If you have a toddler child, you need to start looking for a preschool for your child to attend. Ideally, you'll find a preschool that can also transition your child into their kindergarten years as well. One of your options when it comes to schooling for your young child is a Montessori school. Montessori schools are designed to help children learn at their own pace while also empowering your child.
#1 Montessori School Starts at Age 3
Montessori school starts earlier than some other school programs. Montessori schools define children's growth periods as various planes of development, with the first plane of development starting at age three. This plane, or phase of development, is seen as starting at age three and extending to age six. During this phase of development, your child is seen as have a very absorbent mind that needs to be nurtured and taken care of.
If you are interested in your child pursuing a Montessori education, it is best to get your child into the program when it is designed to start.
#2 Montessori Classrooms Have Mixed Ages
Montessori classrooms are set up different than traditional preschool or kindergarten classrooms where children are separated by age groups. In Montessori classrooms, children are placed in mixed-age classrooms with children who are in the same developmental stage. At the beginning level, that means that children from age three to six are in the classroom together.
The mixed-age classroom setup allows older children to serve as role models and younger children to benefit from the educational stimulation that older children can provide them with. Children are able to develop a sense of community and connect with their classmates, who they age up with in the Montessori system.
Mixed-age classrooms also allow children to develop at their own level. A child may have advanced reasoning skills but lower social skills. In a Montessori mixed-aged classroom, there will be children who are at the same development stages who can help push your child to learn.
#3 Exploration is Encouraged
In a Montessori classroom, exploration within a controlled environment is encouraged. Your child is allowed to work in different areas of the classroom that are set up to facilitate learning. The teacher models how to use the materials in small groups, and the children are allowed to explore and learn at their own pace. The children help each other learn as well. Small group lessons are used to facilitate learning, and children are allowed to explore at their own pace. For your child, it will feel like play, while in reality, they are learning at an age-appropriate level.
If you want your child to learn at an age-appropriate place in a classroom where their learning is supported by other students and by their teachers, you may want to look into a Montessori education for your child.
For more information on choosing the best education for your toddler, contact a local school like The Cottage School.
