The teacher will provide a series of activities, and each child will be encouraged to develop skills within the activity that they have chosen. Everything is within their reach – all tables are small, all shelves and bookcases are small relative to an adult, all furniture will be lower than waist height. The room is filled with furniture suitable for children. It has the capacity for twenty to thirty children in mixed age groups, and staffed by fully trained teachers and assistants. This ‘Children’s House’ serves as a more traditional classroom set-up. Once the child is a little older, between three to six years old, they’re moved into what is called a ‘Children's House’. There is particular emphasis given to developing confidence in ‘toileting’ at this stage. They prioritise the use of materials, toys, environments and activities suited to a child’s size and psychological development. They are intended to serve children up until they are three years old, with some leeway depending on the school’s policies. This nest is ideal for children that are capable of walking unassisted – ‘students’ often fall between the ages of two and fourteen months old. There are several possibilities for a Montessori preschool structure, but most emphasise the importance of a ‘nido’, or ‘nest’. What does a Montessori preschool curriculum/Montessori day care look like? The philosophy instructs that education should be built up around these principles in order to best facilitate a healthy psychological development – ideally with the intention of developing independence in all of the listed areas.Īs they are ‘universal’ tendencies, it can be reasonably assumed that education systems established with a healthy respect for these characteristics will find it easier to establish a base or foundation, from which they can build their more individualistic ‘ad hoc’ instructions. However, Maria Montessori and her son, Mario, did identify a series of universal characteristics which they went on to call ‘human tendencies’. It is only by following this highly personal path to psychological development that they can reach a healthy end point, and not everyone’s path is the same. Second, that children have their own innate path towards healthy psychological development.

Play with a selection of toys, explore a selection of areas try out new things and see what works for them on an individual level. Rather than sitting at a desk and being lectured, children are encouraged to do things. What are the ideas behind Montessori childcare?įirst, children create their own sense of ‘self’ through interaction with their environment.

The life of maria montessori