A young child is watering a plant in the environment when suddenly the pot overflows and water cascades down the shelf onto the floor. The young child immediately looks around the room, unsure how to stop the flow of water. Although our adult instinct is to rush over and help, to intervene before the water spills, we recognise how this interference will deny the children of a valuable life experience. A logical consequence that needs to play out. The guide trusts in the unfolding and the lesson about to take place. In a matter of seconds, an older friend is there with a mop. Children from all corners of the room leave their reading drawers, maps, Lego, and projects. "I can help. Get a towel. I have one. Make it safe!" can be heard as more children join to help dry the shelves and the floor. As guides, we stand back with full hearts. We witness love, compassion, and care for others and the community. We see young eyes full of self-worth and a sense of fulfilment that can only be gained through helping another being. The child now has a new sense of belonging, resilience and understanding that our classroom family is there to assist, keep others safe and hold each other responsible for their actions. A lesson that could not be eventualised by an adult stepping in and "fixing" the mess. We observe an understanding that this is a process, a learning, that can only come if the child is able to feel moments of discomfort, of things going wrong. For this is life, and this lesson will repeat itself many times, and our gift to the child is for them to experience it and to grow from it.

Bringing a Montessori High School Experience to the Central Coast CCM is working behind the scenes to introduce the first Montessori Adolescent Program to the Central Coast. This will be followed by a comprehensive information evening where we will share what Montessori's vision is for adolescents and how we at CCM are planning to bring this to life. There will be very limited places available for this unique opportunity for our teens to experience a very different educational process. CCM will also be looking at enrolling upper Primary students now and in 2026 into our primary school in preparation for 2028 - 2029. ​ Maria Montessori had a unique and powerful vision for what is required by adolescents in the form of - 'a school of experience in the elements of true social life..' ​ Our goal is to prepare an environment that caters to the developmental needs of adolescents, along with a daily experience that supports their pathway towards valorisation and ability to truly realise their capacity to adapt, belong and contribute to an ever-changing world. If you are interested, please submit your expression of interest here , or to apply for upper Primary now. (Please note - CCM guides enrolling families along a considered, staged process to best support their ability to make a conscious and informed decision around joining our unique learning community.

"I made my mum cry yesterday," said one of our five-year-olds as he entered the room on a sunny Friday morning. "But it was a happy cry," he quickly added. "She loved my card so much that it made her happy cry , so now I want to make one for my dad, too." He then went off independently to get the moveable alphabet and his writing materials.  This experience showed the child the power of writing. He could see concretely how putting a single thought down on paper that he had throughout his day could make such a beautiful impact on those he loved. It made us, as guides reflect on how, without the moveable alphabet, this opportunity might have been missed and how this loving thought may have passed without being expressed. Communication is a natural human tendency, and we have created a system of written symbols to share our thoughts, experiences, and feelings. In Montessori, writing comes before reading. Children learn to write phonetically, sounding out words as they hear them using the moveable alphabet.    As they gain more experience and phonemic awareness, they begin to form words with correct spelling, indirectly preparing them for reading.  Throughout the day in our environment, you can see children expressing themselves through writing, whether it's about their weekend or their favourite animal. The earlier children are exposed to sounds, the more independent they become in expressing themselves.  According to Dr. Maria Montessori, a child’s sudden interest in writing is deeply linked to their natural sensitivity to language, which is most active when they first begin to speak. By the age of five and a half or six, this sensitivity fades, making it more difficult for children to learn writing with the same ease and enthusiasm. Older children often need to apply more conscious effort and willpower to master this skill.

In the Chrysalis environment, the beauty of quiet concentration unfolds as children immerse themselves in their work. Providing uninterrupted time allows them to delve deeply into their tasks, fostering not just focus but also independence and self-discipline. Maria Montessori, recognised the profound significance of concentration in a child's development. She believed that concentration is not only a skill but also a foundation upon which all other learning is built. When children are given the space to concentrate without distractions, they can explore their interests, problem-solve, and develop a sense of mastery over their environment. This process is not just about completing tasks but about engaging fully with the present moment, cultivating a sense of mindfulness and inner peace. As guides and parents, we play a crucial role in nurturing this capacity for concentration.  By creating an environment that values quiet observation and respectful support, we empower children to become active participants in their own learning journey. Through the practice of quiet concentration, children discover the joy of discovery, the satisfaction of accomplishment, and the endless possibilities that unfold when they are allowed to focus deeply on what captivates their interest.

