An infant kicks excitedly at a mobile hanging overhead. A seated child reaches into a treasure basket to grasp a soft bristled brush. A toddler tries with all her might to lift a pitcher to pour her own juice... while another kneads dough for baking daily bread. These are a few of the things you might see if you peek into a Montessori infant or toddler environment.
Dr. Maria Montessori dedicated over half of the Absorbent Mind to the development of infants and toddlers, and lectured extensively on the earliest years of life. She realized that development is not complete when the child is born, and that the continued formation of the mind and body is literally dependent on the environment surrounding the child. Children need an opportunity to internalize the rhythms of healthy daily living. They must first form secure attachments and develop capacities for organizing the bombardment of new impressions and information, as well as the ability to coordinate and control their bodies. They must begin to process emotions and to use language to navigate the social world. Dr. Montessori was one of the first to realize the critical importance of the early years as the physiological foundation for lifelong mental and physical health (that the child is literally in the process of building the person they will become).
Unfortunately, care during this most delicate period is often passed off as simply “changing diapers,” and it is sometimes assumed that there is no special need for training. Nothing could be further from the truth. This assumption can be an obstacle to optimal development, and can also cause undue stress for both the child and the adult caregiver. When a child is nonverbal, keen observation skills and a deep knowledge of human development is especially important. Adults must possess a high level of self awareness in response to the many challenges of sharing the day with young learners. Creating community life, while respecting the needs of each individual (as they grow and change) is an art ... as well a science. This is similar to fashioning a healthy family life, and parents who decide to stay at home with their children need the traditional support of a caring community. Parents of children prenatal to three are often very receptive, and willing, to accept guidance (a "sensitive period," if you will). This seems to be equally true for at-risk parents as it is for highly powered executives. Weekly sessions for parents and their babies can introduce stay-at-home moms, nannies, or grandparents to Montessori principles and practices. This allows families to incorporate Montessori into their homes ...in such a way that benefits the child for their entire lifetime (rather than just the few short years while they are in our classrooms). Our hope is also that parents who start when their children are infants and toddlers will be more likely to enroll their children at the older levels, and remain at the school longer.
Dr. Montessori wanted babies with their parents whenever possible, however for many families, staying home with their children is not an option. In this case, our prepared environments can provide a viable alternative that can allow parents the peace of mind to do their jobs well and diminish stress, while offering children a nurturing learning community that is able to beautifully meet their needs. It is for all these reasons that some say the quality of a Montessori school can be assessed by their commitment to infant and toddler programs. If Montessori pedagogy is truly understood as an aid to life (optimal physiological and neurological development) then supporting this process from birth must form its foundation. Quality resources provided during early sensitive periods are well spent, and their attributes “absorbed” into the interior life of the child through interaction and relationships. This is why we hope the environments for the youngest among us would be the “jewel of any school.”
“Can you feel that your shirt is wet? Let’s change into a dry one. Can you slide your arm out of this sleeve ...and now this one too? Now we are ready to pull the wet shirt over your head.” While many in the community at large debate the need for offering quality childcare and early learning (even at the infant/toddler level), the focus is almost always on abstract concepts-- such as the names of wild animals, counting, or the ABC’s. Some in the Montessori community attempt to offer smaller versions of materials for the 3 to 6 classroom to very young children. Even topics such as social skills are “taught” through stories or lessons. But these approaches overlook the rich opportunities for learning through lived experience and connections with other people. Dressing and undressing is the perfect backdrop for introducing prepositions such as “over,” “under,” and “through”.... as well as adjectives such as “wet” and “dry.” As the shirt touches the skin, signals are sent to the brain that become associated with simultaneously spoken words...and these impressions (and neural pathways) are again strengthened when accompanied by the pleasant emotions of being engaged in shared tasks with a person who loves and cares for you.
We must always keep in mind that the child is not “learning” as much as they are actually developing the physiological systems needed to perceive and interact with their surroundings with acuity and accuracy. And, the child who is new to the world must begin at the beginning. Infants and toddlers are driven to seek out experiences that will aid the formation of balance, coordination, and awareness of their bodies in time and space (also called proprioception) through movement and repetition. They also “learn” to see and hear in response to their perceptual experiences (neurons are developed based on the quality of exposure and repetition of sights and sounds). Development of memory and executive functions rely on the ability to anticipate consistent patterns of events (if/then relationships) ...and so on. These experiences during sensitive periods will form the foundation, or cognitive architecture, that the child will use to process and learn the information they will encounter in the future.
