Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Montessori Teaching · Principles of Montessori's Teaching
Pruning and the Golden Years
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Ch 1: Fundamentals of Montessori Teaching
Historical Context of Early Childhood Teaching
About Maria Montessori
Theories of Child Development & Montessori's Observation on Children
Principles of Montessori's Teaching
Ch 2: Essentials of Montessori Teaching
Learning Outcomes
Practical Life
Science & Mathematics
Digital Life & Montessori Settings
Art, Reading, Writing & Printables
The Process of Pruning
**Pruning** is a process that begins around **age six**. In this process, the brain eliminates pathways that have not been opened, used, or established.
This elimination of unused pathways reveals the new brain architecture that the child has built since birth. What remains is a more efficient, specialised brain — shaped by the experiences and stimulation of the early years.
This is why the quality of the environment, relationships, and education in the first six years matters so much: those years literally **build the brain that the child will use for life**.
Functions of the Newly-Formed Brain Architecture
Once the basic brain architecture is in place and pruning has refined it, the brain is ready to support:
- Advanced reasoning and problem solving
- Reading, writing, and mathematics
- Self-regulation and emotional control
- Long-term memory formation
- Social and moral judgement
The richer the early experiences, the richer the architecture available for these higher-order capabilities.
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