Montessori School Antenatal And Infant Classes: Progressive Education For Children

The Montessori method is an approach to education that caters to the learning preferences of children according to their natural psychological needs. This method of teaching was formed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori, who observed that children flourish best when they are allowed to learn independently and freely interact with their surroundings. Montessori School is one of the few schools in the world that effectively utilises the Montessori approach. For new parents who are interested in Montessori learning, the school offers several courses designed to guide learning for parents and very young children.

For parents who want to learn more about and get a head start on a lifetime of Montessori learning, Parents as Guides programme can be a good source of information and guidance on this unique educational approach. Antenatal classes offers weekly sessions with parents and their children in an environment specially designed to meet developmental needs of newborn babies to one-year-old infants. These weekly sessions are held every Friday (morning or afternoon). Here, parents can observe their children while also gently guiding them as they explore age-appropriate toys and activities provided by the school. These include textured and brightly toys to stimulate sensory development, puzzles to enhance cognitive thinking and safe courses to encourage motor skills.

Infants who are able to walk or those who have reached 15 to 18 months of age can graduate from the Parents as Guides programme and be transferred to the Infant Community, a learning group for children from age one to three. Infant Community sessions are held 4 mornings per week and include activities that focus on developing hand-eye coordination, practical life skills, language and creativity. Fostering a sense of community is an important goal for this class, and children and parents are highly encouraged to interact with other members of the group and help each other through this exciting developmental stage.

In addition to these weekly gatherings for baby groups, parents can also attend a fortnightly discussion session held on Thursday nights. During these sessions, parents will be taught about the developmental milestones expected for every age along with tips for meeting children's needs as they grow. They also offer fortnightly craft sessions where parents can create the objects to be used to aid their child's development.

The principles of the Montessori method are applied in all the teaching sessions. With this spontaneous and unrestricted approach to learning, children and parents can forge stronger ties with each other and the community while at the same time fostering a love for learning, respect for others as well as independent and free thinking.

In this unhindered approach to learning, parent and children can build better relationships with one another as they explore the little things they can do with their children from birth that grow into lifelong attitudes of mutual respect and joyful collaboration. To promote a real love for learning, admiration for other people as well as independent and free thinking, just visit www.themontessoriplace.org.uk.