What makes this book so special is that Sarah Cummins resolutely sticks to the task of engaging the reader with some of Maria Montessori's established principles of early years education. Cummins uses her practical experience and scholarly talent to focus on Montessori's concept of the prepared environment.
So, as the title of this book informs the reader, a theoretical explanation is based on the Montessori approach, providing a welcome invitation to consider the settings of the developing child from birth to approximately six years old. Cummings has assiduously compiled a series of chapters that never loses sight of an argument based on Montessori precepts, offering insights applicable to almost any educational setting.
In so doing, the author never really veers away from her conviction in support of a child-centred and holistic analysis in a prepared environment where toddlers are guided to play and to build their knowledge. Here Cummins directs the reader to an understanding and perception of a structured learning space where everything has a purpose and a place.
As a helpful guide, Cummins gives in chapters 1 and 2 an account of the Montessori approach and how it relates to the child and the adult. Chapter 3 considers observation; chapter 4 the nature of the absorbent mind. Chapter 5 is concerned with the child's natural development, and chapter 6 refocuses on the prepared environment. Chapters 7 to 10 evaluate play, freedom, hands-on learning and independence.
Chapters 11 and 15 include Montessori's lessons and a corresponding assimilation associated with maths, movement and wellbeing. The concluding chapter brings everything together and returns to the book's central theme of the planned environment.
Referred to as a ‘trinity’, Cummins promotes the child, the adult and the prepared environment. The task is for the knowledgeable practitioner to prepare a favourable setting to maximise the opportunity for children to become independent and active learners.
Cummins’ reliance on the importance of Montessori and her teachings is evident from the extensive use of direct references listed in the former's bibliography. Colourful and well-taken photographs are also included, and there are exercises, activities and case studies for the reader to investigate, interspersed throughout.
From the outset, the author generates intrigue and interest that go on to develop the text intelligently. Yet one criticism is the definition of the pivotal term ‘prepared environment’ does not appear till page eight of the book; this tends to introduce an anomaly that undermines a central theme in what might have been an oversight.
But the book's credibility shares common ground with other works: for example, the early interplay of historical analysis in both Cummins’ approach and that in The Bloomsbury Handbook of Montessori Education (2023) written by Angela K. Murray et al. Both books start with an account of the life and work of Montessori, and The Bloomsbury Handbook similarly refers to the prepared environment in the first chapter (albeit in the very first paragraph).
Cummins’ adroitness in explaining the value of immersing Montessori teachings into the early years environment gives the book considerable impact as well as a stylish literary flow of words. Cummins derives much understanding from her 20 years-plus of relevant experience and produces a work that is both absorbing and highly significant in the education of young children.