Community is a beautiful idea. The notion of being surrounded by like-minded people, having enriching experiences, being supported and held. This however, is just one part of social interaction, a part that can be easy to get caught up in having often grown-up and been guided through life experiences and schooling to be outcome focussed, to have fixed expectations and/or both eyes on a goal. To want for something, imagine it, aspire to it is not a bad thing, as humans we yearn for things that will nourish us (or we believe will nourish us) however, It can at times remove our focus from the potential before us in every moment. Every goal or outcome as it unfolds has many opportunities and micro-acquisitions within it...this constant exchange with life, the people and things in it, is our daily work and this work comes in many shapes and sizes accompanied by a spectrum of feelings.  ​ In relation to the co-creation of a community, community space, collective ideas etc.. it is necessary to consider that, just as we look different, learn, think and feel differently, we have experienced many things that have brought us to where we are, we may perceive principles and values that appear to align or resonate, the fact is that we may all be in the same library but are not all in the same section, let alone book, chapter and or page. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, in fact diversity is fundamental...the point here being that perhaps a sustainable, innovative and respectful community is one that consciously makes the decision to invest in the experience of communion without which there is no community.  ​ These experiences, this communion, if, it is to become the foundation of an authentic, liminal space within which a group of people is held and can freely grow...then the greatest realisation or point of acceptance is perhaps that community takes work and it is not always nice, in fact it can be difficult and unwelcomed. Within it, everyone has a role to play, once limitations are removed then potential remains.  ​ Montessori spoke to guides and parents about meeting each child where they are at.. holding that space, affording them the opportunity to move through their experience. Similarly, within any collective, we too, echoing Montessori's sentiment must meet each person where they are. This space, this position/point of realisation, absent of judgement or criticism is perhaps the place Dante alluded to when he remarked... 'the greatest wisdom is first to love...' is this not the ultimate basis upon which community is founded.

