THE MONTESSORI PARENT
The following was taken from the AMS (American Montessori Society) website and is a short guide to help us in using the Montessori method in the home:
As a parent you are a role model and teacher:
- Know your child well
- Be a patient observer and careful listener
- Place your confidence in your child
- Provide simple, safe and consistent rules encouraging your child to take responsibility and to contribute to his or her home and family.
As a parent you prepare your child’s home:
- Provide safety (physical & emotional)
- Provide organization, consistency, a reliable routine
- Prepare areas that are child sized — a place of her/his own
- Provide your child age-appropriate responsibilities in your home
- Provide “real life” experiences
- Provide age-appropriate choices and opportunities to make positive decisions
As a parent you set the limits:
- Offer protection from objects and ideas that can hurt
- Always encourage your child to be capable and confident
- Limit toys and games to a workable number (rotate toys)
- Monitor television and other forms of media (inappropriate exposure can negatively affect social, emotional, intellectual, and physical growth)
- Develop consistent routines which encourage your child to develop self-control (self-control, responsible behavior and freedom are outcomes, not starting points)
As a parent you support and encourage your child:
- Offer great possibilities for exploration in the home environment
- Encourage children to do for themselves (“Let me do it myself!”)
- Encourage your child to be an active agent of his/her own education
