This is such a popular question - parents want to know - what will my child learn their first year? While it is a question teachers get time and time again, it isn’t that easy to answer! Montessori supports a child as they are, as they grow, as they are developmentally ready - this sometimes, but doesn’t always, reflect an age. So, you see how answering this can be tricky!
While exactly what a child learns their first year in Montessori Children’s House has such a huge range - I do have large, overarching goals for my first years. Here are a few and how we get there:
Be excited to come to school each day.
For the most part, we want your child to look forward to coming to their classrooms, to see their teachers and their friends. As always, there are days your child will be less than enthusiastic because of tiredness, illness or mood, but mostly - we are just trying to make a connection.
How we get there: This is largely the job of classroom teachers - be available, but support independence. Set appropriate boundaries, but be flexible when is necessary. Enjoy the children. Prepare the environment - this is a reflection of you.
What you can do at home: Try not to hype up school. Saying “it is going to be SO FUN!” can sometimes be a let down. Sure, most days it is! But some days, we need to feel sad, or we might feel like we have low energy. What we need to understand about children is that they don’t need everything to be fun - they need it to feel controlled, safe and nurturing - when they feel these things, fun can happen!
Make a friend.
During a child’s time in Children’s House - their social skills and social awareness is budding! We want to encourage healthy relationships during this time.
How we get there: Sometimes our first year students aren’t quite ready to graduate from parallel play. That is okay - we are here to support their development! We do a lot of modeling. We facilitate partnered work. We give small group lessons and we have circle time to promote community. We give language to our little ones so that they can start adapting it as their own.
What you can do at home: Typically my only “homework” for parents is play dates, play dates, play dates! It can promote a budding friendship - when children see a familiar face outside of class, they connect, and bring that friendship into the classroom. Sometimes meeting a friend at the playground just isn’t enough. Many times, at 3, 4 or 5 years old, what a child needs is a very organized, specific play date. “We are going to paint pottery with your friend, then eat a picnic lunch, then go home.” “We are going to plant flowers, eat lunch, then go home.” Sometimes little ones aren’t ready for free play with a friend - they can end up totally ignoring each other OR getting totally wild.
Complete and work cycle.
What this means: Have interest in an activity, choose that activity, complete that activity and return it to the shelf when done.
How we get there: We keep a close eye on our first year children so that we can catch them if they forget to tidy up, or if they cannot find something to do. We offer an abundance of lessons so that they feel comfortable choosing more and more work as each day goes by. We do a lot of modeling and a lot of role playing at circle time to reinforce these motions.
What you can do at home: Practice multi-step directions with your child! You can start with something like “Can you bring me that spoon? (and have it be across the room.) When you feel like your child has mastered the single step verbal direction, add more to it. “Please throw this away and then bring me that bag.” “Please put this in the box, put this in the cup and bring me my water bottle.” Start slow and work your way up. This exercises their mind!
Feel ownership of their classroom.
Why is this important: This is the children’s house. Although teachers pour their hearts and souls into a classroom - we’ve made it for our whole community. It isn’t “my” classroom or “your” classroom, it is ours. We have tiny tables, short shelves, low hanging art and supplies accessible for a reason - this place is for you, for me and for anyone that enters our space. Please feel comfortable and own it!
How we get there: this comes natural in Montessori classrooms - everything a child needs to accomplish their day to day tasks is available to them. They feel comfortable quickly and realize this place is a child’s paradise!
What you can do at home: Give your child a space they can take charge of. Make their bedroom accessible to them - make beds low so they can get in and out on their own, store clothing in low bins or on low shelves. Curate shirts and pants so that they can choose their outfit themselves and no matter what they choose - it will work for the weather (because you’ve prepared what is appropriate). Leave a water dispenser on a low shelf with a cup that is your child’s. Let them be in charge of getting themselves a drink when their body feels thirsty.
What about “academics”?
All of the above items set the stage for the academics that come with age and development. We are giving them organization, concentration, coordination and independence. With these skills, social awareness and emotional intelligence - academics come naturally.