Montessori education was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, who was an Italian educator and scientist. She researched that children’s brains develop more swiftly and more learning occurs during the period from birth to age three compared to any other stage of development. Many parents, however, wait until their children are older than toddlers to pursue formal schooling.
Recognizing the importance of these formative years, the American Montessori infant program has been developed to approach infants and toddlers to support them from an early age.
The infant and toddlers are instructed by loving teachers who are nurturing and highly trained in children’s development. These teachers provide serene, supportive, and safe surroundings for the youngest children in a Montessori environment. The American Montessori infant program is designed in a way that enhances children’s cognitive development, imagination, learning abilities, curiosity, and discovery at another level from a very early age.
Below are the five pillars upon which the Montessori infant program of America is built:
Highly trained teachers
The infant and toddlers are instructed by loving teachers, nurturing, and highly trained in children’s development. These teachers provide serene, supportive, and safe surroundings for the youngest children in a Montessori environment. The curriculum is designed in a way that enhances children’s cognitive development, imagination, learning abilities, curiosity, and discovery at another level from a very early age.
Montessori Materials
Montessori materials are moralistic, educational, informative, and instructive. The children are immediately drawn to it and want to touch and observe it. Each piece teaches a specific skill or topic, as well as a mechanism for students to fix any mistakes they make without the assistance of an instructor. The material also aids in the introduction of increasingly complicated ideas and concepts.
Multi-Age Groups in the Classroom
Children of various ages can learn from the older ones in multi-age groups. The older children teach the younger youngsters skills that they have already mastered. They act as role models while also honing their leadership abilities. All of the kids learn real-life work habits and social skills that will help them in their future work activities.
Child-directed activities
The American Montessori Infant Program encourages children to choose a meaningful and challenging activity, which leads to increased motivation, concentration, and self-discipline. The classrooms are designed to pique each child’s interest and offer them the opportunity to work in a child-directed atmosphere. They work alone or in groups in quiet, uncluttered environments. The teachers act as mentors and coaches.
Undisrupted work periods
For an infant, uninterrupted work intervals are critical. It aids in the development of concentration, coordination, independence, and order. They also learn information absorption. The program acknowledges and respects each child’s unique learning progress while allowing them to study at their own pace without being interrupted.
Here the infant chooses an activity of their choice and engages in it for as long as they are interested, then they clean up when finished, and put things back on the shelf. Post then they can select another activity. Depending on their performance and activities individual and small-group lessons are provided by the teachers, who support and monitor the child’s work.
Conclusion
The American Montessori infant program focuses on nurturing children’s curiosity, self-confidence, and intrinsic desire to learn from the moment they are born, laying the groundwork for lifelong learning. Because their Montessori environment delivers so much more than childcare for the youngest learners.