life as opportunity - cosmic succession - hereditary independence Montessori's unique approach to learning and the subsequent formulation of a methodology to guide and support the growth of young lives was born of immense creative vision, years of dedicated observation, much research and reflection, and a deep belief that humanity's capacity for peace firmly lay in the child.  Many around the world are inspired and enlightened by the depth and beauty of her work, once the 'classroom' is seen, her true genius becomes apparent...experiencing children within a mixed age, prepared environment working freely and independently brings the onlooker a great sense of comfort, often adults are heard commenting, 'If only I could have learnt this way...'  It is without doubt an innovative and intuitive philosophy viewed more as an  'aid to life' than a schooling mechanism. ​ In many respects, the essence of the work, the intention and spirit of inquiry behind it is more important than the systematic and dogmatic replication of a series of perceived instructions...that wasn't the apparent goal for the prepared environment and the children in it, let alone the loftier aspiration of world peace. Every living thing experiences a great unfolding...one of learning and growth.  To make an authentic, purposeful cosmic contribution, each life must be founded in freedom, the fundamental liberty to play or have an interplay with an idea, concept, thought or presumption. It is only through this experience, this relationship that a deep form of integration can take place providing additional tools from which they can further  1/ construct themselves and 2/ add value to the collective. This notion of freedom is commonly and easily misunderstood by those new to Montessori as a free pass to do whatever one likes. However, this couldn't be further from the truth, It is the work of the guide/parent/adult to establish the container, the limits and or responsibility that comes with making decisions and to foster a connection to and understanding of the necessary attitude, reverence and gratitude required to bring forth a sense of value and love for the very world that sustains us.  The question remains - Are we 'doing Montessori'?? or using her beautiful work to further 'do us'??  If the latter is the case, then one must not fear any honest inclination to become the creator and/or innovator...if we confidently (and respectfully) commit to our process of self-creation, then we not only pay the greatest homage to her but also give the young lives we guide permission to do so too. Life as Opportunity The diagram simply indicates the basic premise, sets the scene or gives greater context to an understanding of existence. It proposes that 'life' provides opportunity, one then makes choices through which they script a Personal Authentic Narrative (PAN) thus making their cosmic contribution.  ​ It takes the view that the entire process of life is a 'liminal experience' holding space for continuous transformation i.e. growth. NOTE: At this moment, in terms of navigating the great river of life/existence and not controlling it... the discussion surrounding choice here can be taken to be separate from further exploration of the ideas, views looking at free will and determinism. The Plane of Cosmic Succession Two decades of working closely with families in the learning space, forming relationships, making observations and reflecting upon life unearthed the desire to further explore the four plane model of development that Montessori presented.  ​ She spoke of the child being the hope and promise for the future...this same child who spends the majority if not all of their most formative and absorbent years in the care of parents and then guides who themselves have formed habits, attitudes, constructs, biases, who carry traumas and unresolved issues...people who exist daily within systems that may provide knowledge, a means to navigate the material world but often lacks the support that truly matters. The schooling system is one such mechanism. Please don't misunderstand, there are beautiful environments, staffed with passionate and loving individuals however the construct itself is, based on what we now know of learning is antiquated. It focusses on knowledge, testing, outcomes and competition as opposed to the nurturing of wisdom, creativity, compassion and mutualism. ​ The introduction of a fifth plane may only be required until such time as we are able to develop prepared spaces for adults to explore and continue to develop. If we discover that this falls short then we strongly advocate for a plane of cosmic succession where adult/guides and parents to be, are held such that they may explore life past, present and future and consciously move towards designing the environment and person the child/ren will meet. Please note, this is not about a perfect environment simply the creation of time and space for a more personal and considered approach...a rite of passage to adulthood.  Towards Hereditary Independence Following on from the model presented above, this diagram represents the extension of the idea of comic education (more specific to the second plane 6-12 yrs in Montessori's work) and pulls it into a continuum that provides an orientation for guides and parents across all planes.  ​ The first four planes and their specifically observed tendency towards the acquisition of identified stages of independence are documented in Montessori literature. Here, they are linked to a cosmic unfolding or process culminating at the point of 'cosmic succession' i.e. the capacity to truly 'hold space' for the growth of another life (be that through parenting or in the role of a classroom guide) The significant task of consciously preparing an environment, held with the intention of facilitating or supporting the realisation of each individual's potential, can only be reached through deep observation, reflection and inquiry, opening the doorway to hereditary independence...where one's capacity to look at the entirety of who they are and where the have come from and begin to put context around it, to accept, understand and embrace it in its totality such that the space held for young growing lives is done so with an ever-growing humility, a tempered ego and the capacity to meet each individual where they are at, free of expectations, constructs and pre-determined linear/chronological milestones.  ​ The continuum illustrated below has age 'ranges' to help highlight the fact that Montessori observed certain developments around these general ages providing a platform of respect and reverence for each individual's own learning pathway. A Learning Tapestry that Learns Just as a preamble, it is important to note that the framework referred to as the Learning Tapestry provides a blueprint or map to assist with process orientation. The contents are a direct product of observation, experience, contemplation and imagination. What is displayed in the next diagram only identifies the foundational planes, the complete, personal tapestry includes many threads. It can be used linearly, in a uniquely determined sequence or interchangeably if more pertinent personal threads not present are added. The three axes begin by identifying principles, follow on to outline a vehicle for inquiry from a point of invitation towards innovation, it then looks at great human capacities, potentialities or processes that can support the scripting of a personal narrative. Essentially, it is simply an instrument that helps to concretise an existential process from intent to expression...that aids one to become aware of their ability to create habits by design. What that process looks like and how it is navigated is up to each individual...thus providing freedom within limits. THE DIAGONAL AXIS The Axis of Principle The experience or process of developing this foundational axis provides one with the opportunity to explore the origins of their intent or alternatively to form the basis upon which they would like to build/design their lives. These personal values or principles become both a point of beginning and a point of return...they establish resonance with self and are malleable changing, growing and evolving with the individual. THE VERTICAL AXIS The Axis of Inquiry The vertical axis scaffolds an approach to learning from inquiry to insight via five different stages each supporting the previous and collectively driving integration. ​ This process is founded upon a revised and extended Montessori three period lesson with the addition of two steps, the first promoting connection and the last actively supporting the inclusion of an application stage in the learning trajectory taking it beyond the mere transition of knowledge and towards wisdom. THE HORIZONTAL AXIS The Axis of Capacity The third and final foundational axis looks at five great human capacities or processes completing the outline for the PIC(5) framework.   This exploration of human expression or potential identifies how the conscious development of these capacities culminates in the realisation of a deep culture of stewardship that will support life individually through legacy creation and collectively through a journey of  custodianship. ​ In keeping with all aspects of the framework both the capacities and their developmental stages can be innovated upon or personalised.