When looking for a daycare or preschool for your child, you might hear a lot of terms that describe different programs for enrolment. And likely, you’ve heard of Montessori. Montessori is a popular teaching method that doesn’t only cover early childhood education years. It can go as far as high school. However, in this article, we’ll focus on the daycare and preschool aspects of Montessori education. We’ll attempt to answer the question, “What is a Montessori daycare or preschool?” We’ll also attempt to help give you facts to decide if Montessori programs are better than others.
When understanding the Montessori education theory, remember its name is unregulated
This is an important point to start with, because many schools can hang their shingles and call themselves a Montessori program. It is more descriptive than official, or trademarked. And due to that, not all Montessori programs may be created equal. If ‘pure’ Montessori matters to you as a parent, you will need to do your research to understand the preschool curriculums of individual schools. You’ll also want to confirm that the teacher conducting the class is trained in Montessori methods.
A Montessori daycare or preschool practices purposeful, self-directed learning
One thing you’ll notice as a parent is that a Montessori daycare or preschool does not require all children to be doing the same activity all together, or all at once. Maria Montessori, the founder of the educational method, believed that children should find their own interests and pursue them without interruption.
So, in a Montessori daycare, for example, you’re likely to find interest-based stations, such as the reading nook, or the math area. They can be ‘alone’ areas, or open group areas. And the daycare or preschool kids are given 3 hours per day to focus on what they want to focus on. They can then master the skill they are perfecting.
But this does not translate to chaos. There are rules in the classroom, such as remaining calm and quiet, to be able to focus. The good behaviour of children is thought to be a result of allowing independent learning.
To be able to accomplish a Montessori daycare or preschool, the following are thus required:
- A trained early childhood educator needs to prepare the classroom so that it is conducive to this style of learning. A lot depends on the teacher in Montessori theory of education.
- The teacher must be ready to encourage each child individually, so they can learn at their own pace. There are no ‘right and wrong’ answers in Montessori – the child simply needs to direct their own learning, and advance at their own pace. Mistakes are ok, and are seen as part of learning.
- A minimalist-style, child-sized classroom, without distractions like over-the-top colours, or cluttered shelves. Though, this doesn’t mean no colours.
Of course, there is more to it, and we encourage you to do more research on the educational method and how it is carried out, when choosing a daycare or preschool, to decide if the program is right for your child.
Some parents love the Montessori program, while others may have complaints about it.
Montessori schools are more about education than anything else. They’re much more focused on learning. The first thing you notice about them is the layout. Instead of a typical classroom, they have large play areas for the kids to explore in while the teachers are busy working with the kids.
Montessori schools are also very child-centered and teacher focused. This allows the teachers to have more direct interaction with the kids. Their materials are always kid friendly and they try to avoid using flashcards and other things that don’t teach children.
This isn’t to say that all montessori schools are the same. While they do tend to stick to these philosophies, there are many variations within each of them. Many will only require kids to wear shoes on the floor and use their imagination. Others may require strict uniforms and order.
All of these are good schools, but some will have better facilities and more attention to the kids. There are also different types of teachers available. Some are there to do one-on-one with each child, while others teach classes.
Here are the top five things to look for when choosing a montessori school.
1) Does the program focus on education and child development?
Look for a program that teaches more about education than anything else. If it focuses on learning through games and activities, but doesn’t spend time developing the kids’ motor skills, it’s not a good fit.
2) Is the teacher qualified?
Does the school only hire experienced, certified teachers? Does the school use certified materials? This helps to ensure that the teacher can control their environment, set an example for the children, and provide consistent lessons.
3) How does the school work with the community?
Find out what community resources are available. Does the school collaborate with any local businesses, churches, or other organizations? Are there other programs or events for the kids?
4) Is it in a safe neighborhood?
Does the school have any sort of security system? What’s the safety record like? Does the school work with neighbors to keep kids safe?
5) Do the prices compare well with the competition?
Are the prices comparable to other options? Are you looking for a cheap price or an affordable one?
Montessori programs are a great alternative to daycare and are worth looking into. You won’t have to worry about getting your kids ready for school.
Montessori theories can be applied in various daycare and preschool curriculums
To provide a full disclaimer, as a daycare centre in Metro Vancouver, we are not an official Montessori program. We are purposefully not, having considered many methods to employ in our considerations when implementing our own unique preschool curriculum.
This is not to say that Montessori is a less-qualified way of teaching – that’s not it at all. We have found that Montessori, like all the other theories of early childhood education, have their bigger strengths and lesser weaknesses. And in the end, there is a lot of overlap between them all. The interest of the child, is of course, at the heart of any daycare or preschool curriculum method. The important thing is that your child can thrive in the environment they are put in. And sometimes, the rigidness of sticking to one program’s educational theory can be less flexible in that regard.
Montessori principles can be seen in many daycare centres. Like the child-sized furniture, or ‘free time’ to learn. Emergent curriculum and following a child’s interests can also be seen in Montessori theory. Social interaction and community responsibility is encouraged in most daycare programs. Many childcare centres are also inclusive of multiple age groups. It is no secret that many early childhood education theories benefit from each other’s ideas.
So, whether or not to choose Montessori? This is not something we can decide for you. However, given the information above, it is important to know the principles that make a Montessori program genuine, and how to spot those features in other programs. For example if distance to a childcare centre is a concern, you may be well satisfied with a program closer to home, that has many Montessori principles, but is not necessarily calling themselves a Montessori daycare or preschool.