very existence." - Dr. Maria Montessori

"Little he cares about the knowledge of others; he wants to acquire knowledge of his own... to experience the world through his own unaided efforts." - Dr. Maria Montessori

"The child can only develop by means of experience in his environment. We call such experience work." - Dr. Maria Montessori

"As she masters each new skill her self-confidence increases." - Dr. Maria Montessori