Montessori Babies?

[KnitterMama]

My DS is 3 months old. I've been looking into school options for him for when he is pre-school age, because I *know* the public schools here will not work for us. My research thus far has really pointed in the direction of Montessori schools. I feel good about the Montessori philosophies in general and the Montessori students I've met are great and seem genuinely interested in learning.

Anywho! I'm currently reading "Montessori From the Start", which covers the infant and toddler years. Seems pretty good so far, very interesting ideas. It's bringing up a lot of questions for me, though. First, with all this "concentration" stuff - it seems a little serious for a baby. How do you do this without treating them like little adults? Also, regarding the home environment...I like the idea of a child-bed, but we won't be doing that anytime soon as we co-sleep and hopefully will continue to for a long time. However, the descriptions of the home and child's room seem really keen on being plain with just a few toys. I thought we were supposed to stimulate our babies with patterns and colors and busy stuff. I thought if we deprived them of sensory stimuli it would hinder development? Am I missing something here?

I'm an AP Mama as well, so if anyone has info on combining the two in the home (and how you did it) I'd appreciate it greatly. There seems to be a lot of emphasis on independence, and I'm not sure how comfy I feel with that given my AP style.

Last thing...if you know of a website or something with information on Montessori and infants, I'd love it. TIA!

[sagira]

I'd like to call myself and AP mama as well, and I do admire the Montessori way a lot. I highly recommend reading www.michaelolaf.net and its guide for 0-3 years. It's a little book, and very informative.

I co-sleep also, but the idea of a low bed also attracted me. Ds (now 19 mos.) has a low bed and sofa and chair that he sits on and relaxes on during the day.

As much as we could, dh and I give him real objects to manipulate and play with. He uses onions as balls, measuring cups, cans to stack, etc. He has toys, but he actually is not that interested in them compared to "real things". We let him help us with anything he can, and he lights up from within whenever he does.

As a crawling baby he would crawl relatively undisturbed around his room, home and explore to his heart's content. We put a low shelf with books and a few toys so that he could choose and take what he wanted/needed. He's been doing this since he was crawling.

We got him his own broom, duster and dustpan. He loves walking around with them and sometimes plays dusting and sweeping, but since he doesn't see us do it often.. I don't think he gets it yet :

As he gets older (we're moving into our own house -- yay!) we're going to get him a stepstool so he can help us with cooking, cleaning and with his own hygiene (ds has been brushing his own teeth since he was 12 mos).

Also, take care to have one area in each room that is dedicated to him. With his books, a few small toys, etc. so he feels at home. A great book to read (I plan to homeschool him once he's two all the way through preschool) is Montessori Play and Learn by Leslie Britton. It's excellent, and deals with Montessori in the home and for children from 2-6 but the first chapter has a section on babies' sensory periods, etc.

Good luck! If you need more information or have any more questions PM me.

Cheers,

[kenzie&wyatt'smom]

I myself went to Montessori 27 years ago. I am sure things have changed and I was only 2 and 3 but I feel like it was a great step that my parents took for me. I now have my own two lil ones and am in the process of searching out for a Montessori near us. My only problem is going with out my lil bundles of joy for a few hours. We are always together. Maybe I will just impliment some of Montessori in my own home. My DD is now 2 1/2 and been independent since the day she was born. She has become a mini mommy always helping around the house and copying me where ever she can. My problem is going to be my DS he is hooked at the hip (i mean boob)So I don't know how he will ever learn to be independent.

[KnitterMama]

Thanks for the book info and helpful suggestions.

I'm getting more and more confused the more I read, :LOL . Not in a "what do they mean?" kind of way, but more like how do I implement these things in our lives? How can I use this with AP? *Can* I use this with AP?

I wonder if once of the Montessori schools around her has a 0-3 parenting workshop...

I am really liking the idea of toning down the home environment, making things simple. I like the types (and numbers) of toys suggested by Montessori people, though I think I'm going to have to rail against my family members in this who already insist DS is "bored".

We have a TV in our home, but it's only hooked-up to a DVD player for watching movies, we don't have cable or anything. DH and I have gone back and forth on the cable issue, but my reading recently makes me want to take the TV out of the house all together.

Wonder what DH would feel about that...

[laurenalanna]

I've been looking into Montessori lately, too. I've actually decided not to read Montessori from the start. I've heard not great things about it from friends who have read it, and from some other online reviews. I guess the negative feedback is the emphasis the one right way to do things, when actually montessori can be a little more flexible than that.

I'm not an expert, so I have no idea, but I would like to know more. I am curious to know if Montessori really does have rigid rules about how to play with toys, complete tasks, etc. I've heard other Montessori critics complain about this. I like a lot about the Montessori philosophy and wonder if it is just a matter of the particular school, teachers, and how they interpret the philosophy. If anyone has any insight I would love to hear it.

[OhTheThinks.....]

