The children and staff at Council Oak Montessori enjoy a unique opportunity to experience Dr. Montessori's theory of Cosmic Education through all of its stages--from the 3-year-old who first comes to the school to the 15-year-old who completes its Middle School program. And it makes the author thinks much more actively about how the faculty and staff lay the foundation for this experience in Children's House. The Children's House, physically and philosophically, reflects Dr. Montessori's belief that children are better prepared to be independent, confident, and responsible individuals through Cosmic Education. Montessori maintained that children learn best in an environment that encourages freedom of movement and discovery, and a space to develop an early understanding about their place as individuals in the universe. In the Children's House, the prepared environment provides an order that allows for educating the whole child in every aspect, from the use of materials that lead to natural consequences to furniture and works specifically designed for small hands.