To many people, the ultimate goals of a Montessori education do not fall in the measurable domains of subject matter or mastery of specific techniques. Instead, the outcomes of Montessori education that really matter are, to some extent, intangible. Many Montessorians believe that children work to fulfill inner directives, and it is during such labor that the more measurable goals are addressed. Possibly the foremost of the inner directives is the child's drive toward independence. This article discusses guidelines for building independence at the Early Childhood level including: (1) establish a strong and viable Practical Life program; (2) management of intervention; (3) avoid doing for children what they can do for themselves; (4) learning when to leave a presentation or lesson; and (5) practice something the author calls "modesty of the eyes." This means trying to avoid catching a child's eyes at any time other than when directly working with them. The strategies discussed in this article may also be applied to children in the Elementary years and beyond.