My DD is 3 and will be starting a Montessori 3-6 class. Prior to that I took her once a week to a Montessori Parent-Toddler class. It was like a mommy and me class, except the "mommies" sat on the sidelines while the kiddos did there "work". My dd loved it, as she got to do whatever she want, using the montessori materials and I was also right there if she needed me (nursing, changing, hugs etc). The mommies were to be relatively quiet while the kids were "working" and observe the teachers interact with the kiddos. The room was not "stark" it had lot of things to do, if you look carefully at a Montessori room, it may look stark but it is actually not, it is just very neat and orderly so that the little ones can find the toys. This was also an AMS school, AMI may be different. After about 45 minutes the little ones went outside for a snack and playtime, while the mommies and the teacher sat in a circle and had a discussion about any topic. It was a really good intro into Montessori if you are unfamiliar. We are AP, co-sleep, etc etc. My husband read Secret of Childhood by Maria Montessori, he totally agreed that the 3-6 program will give the kiddos a great start. The parent toddler programs start at age 18 months. I have not read the Montessori-Start book. My gut feeling is interacting with you little babies, AP, lots of close contact, baby massage, water play, tending to the babies needs, no CIO etc etc is the best thing at that age. As for toys, there is so much out there, maybe the Montessori book will give you some ideas on ones to buy and not waste too much money. Also, the Michael Olaf catalog is a good little catalog/book, I agree. Gives good info !!! Maybe be able to find some things cheaper elsewhere, but it is an excellent resource. One of those catalogs you will always keep around.

[KnitterMama]

Originally Posted by laurenalanna

I've been looking into Montessori lately, too. I've actually decided not to read Montessori from the start. I've heard not great things about it from friends who have read it, and from some other online reviews. I guess the negative feedback is the emphasis the one right way to do things, when actually montessori can be a little more flexible than that.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt that way. I really would like to research this age group in terms of Montessori. Now that I am getting further in "Montessori From the Start" I have more gripes with it, and am finding some of what they have to say a little too rigid or in conflict with my AP style. (I almost threw the darn thing out the window the other day when they were talking about weaning for everybody at SIX TO NINE months. WTF? Yeah, I'll get right on that LOL.) Are there other good books on Montessori and this age group?

I'm not an expert, so I have no idea, but I would like to know more. I am curious to know if Montessori really does have rigid rules about how to play with toys, complete tasks, etc. I've heard other Montessori critics complain about this. I like a lot about the Montessori philosophy and wonder if it is just a matter of the particular school, teachers, and how they interpret the philosophy. If anyone has any insight I would love to hear it.

Ditto, ditto and ditto. Which organization has these rigid rules and very un-AP styles? Is it AMI or AMS? There's a bunch of acronyms I just don't get LOL.

Any help would be appreciated!

[hockeymama]

I'm actually a 0-3 montessori educator and the mother of a 2 1/2 year old. I read Montessori From the Start and there are things in it that even I don't agree with. It may be because I am AMS and the authors are both AMI trained. We are also AP at home but I really do feel that the two can coexsist peacefully at this age because Montessori's true belief is that we should "follow the child". I think this means in all areas. Independence can only be achieved through trust in the adult and the environment. Trust can only be achieved by being attached. I think with anything, there are going to be things you agree with and don't, in order to make it work in your family, you take what you feel comfortable with. It is also different doing Montessori at home than at school, those environments are designed for children, the home is designed to accomodate everyone. My DD is different at school than at home, she hardly uses materials that I've put out for her at home, she prefers to do what DH and I are doing, she loves to cook and garden, she helps us clean.

So, take what you have found you like and use it, Michael Olaf is a wonderful resource, unfortunately there aren't many 0-3 montessori books out there, but if you have any questions I'd be more than happy to talk! Good luck

[leomom]

Anyone still around here? I am in the middle of Montessori From the Start...my dd is almost a year and I'm planning on getting some things for her first birthday, like maybe a table and chair...any other ideas?

[OhTheThinks.....]

Leomon.........there is a book called "Montessori in the Home" that may be very helpful to you. There is one for young children and older children.
Also make sure to check online.
When you buy anything, look for child size items, items that can easily fit in your child hands, and items that are "real".

[leomom]

Thank you! I'll check that book out.

[bridget]

I'm a Montessori trained teacher for 2 1/2 - 6 years. Now as a breastfeeding mum, I totally skipped the parts of 'Montessori from the Start' talking about breastfeeding - totally outdated and I'm NOT weaning Liam just becuase that book suggests early weaning.

[momileigh]

Yesterday I had my first Montessori school experience.

I am looking for a day care or preschool for my 2 1/2 year old daughter two or three times a week. (I know that might not sound especially AP, but my daughter LOVES playing with other kids. She has a blast when we drop her off to play with another family and it doesn't happen often enough. So I'm doing this for nonselfish reasons.)

I checked out this Montessori day care/ preschool near my house. The woman was very nice and obviously really "into" Montessori. She had to show me virtually every "lesson" she had in the room. Thank goodness I brought dd with me for the meeting, because I got to see right away how the teacher interacted with my dd and the lessons. (They aren't toys, they are LESSONS.)

