Montessori elementary school students who began their education in Montessori daycare have a few advantages over starting out in a traditional daycare environment. Because Montessori is dedicated to developing all aspects of children, this environment is more effective at preparing them for elementary and secondary education and gives them the tools to be viable members of the school, home, and community.
Filling an Empty Slate
Maria Montessori saw children as blank slates– or perhaps empty vessels– that yearned to be filled with information and ability. Daycare and preschool are considered the “Absorbent Mind” phase during which children eagerly try to learn, and that makes Montessori education the most effective way to get children involved and interested at an early age. To show how Montessori helps children develop, let’s look at 4 advantages of Montessori education that begin in daycare.
1. Learning Self-Discipline
Montessori elementary school depends on children learning to control random outbursts, focus on tasks, and become interested in the learning process as a whole. Developing self-esteem and self-confidence begins in the Montessori daycare, continues through preschool, and becomes a primary objective in elementary school.
2. Nurturing Order and Independence
The Montessori prepared environment teaches children that everything has a place, encouraging children to pick up after themselves and maintain an orderly environment. Human beings prefer order and routine in their lives, and the prepared environment was designed to correspond to the natural inclinations of children.
3. Building Community Participation
Beginning in daycare, children learn to work together and perform tasks for the common good of everyone. This is an important developmental step, promoting the use of empathy and teaching children that helping others makes them feel good about themselves in the process. The idea is that this helps children develop into responsible, caring members of the community,
4. Developing Strong Interactive Skills
A lot of Montessori activities involve group participation, teamwork, and communication skills. This teaches children to be more diplomatic, work toward group goals, and build self-esteem. For small children, these social skills are only beginning to develop, and they will be practiced often throughout their Montessori education. Montessori is known for developing leadership skills, and much of that is accomplished by building strong interactive skills.
There are other advantages of Montessori education as well, including developing appropriate emotional skills, learning to think critically to solve problems, and mastering practical skills that will be useful for the rest of their lives. The underlying goal is to develop the entire child, including mental, physical, emotional, and sensory skills.
The best way to learn more about the Montessori prepared environment is to see it in action. Schedule an appointment for a tour today to see Montessori in action.
