SKILLS KIDS BRING HOME FROM A MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL

When you’re first considering Montessori education, you’ll probably read a dozen or so articles about what makes Montessori special. We’ve written them ourselves, such as this one that details the difference between normal daycare and our Montessori for toddlers.

But the most common advantages that Montessori schools offer can also lead to other skills that aren’t so readily mentioned in those articles. Let’s take a look at some of the other benefits your children might be able to get from a Montessori academy.

KIDS ARE MORE SOCIALLY CONFIDENT

Kids can be shy, and that’s fine. But there’s a big difference between a kid being shy and growing up to be one who is anti-social. Kids who are in Montessori preschool are more forthright and open about meeting new people, whether that’s an adult or a fellow child. In the home, it makes for better dinner parties and means that your child will be more friendly when you have guests over.

KIDS ARE MORE HELPFUL

One of the big parts of Montessori education is the focus on giving kids responsibility when it comes to helping others. This might mean helping the teacher, and it might mean helping other children. It could mean showing extra attention to the new child in class, or picking up toys that someone else has left out.

How does this transfer to the home? You can probably guess! Montessori kids are more likely to gravitate toward order in their lives, and that can mean having a clean room or bathroom. It might mean that they want to help make dinner or vacuum on the weekend. Trust us, you’re going to notice this change in them!

KIDS CAN HELP WITH SIBLINGS

Take a look at our Montessori preschool page, which is called Primary education in our curriculum. One of the first things you might notice is the wide age range that it encompasses: 33 Months to 6 Years. At first, that might sound like a wide age range of kids to have in one classroom, but trust us when we say it’s been working for over a hundred years. Younger kids are helped by the older kids, and when they grow up they, in turn, help the kids who have aged into the program.

Older kids love to bring these skills home and show them off. They’ll not only be better at playing with their younger siblings, but they’ll also be interested in teaching them what they’ve learned. This could be reading, it could be counting, or it could be a skill that they learned. It feels good to teach (we should know!), and it’s a feeling that young kids can certainly experience.

INDEPENDENCE

One of the most important aspects of Montessori education is that kids become independent learners. They don’t always need someone to guide them through the learning process.

Now when we say independent, don’t be thinking that your child will be getting their own apartment when they’re 12! In fact, it doesn’t mean that they’re going to be hiding out in their room all the time, working on science projects away from your prying eyes. They’re still going to need you to be a part of their education, to cuddle up and read with them, and to help with math homework as they get older. But won’t it be nice if they have the independent streak that allows them to start on their math homework, work through the problems, and come to you only after they’ve solved most of the problems on their own?

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES

Learning from one’s mistakes is important, and it’s best if kids can gain this skill at an early age. We all make mistakes, and finding out what went wrong in a certain situation — and deciding to take a different approach next time — can help kids now and in the future.

This shows itself at home by having a more introspective child. They’ll notice the mistake and can make a conscious decision to take a different path next time. No matter what they do they’ll be able to look at their actions and work more critically.

RECOVERING FROM MISTAKES

Learning from mistakes is important, but recovering from them can be even more so. Kids will learn how to bounce back from mistakes, embarrassment, or rejection. A single mistake should not dissuade a child from enjoying a task or hobby, and the Montessori method and its focus on critically thinking through problems can help them today and for the rest of their lives.

When it comes to your home life, parents of Montessori children almost always note just how much more reliable, in control, and friendly their children are since attending preschool or daycare with us. The skills they learn with us can help them for a lifetime, and we’d love it if you stopped by and saw a class in session. Contact us to set up an appointment.