Simplicity– the Montessori method puts an emphasis on simplicity and aesthetics (you won’t find batteries in Montessori toys for toddlers) The second plane of development is also the period in which children begin to formulate their moral sense and transition to slightly more abstract ways of thinking (Marshall, 2017). Third plane Central to the Montessori method of teaching is the view that children have the best capacity to learn during the early years, from birth up until they are six years old. What is a Montessori nursery? With Montessori’s hands-on learning philosophy, children are encouraged to follow their natural instincts and respond to whatever comes to their minds, provoking creative choices from natural curiosity. Montessori teachers

Sounds like a depressing topic and, to be honest, finding out what could be potentially damaging to our children can be quite scary. However, what I really like about this book is the realistic practical suggestions at the end of each chapter telling you what you can do about it given the facts. Worth reading. My favourite online Montessori stores For example, a 2005 study done in a Buffalo public Montessori magnet school was not able to support the hypothesis that a Montessori school was associated with higher academic achievement (Lopata et al., 2005). Pros and Cons Toddlers are often eager and excited about helping in activities and chores that most adults consider to be mundane. The Montessori method encourages participation in these activities as a core component of daily life. Here are a few Montessori practical life activities for toddlers. The first principle motivated Montessori to really value both the way the physical classroom was organized and the specific materials she used for different age groups.Also, while Maria Montessori advocated for realistic stories, she also admitted there is some beauty in fairy tales and that children’s minds are naturally attracted to fantasy (“The 1946 London Lectures”). She never said we shouldn’t read fairy tales to children. Rather than that, she focused on the positive arguments in favor of more realistic stories. Food preparation: smoothies, vegetable cutting, rinsing fruits, spreading jelly on bread, peeling a banana, etc.

Lopata, C., Wallace, N. V., & Finn, K. V. (2005). Comparison of academic achievement between Montessori and traditional education programs. Journal of research in childhood education, 20 (1), 5-13.

Recognizing the importance of these formative years, the Montessori approach to infant and toddlers supports starting earlier than that. The Montessori method often highlights the importance of letting children participate in everyday household activities and creating an environment where they are able to do so according to their abilities. Although most empirical studies use academic achievement as a measure of effectiveness, a study done in France looked into the way the Montessori program impacts an individual’s creativity. I’m going to show you how I set up our new Montessori toddler classroom where I run parent-child classes here in Amsterdam. A child in the third plane of development is between the ages of 12 and 18 years old. In terms of physical development, this stage equates to puberty. Although much of the Montessori method focuses on strengthening a child’s ability to concentrate, Montessori recognizes that difficulties in concentration arise during adolescence.

Maria Montessori focused a great deal of intrinsic motivation in her observations and careful development of her methods. A Montessori environment provides children with opportunities to work towards goals and activities using their own intrinsic motivation, as opposed to external rewards. Gentle Parenting Ages are to give an indication only. Follow your child. See which activities keep their attention; remove those that are too hard or too easy. This phase is also distinguished by the initial construction of the adult self, and another key feature is valorization – the need for external recognition of work. Montessori toddlers are exposed to and able to learn many skills earlier than their peers who might not have the opportunity to practice at home. Many simple Montessori activities for toddlers, such as dressing, eating, washing, etc., are well within the developmental capabilities of toddlers. Montessori learning environments are age-range appropriate to meet the basic needs of growing children but at the same time meet individual needs.This approach promotes creativity as children engage in open-ended activities and self-expression. Additionally, Montessori classrooms encourage children to think critically by presenting them with real-world problems and allowing them to find their own solutions, promoting analytical thinking and decision-making skills. References The fourth and final plane of development includes people aged 18-24 years old. Here, the individual fully embraces their studies and learns to lead society. What I have observed is that there is a distribution of children throughout the whole space. There will be a child in the language corner, another child or two working on self-expression (art and craft), someone in the music corner tinkering, and other children working on puzzles, fine motor work or in the gross motor area. These activities are not intended for families homeschooling from 3 years +. These activities are intended for the home environment when attending preschool or school. Additionally, the National Kindergarten Association was extremely dismissive of Montessori’s method, arguing that it was outdated, too rigid, required too much sense-training, and left too little room for imagination and social interaction.