According to child development research – and our own experience – physical theater activities that focus on character development are developmentally appropriate for children in grades three through six. Because children at this age love to act out characters, the Michael Chekhov technique is a natural match because of its focus on character. Mr. Chekhov spent his life developing, testing, and evolving his ideas and principles upon which the Stages of Learning instructional practice for children is based.

Mr. Chekhov had two major influences on his work: Rudolf Steiner, philosopher and recognized father of the Waldorf Schools, and Constantin Stanislavski, the artistic director of the Moscow Art Theater until 1938.

Stages of Learning has adapted aspects of the Chekhov technique for use in classrooms of children grades three through six based on Chekhov's physically based, character-centered activities, which have shown 100% engagement of children in the program most of the time.