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Cycle 2 – Year 1 to Year 3

As your child makes the transition from Cycle 1 to Cycle 2 we recognise the developmental differences that begin from around age 6 onwards. There is a continued shift from working with concrete materials towards working with abstract ideas. This in turn empowers your child to be actively engaged in their learning by being independent and exercising choice.

Around this time your child will begin to change in terms of physiological, psychological, social and emotional development. They will develop a reasoning mind, a wide imagination, an intellectual curiosity and a need to identify with the class group.

In acknowledgement of these new needs, Maria Montessori developed Cosmic Education which forms the foundation of the Cycle 2 program, and continues into Cycle 3. Cosmic Education is a holistic and all-encompassing approach to education, with the vision of all the universe being connected and interrelated. This holistic approach continues to foster your child’s social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.

"The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one’s self. Adults work to finish a task, but the child works in order to grow, and is working to create the adult, the person that is to be. Such experience is not just play... it is work he must do in order to grow up."
Dr Maria Montessori

Cosmic Education aims to inspire your child to become interested in the natural world and in the need to make a contribution to human progress. Academic subjects are not presented to your child as discrete units, but rather interconnected, interrelated and open-ended fields of study. This helps to build a conviction in your child around the themes of progress and interdependency. 

In Cycle 2 your child is an active learner and key agent in their own education. Each day they will have a multitude of opportunities to explore and follow their passions, whether that is in the area of science, art or elsewhere. The access to a broad curriculum offers and abundance of opportunities for your child to think and act for themselves.

School Tours North-Eastern Montessori School

Our School tours are perfect to learn more about Cycle 2

Our Cycle 2 curriculum is a detailed series of presentations or ‘keys’ that serve as opportunities to capture your child’s interest and to enable them to find out things for themselves. It allows them to follow their own unique path. Cosmic education presents your child with a full range of educational disciplines – Language, Mathematics, History, Geography, Science, Creative Arts, Music, LOTE (Mandarin) and Physical Education.

Your Cycle 2 child will increasingly become an explorer of the mind and an explorer of the abstract world of thoughts and ideas. Their innate curiosity will go from questions about ‘what’ to questions about ‘why’ and ‘how’. The Cosmic Education curriculum will enable them to explore these new questions as they begin to explore beyond the here and now.

Our Cycle 2 teachers will give your child the opportunity to explore and work on the following inter-related all inclusive subjects:

Students at the Plenty Valley International Montessori School St Helena Melbourne

Astronomy
Geology
Geography
Biology
History
Language

Mathematics
Science and Technology
Physics
Chemistry
Art
Music

Drama
Physical Education and Health
Mandarin
Philosophy

As your child becomes increasingly social they will enjoy working with partners and in groups, which leads an increased interest in being part of a community, social organisation, morality, religion and the differences between cultural groups. Our Cycle 2 classroom enables your child to explore, experiment and create individually, or with others within their multi-age classroom. Along the way, they learn to collaborate and communicate with a range of peers, and understand the importance of each individual in the community.

The Cosmic Education approach to learning is extended and expanded upon as your child moves into Cycle 3 at North-Eastern. Learn more about Cycle 3 here.

To enquire about our Cycle 2 program, please contact our Registrar on 03 9438 3202 or by email