Montessori Anyone?

[Happy Hearts]

I've been experimenting with Montessori trays for the daycare kids. So far they have been very popular... some more than others. For instance the sorting trays are a big hit!

I think running a Montessori program would be a good selling feature for acquiring respectful families as opposed to opportunists looking for the best deal and trying to rip you off every chance they get. I'm not calling my daycare a Montessori because I'm not sure what qualifications are required, but I would like to say that I have many features of a Montessori program.

Does anyone here run a Montessori program?

[EchoMom]

"Montessori" is not a trademark name or anything like that and so can be used by anyone. However, that's a big problem for true Montessorians. Since there are no qualifications required to call yourself Montessori, anyone can even people who THINK they're doing Montessori or people who KNOW they aren't but still want to use the term to get more interest.

I have many Montessori elements in my program but am not a purist by any means, it's pretty much impossible to recreate the Montessori environment in a small group setting and with WILDLY different ages.

I call my program a "Montessori inspired home daycare" that way I'm not claiming to be totally all Montessori, but I do appeal to people who know something about it. And it makes sense then why I never use high chairs, rarely use bouncers, swings, etc. and why all my upstairs toys are wooden and kids all help prepare and clean up meals.

[countrymom]

I would love to go in one day and see what they do all day. I have some things that are mont. and I found that the locks (lock and key and you need to try to open them easy dollar store find) is a really really big hit. The problem being is that most of my kids are under the age of 2, so I'm not sure what to do with them. To take the course is 5000 dollars, and clearly I don't have it.

[EchoMom]

You can learn a TON about Montessori on Youtube, I've spent hours upon hours, I can't believe how much info and ideas are available on Youtube for Mont. Just start searching and you'll be so surprised, you'll learn more than you can possibly handle and get tons and tons of ideas, even for the under 2year olds.

[countrymom]

You can learn a TON about Montessori on Youtube, I've spent hours upon hours, I can't believe how much info and ideas are available on Youtube for Mont. Just start searching and you'll be so surprised, you'll learn more than you can possibly handle and get tons and tons of ideas, even for the under 2year olds.

I never thought of youtube.

[MommieNana4]

I do a lot of Montessori inspired activities. My program is not "totally" the Montessori way. I love it!

There is a lot of FREE Montessori information on the internet (You Tube, blogs, websites, etc.) And you can improvise (read buy or create your own) a lot of the costly Montessori items.

[melskids]

I always say I am "play based incorporating aspects of Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia."

I try not to get too hung up on labels or claiming to be something I'm not.

[Willow]

My daycare is Montessori inspired. I'll be working towards official certification within the next year or so.

As of now I don't have a lot of the more child friendly furniture and fixtures, but that's in the works. I do keep my daycare environment very minimalist. Everything is very organized so each child can focus and move from work station/task to another without a lot of visual or physical clutter. I offer opportunities for each child to do their "work" individually, one on one with me, and with each other daily. We focus on learning through play and sensory awareness, developing self help skills and there is a big emphasis on experiencing and learning in and around nature.



For several years I nannied for a pair of doctors who sent their three kids to Montessori preschool and was straight SHOCKED at the differences between what they were able to learn, their overall demeanor and how they were able to express themselves compared to other kids their age. They had so much more self control, fantastic vocabularies, phenomenal imaginations.....I knew it was something I was going to do for my kids one day and when I started doing daycare it was a definite inspiration for me as a provider. I plan to go all in once we build our addition.

[Blackcat31]

"Montessori" is not a trademark name or anything like that and so can be used by anyone. However, that's a big problem for true Montessorians. Since there are no qualifications required to call yourself Montessori, anyone can even people who THINK they're doing Montessori or people who KNOW they aren't but still want to use the term to get more interest.

I have many Montessori elements in my program but am not a purist by any means, it's pretty much impossible to recreate the Montessori environment in a small group setting and with WILDLY different ages.

I call my program a "Montessori inspired home daycare" that way I'm not claiming to be totally all Montessori, but I do appeal to people who know something about it. And it makes sense then why I never use high chairs, rarely use bouncers, swings, etc. and why all my upstairs toys are wooden and kids all help prepare and clean up meals.

I do a VERY Montessori-inspried programas well. I LOVE the theory and approach to teaching.

