Summary: Montessori Principles

Finally, we covered the **principles** that make Montessori distinctive: the central role of **movement**, the avoidance of **external rewards** in favour of intrinsic motivation, **interest-led learning**, and **mixed-age classrooms**. We also looked at the **neuroscience** behind ECE: the billion neurons present at birth, the **basic brain architecture** that forms by age six, and the **pruning** process that follows. The first six years truly are the golden years of brain development — and the quality of education in those years shapes the rest of life. You are now ready to attempt the **Module 1 Assessment**.