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Montessori and toddlers

767 views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  Drummer's Wife 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,

So, I'm curious to learn more about the experience of putting a toddler in Montessori. My son is 2 and I have been recently thinking about putting him in a Montessori program. We have meeting set up for two schools next week.

I always believed that it was ideal to place kids in a Montessori program starting at 18 months. I have two friends that are Montessori teachers and they always told me that the earlier the better. However, I was reading a thread in Toddlers and someone responded that for children under three, it's basically daycare. Is this true?

I would love some recommendations for books on Montessori. I have read a few and I find that they tend to be a bit heavy on the rhetoric and not very parent friendly.

TIA
 
#2 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by goodygumdrops View Post
However, I was reading a thread in Toddlers and someone responded that for children under three, it's basically daycare. Is this true?
this has been absolutelyUNTRUE of our experience. mine started when he was 16 mos. there's a strong focus on learning, even at this early age. also, the traditional M. concepts of independence, concentration, and intrinsic motivation are a part of every task. it has been the best thing for my toddler.

but, like it is echoed through this forum constantly, you're individual M. school may do things differently, so go check it out before enrolling.
 
#3 ·
yeah, if it's a real Montessori program the Toddler classroom or IC (in an AMI school) is most definitely not similar to daycare. You could compare it to a 3-6 classroom just with scaled down furniture, materials, simpler exercises. Just make sure you are looking at AMI or AMS programs, anyone can use montessori in their name.
 
#4 ·
Certainly not true for ds2. He started at almost 2 years old, he's only 2.3 now but wow what a difference!

Like the drummer's wife stated it really is a scaled down version of the primary room. And ds2's teacher has commented to me about how the younger they are, the more responsive they are to learning. Honestly, I think my toddler is currently benefiting more than my 4 year old right now. He's just so anxious to learn about all the new things he's never seen or the new things he's never done. I really wished when ds1 was a toddler I could have sent him to a toddler program, but where we lived then didn't have one.
 
#5 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife View Post
yeah, if it's a real Montessori program the Toddler classroom or IC (in an AMI school) is most definitely not similar to daycare. You could compare it to a 3-6 classroom just with scaled down furniture, materials, simpler exercises. Just make sure you are looking at AMI or AMS programs, anyone can use montessori in their name.
This is the way it is at our school, too. The infant room has infant Montessori materials such as these: http://www.montessorioutlet.com/cgi-bin/category/1100

And the toddler room (18 mo. to 2-ish) is working with the pink tower, knobbed cylinders, brown stairs, but it's 5 of everything instead of 10, like these: http://www.alisonsmontessori.com/Inf...ders_p/i04.htm.

It definitely does not compare to daycare, but find out specifically about the schools you are interested in.
 
#6 ·
BCFD, thanks so much for the link to montessori outlet. Those prices are amazing, I used to spend an insane amount ordering the same materials for my nido (we generally purchased straight from the manufacturer).

anyway, I'd love to get a lot of those for my own home
 
#7 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife View Post
BCFD, thanks so much for the link to montessori outlet. Those prices are amazing, I used to spend an insane amount ordering the same materials for my nido (we generally purchased straight from the manufacturer).

anyway, I'd love to get a lot of those for my own home

I think they might have a minimum order. Double check on their web site.
 
#8 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by MattBronsil View Post
I think they might have a minimum order. Double check on their web site.

Thanks! as far as I can tell, they don't. But I added pretty much everything in their toddler section and a few for 3-6 yr olds to my cart. Didn't check out yet just wanted to check shipping before I talk to DH about it. I will probably have to order a few at a time if I can't talk him into all of it. I'm excited, though
 
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