I am curious though, why you feel it would be impossible to recreate the environment? I ONLY take children that fall into the two early age categories (birth to 3 and 3-6).

I am just beginning the certification process and super excited about it!!

Luckily for me, my DH is a wood worker by trade and makes almost all of my toys and materials.

[Willow]

I am curious though, why you feel it would be impossible to recreate the environment? I ONLY take children that fall into the two early age categories (birth to 3 and 3-6).

.

A typical traditional Montessori classroom would have 30+ children with ages spanning 0-teens, all under the premise the youngers can gain insight and learn valuable skills from being in the same vicinity as the olders.

It's not a hard and fast concept, but it is the ideal as far as I'm aware.

[SilverSabre25]

A typical traditional Montessori classroom would have 30+ children with ages spanning 0-teens, all under the premise the youngers can gain insight and learn valuable skills from being in the same vicinity as the olders.

It's not a hard and fast concept, but it is the ideal as far as I'm aware.

As far as I'm aware, traditional Montessori has separate classrooms for birth-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, etc. They just stay in the same room with the same teacher for three years. There are, however, separate classrooms to address the very different needs of different ages.

[Blackcat31]

A typical traditional Montessori classroom would have 30+ children with ages spanning 0-teens, all under the premise the youngers can gain insight and learn valuable skills from being in the same vicinity as the olders.

It's not a hard and fast concept, but it is the ideal as far as I'm aware.

I am sure there may be classrooms like that but a typical Montessori classroom does have mixed age groups but they are still usually divided into groups such as birth to pre-primary, primary or elementary, and upper elementary.

The ages over-lap a bit but as far as what I am being taught now the teachers are certified in one maybe two age groups to cover the over lap in development but the certification process stops at age 12.

The older kids are valuable insight to the younger ones but according to my instructor, you will rarely see teens or secondary students in a classroom with primary or pre-primary aged kids.

[Willow]

As far as I'm aware, traditional Montessori has separate classrooms for birth-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, etc. They just stay in the same room with the same teacher for three years. There are, however, separate classrooms to address the very different needs of different ages.

I am not disagreeing with you, only pointed out that that may be what glenechogirl was referring to when she said it was an impossible environment to recreate to the ideal in just a typical home daycare set up.

[EchoMom]

I do a VERY Montessori-inspried programas well. I LOVE the theory and approach to teaching.

I am curious though, why you feel it would be impossible to recreate the environment? I ONLY take children that fall into the two early age categories (birth to 3 and 3-6).

I am just beginning the certification process and super excited about it!!

Luckily for me, my DH is a wood worker by trade and makes almost all of my toys and materials.

I believe, and many Montessorians believe, that it is impossible to exactly duplicate the Montessori Children's House environment in a home because

1. Much of the philosophy has to do with social learning, bigs teach littles how to do things, littles see bigs putting toys away, demonstrating works, etc. I only have 6 children in my daycare, so not enough to truly have the large children's community feeling. 12 would be bettr, but still not the same as a Mont. class that typically has 20-30.

2. Mont. classrooms operate with a 3 "teacher" system. One is solely on demonstrating works to children, she moves around the room showing kids proper procedure for works. Another teacher is solely a manager, helping kids put toys away, cleaning up, prepping lunch, etc. The 3rd is the mediator, I think, hard to remember now. I think the 3rd helps facilitate apologies, distracted behavior, anticipate and redirect. In the home setting, I work alone, I have to do it all by myself and so my attention is very divided, if you have an assistant it would be much better.

3. For me, maybe not you, but I currently have ages 6months-5 years. The toddling/crawling babies make it almost impossible for me to put out challenging trays for the toddlers. I don't have the space or eyes to watch seperate groups, nor would I want to because I love how the bigs are compassionate and play with the babies.

[EchoMom]

You're right Blackcat, Mont. seperates ages 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12. I think it's terrific you're working on your cert and it sounds like you can get VERY close to the Mont. environment! I didn't mean to be a party pooper and say you can't do Mont. at home, you CAN get very very close and in some ways better! Many Mont. schools don't even have 0-3 because originally Maria Montessori expected babies that young to be home with mothers learning at their feet in their own environment. Today though with so many working parents infant/toddler Mont is being offered and that's great too.