If you’re wondering what’s best for your preschool or primary-aged child’s education these days—online classes or in-person learning—you’re not alone. Between today’s efforts to keep everyone healthy and the advancement of new technologies, virtual learning has been growing in use and often seems appealing at first glance.
But is it best for your child? Not necessarily.
One of the greatest gifts that Maria Montessori gave us is the understanding that children flourish best when surrounded by an environment that is designed uniquely for their size and stage of development. A well-designed Montessori classroom offers a safe, comforting, stimulating space that invites your child to discover the world, learn to care for themselves and others, and develop a way of thinking that gives them an edge in life for years to come.
When it’s time for children to transition from preschool to kindergarten and primary grades, it’s common for parents to wonder whether it’s better to stick with Montessori or make a change. The fact is, Montessori is a lifelong approach to learning and discovery that your son or daughter will benefit from continuing.
A Montessori wall mirror is not only beneficial for you and your little one but will keep your baby occupied and entertained. It will support their cognitive and physical development as they explore all that the mirror has to offer them. A Montessori bedroom wall mirror will also encourage your child to move around and develop a sense of what the mirror is and how their reflection appears.
We often ask any visitors to our setting to actively watch and listen to groups of children using loose parts in the garden. It is really only when one observes that the abundant benefits of open-ended play shine though.
Parents often ask if using the Montessori Method at home requires the purchase of many expensive materials. First, keep in mind that a few, carefully selected materials are far better than oodles of inappropriate ones. Additionally, a crowded, cluttered environment can be off-putting, even stressful, to the child. While the materials should be many things, such as beautiful, educational, and above all, enticing to children, they needn’t actually cost a lot of dough.
Reggio Emilia also revolves around the children’s senses, relying on sight, sound, touch and even taste and smell to assist with learning. As a result, Reggio Emilia classrooms tend to look different than your average preschool with large common spaces, natural elements and lots of accessible and curiosity-sparking materials.
Montessori educational philosophy is based on a belief that children are individuals with creativity and curiosity that require hands-on experiences to thrive. In other words, our children learn best when multiple senses are engaged, and they are using their bodies and minds to explore the world around them. It is why the Montessori method uses multi-sensorial educational materials, including Montessori furniture (also known as “adaptive furniture”), to help children learn.
Building a Montessori from scratch is no small thing. The responsibility of shaping the young minds to be independent, brave and confident is a duty that should be taken seriously. If you are looking to start a Montessori in your school and feeling overwhelmed with all that’s required then worry not! This article is for you.
