The Montessori method has been highly acclaimed for more than a century. Many parents have seen how the concept instills confidence and a love of learning in their children and wonder what they can do to build on such a foundation at home.
If you’re looking to develop your child’s interests and create continuity in learning, here are five key principles from a Montessori primary program that you can incorporate into your child’s everyday life.
1. The Absorbent Mind
The absorbent mind represents an acknowledgment of the ability of children between birth and age six to take in information about the world around them without immediate analysis. The concept has four distinct pillars, including:
- Horme: A drive for independent exploration
- Inner Teacher: A hidden internal roadmap for developmental milestones
- Mneme: The subconscious memory that shapes personality
- Nebulae: The potential inside of each child awakened by life’s experiences
Today’s parents can nurture their children by providing them with a variety of experiences to spark their interests. Each day, allow them the space to take in information and explore how things work in the world.
2. Sensitive Periods
Sensitive periods are times when children are open to learning specific new skills. Montessori primary programs recognize that there are six sensitive periods in a child’s life:
- Movement: Birth to 4 years
- Language: Birth to 5.9 years
- Sensorial Exploration: Birth to 6 years
- Order: 6 months to 3 years
- Small Objects: 12 months to 4 years
- Social Interaction: 2.3 years to 6 years
Each stage describes the child’s primary focus during that time. Parents should be aware of these stages so they can encourage their child’s development and avoid worries about whether their actions are developmentally appropriate.
3. The Inner Teacher
Also known as the concept of auto-education, this principle describes the belief that children do not need a teacher to tell them what or how to think. In a Montessori primary program, children learn best when they are able to teach themselves with guidance and encouragement from adults.
Creating a child-friendly environment can help facilitate auto-education at home. Additionally, take time to observe your child’s interests and allow them to lead in activity selection. Foster practical life skills by involving your children in daily household activities, and embrace the idea of natural consequences so that children can automatically learn to tie actions to outcomes in the real world.
4. The Prepared Environment
In the Montessori primary program, guides take time to ensure that the classroom environment contains many developmentally appropriate materials. They set up the room each day so children have the opportunity to explore independently and select the activities they wish to work on.
Today’s parents can take their cues from such a principle to set up learning spaces like these at home. Child-sized furniture, real-world tools, and organizational items ensure that everything in the home has a place and children are able to access appropriate materials on their own. This builds a child’s confidence and lets their inner teacher do their work.
5. Respect for the Child
Ultimately, the Montessori method comes down to building a sense of mutual respect between adults and children. Remember that your child represents a whole person with individual thoughts, feelings, and preferences. In both the Montessori environment and at home, respecting the child comes down to giving them the freedom they need to make choices and pursue their own interests.
Help Your Child Build a Lifelong Love of Learning at School and at Home
Applying Montessori principles as a parent can help you ensure that your child sees learning as an exciting part of life. Fortunately, the Montessori primary program at Montessori West provides an educational environment that can inspire those feelings.
Contact us today to learn how our guides will apply foundational Montessori principles to help your child learn and grow as a confident, independent thinker.
