THIS is what its all about! The boy who did this work took a good majority of the classroom time to construct this in the correct order. He struggled, he started over, he wanted to quit, he said he was finished. I told him I KNEW that he could do it. I sat and watched him. The rest of the class gathered to encourage him (and count along.) He stuck with it until it was done and when it was, everyone cheered! High-fives and hugs all around! He was so proud!!
This is what happens when a child is allowed to challenge themselves in their own time and space. They intuitively know when they are ready. The Montessori classroom gives them space to challenge themselves without pressure. The mixed class gives them exposure to lessons they might not quite be ready for. Watching a just older child complete a task makes it seem that much more possible, and one day THEY DO IT THEMSELVES!! They take that with them for the rest of their lives. They OWN their education! The accomplishment is all theirs! That is what I love about Montessori.