The Capstone year within the Montessori environment is magical, unique, and special. Commonly known as the “Kindergarten” year, at Three Tree Montessori School we choose to call this special year the Capstone year. This year is not the beginning of an educational journey as in traditional school, but the culmination, or crowning achievement, of 3 (or 4) years within an environment. Dr. Montessori said that children in the environment undergo such a transformation that their “souls revealed themselves with such radiance as to spread a light through the whole world” (Montessori, Secret of Childhood p. 121). What parent wouldn’t want the end of their child’s time in a primary (or elementary) environment to end in that manner?

During a child’s Capstone year, many traits and characteristics emerge. In regard to academics, the child has had the previous years to be the Learner, to practice their skills, and now they are given the opportunity to be the Leader or Teacher. Just the other day in Madrona, a Capstone student walked by a child that was practicing writing; the child was trying to write a word that began with th (thank). The Capstone student heard this and walked over to help unprompted, “/th/ is made up of a /t/ and /h/. Look at my mouth, /th/, when I say /th/.” Pause. “What comes after /th/ in thank?” Pause. “Yes! /a/ /n/ /k/.” Think of all that went into that simple interaction: the confidence in the skills of that Capstone student, the synthesization of knowledge, the generosity of sharing knowledge within that student, the desire to help because of an inner need instead of another person’s prompting. What did the student who was writing receive? They received the kindness and help of an elder, confidence and encouragement that they could figure it out, and time to explore the sounds. These brief interactions happen often, they are little moments that when put together, give the Capstone child confidence and grace to progress to their next chapter and succeed in another environment.

In addition to the teaching aspect of the Capstone child’s experience, they are inspired to learn and follow their own interests in big, ambitious, multi-day work. Capstone children revisit familiar material and use it in new ways. For example, a child within the primary environment has worked with shapes since they first entered at 3 years old. They began by folding napkins into squares, triangles, and rectangles before moving on to the Geometry Cabinet where they prepared their hand for writing by tracing the square, rectangles, triangles, and other shapes. Then they learned the names of those triangles and polygons: acute-angled scalene triangle, equilateral, decagon, hexagon, etc. Later on as they refined their reading skills, they began using those same insets to play a game where they hunted for “just the right triangle” by process of elimination and knowledge of the qualities that make up those triangles. The Capstone student will spiral back around to material, revisiting it and not only sharing the use with others, but experiencing it in a new way, gaining an additional layer of knowledge.

The Capstone year is magical, unique, and special. Watching the child grow in confidence with the backing of their skills, and watching them help a younger child clean up a spilled vase of water or broken dish of beans, is what makes the environment special. How they show friendliness with error and let the younger child see that, one day, they too will help and show such kindness and support to those that come after them. The Capstone year is an integral part of the Montessori environment. It helps the child close that chapter and move on to the next with confidence, joy and curiosity. "It is through appropriate work and activities that the character of the child is transformed. Work influences his development in the same way that food revives the vigor of a starving man. We observe that a child occupied with matters that awaken his interest seems to blossom, to expand, evincing undreamed of character traits; his abilities give him great satisfaction, and he smiles with a sweet and joyous smile." (Dr. Montessori, San Remo Lectures, p. 28)

Morgan Walker, TTMS Children's House Guide

April 2023