The teacher was constantly showing dd how to do the lesson. If dd wanted to mix one lesson with another (here is a true example: mixing the plastic cats with the plastic dogs) she was immediately shut down: "Oh, no, that's a doggie! He goes over here! You have the kitties right now!" I appreciate wanting to keep the room orderly but I think that was a bit much.

Another lesson has these little shakers where you try to match the identical sounds. Dd wanted to play maracas with them instead of the matching game. She was actually told, "Oh, these are not music. If you want music, we can put this lesson away and get out the instruments."

This particular teacher, who was I would say very "gung-ho" Montessori, had a right way and wrong way for my dd to interact with her environment when it came to the lessons. That's what turned me off. It is as if she wants to train her to think "inside the box" with no value given to creativity. I'm like, hey, mix the dogs and the cats, use the shakers for music, heck, use the plastic dogs and cats to make music for all I care. It is all learning at this age.

It really is too bad because I love the Montessori toys (er, lessons) she has. They are very cool. I just don't think the toy police thing is very cool. I BET this is very common in Montessori schools. I realize this thread was mostly about implementing Montessori ideas in your home which I think sounds great.

[leomom]

Admittedly, I haven't yet visited a Montessori school since dd isn't even a year old yet...but I would be very surprised if most Montessori schools are like that. I have several friends whose children go to M. schools, and they don't describe it like that at all.

IMHO, I'd check out another school to see.

[OhTheThinks.....]

dubylyu......sounds like that teacher is a little EXTREME.......maybe to gungho right now. Is she a new teacher ?? AMI or AMS, or certifed at all.
Most M-schools let the children "experiment" and "experience" the work freely. Most times even before presenting the formal lesson. As long as the child is using the work with integrity (as in not throwing it across the floor, etc) they are free to use it.
Most of the work is "self correcting" which aids the child in figuring out how to use it. Especially with the sensorial, and practical life work.
Where the teacher may intervene is if a younger child is using the bead work for a chew toy or something HA HA.
At 2 1/2 that teacher needs to ease up a bit !

[flyingspaghettimama]

Heck, at my daughter's previous school (AMI) they let the kids play with all the animals in the barn; and lots of silly play went on (if it wasn't disturbing anyone else).

Also, the fact that the teacher used the word "no" is a little disturbing to me. In the area I'm in, it is a verboten term to use, particularly with such a little one. Redirection, redirection...

[momileigh]

She isn't a new teacher, and she is certified Montessori, although I'm not sure if its AMS or AMI or what. (I know that because someone had told me that Montessori isn't a licensed name, so when she told me she was certified Montessori I was surprised.) She has worked in other Montessori schools and this is the first time she's running her own. But maybe I'm totally wrong to assume she is typical.

The full-time preschools around here are really out of our price range anyway, especially considering we wouldn't be using them on a full-time basis. Now I'm just looking for a Mothers Day Out type thing with no curriculum.

I think the lessons should be self-correcting as in: don't even explain the lesson to the kids. If there are identical mates to each of the plastic cats, won't the kids figure that out in the course of playing with them? Do you really have to show them how to match cats together and expect them to follow suit? Maybe she was just really excited for me to see how much my daughter would be LEARNING (not "just" playing) that she went unusually overboard.

[bridget]

"First, with all this "concentration" stuff - it seems a little serious for a baby."

Pick your moments when you go to interact with your baby. If they are busy doing something and obviously concentrating hard on something, wait for them to be ready before you starting talking etc. We don't like to be interrupted in the middle of something important, and babies are much the same.

[cjcolorado]

We are still a bit new to Montessori ourselves as our 14 month-old DD has only been attending two days a week, while I work, for the past two months or so. But, I've done quite a bit of reading and looked into a variety of schools. We were lucky to have found one in our area that takes very young children and goes all the way up to 6th grade. We could not be happier with the set-up; Hannah is a very independent-minded child and the Montessori theme seems to fit her to a "T" while the teachers say she is the easiest child to have in the classroom because she is at ease going from activity to activity. I credit alot of that to our AP-oriented household. One common thread between AP and Montessori seems to be following the child's cues. While Montessori fosters independence through doing, AP fosters security--both good things. There is wide variability in the Montessori method from school to school and teacher to teacher, so don't necessarily take too much to heart from one particular book or educator. Perhaps focus on the things easiest to adapt to your household--simple toys, child-sized "real" items, age-appropriate activities that foster "doing." While we co-sleep at night-time, I have no problem at all with their using cots at the school--again, I think it's the security that you provide through AP parenting that makes the independence and education possible and worthwhile!
To respond to the PP with the very rigid Montessorian on her hands--that has not been our experience, especially in the 1's and 2's classrooms. Children are encouraged to explore their environment in nearly whatever way they see fit (in a calm, quiet, gentle manner). In the older child classrooms, the teachers do focus more on method, but I've never seen them as rigid as that.