A focus on “teaching” concepts outside of the child’s experience puts the cart before the horse. Dr. Montessori writes in the Absorbent Mind, “When we understand that the energies belong to an unconscious mind, which has to become conscious through work and through an experience of life gained in the world, we realize that the mind of a child in infancy is different from ours, that we cannot reach it by verbal instruction, nor intervene directly in the process of its passing from unconscious to conscious -the process of making human faculty. Then the whole process ...becomes a matter of giving help to the child’s life, to the psychological development of man.” She adds, “At no other stage has the child a greater need of an intelligent help.” A child will take in everything, and weave into character “whatever he finds about him.”
Therefore, we must carefully create environments that will meet the child’s biologically “evolved expectations” for care. Young children are primed to learn through “pitching in” with the exercises of daily practical life. Adults can invite children to participate in their personal care, care of the environment, and care of others. Adults must speak slowly, articulating their words carefully, and also break down complex movements into smaller discrete components. They must use empathetic gestures that convey kindness and acceptance, and provide nonverbal messages to help a child anticipate transitions or the next steps in a process. Children watch the adult’s actions both for communication and in order to imitate them. As the child becomes able to take over small steps, the adult recedes and offers only as much help as the child needs in order to be successful.
Adults at this level are also encouraged to model choosing work in all areas of the classroom (sensorimotor, art, language, practical life) instead of giving formal lessons to young children (with few exceptions). In this way, they can encourage the child’s discovery and exploration, and also establish care in holding and using materials. Engaging in activities themselves also allows the adult to create consistent routines, and to include things such as regular yoga practice, gardening, playing musical instruments, reading, handcrafts, and other interests (normalizing their occurrence and expanding the child’s awareness of ways for self expression). Children learn through observation, and use indirect opportunities to coordinate their movements and to direct their will. Over time, the child moves from an explorer and a joiner ...to completing entire work cycles independently. This is often a sign that they are getting ready to move to the Children’s House.
As advances in cognitive and neuroscience continue to show the importance of the first years of life, there has been an increasing understanding of the value of this work and the adults who possess talent for working with this age group. Hopefully, more and more highly educated people will see this as a viable profession. Currently, there is an surge in training programs, and a variety of training options. Teacher preparation courses must include an in-depth knowledge of human development from prenatal to age three. Studies should also include the interdisciplinary skills of observation, assessment, child development theories, spiritual preparation of the adult (self-awareness, self-regulation, emotional intelligence, ethics, etc.), philosophy, nutrition, Montessori pedagogy, and how to move from principles ... to authentic practice (both at home and at school).
Students can acquire training from accredited summer programs (with full year practicums and exams following); or in programs that operate over weekends during the practicum. Some universities offer courses as part of an advanced Montessori degree. There are also a handful of online Montessori courses, although MACTE will only accredit those that include a face to face component as well. The Center for Guided Montessori Studies offers an all-of-the-above approach, with a summer residential session, visits from field consultants,, weekly real time video classes led by Instructional Guides, discussion forum participation within a stable cohort of classmates, and ongoing online video presentations and assignments throughout their practicums.
While the CGMS Infant Toddler Course is new, there has already been some encouraging feedback. For example, it has been reported that the format creates a more balanced discussion when compared to a classroom setting (where there are both chatty and quiet communicators). The slower 18 month pace allows for more time to process and integrate the material. Students consistently check out of video chats with the word"connected" and talk about how it supports them in staying engaged and on track. They also take advantage of the video format, often repeating videos several times to deepen their understanding of the content, something that is not available to those learning via in-class lectures. Distance learning also allows an individual to strategically place the infant/toddler coursework into their life. Student may construct and alter their class schedule according to their lifestyle because, whether one is a night owl or morning lark, the online course is always open and available ... so interns can choose when to study and work on assignments - and this is a huge benefit. Students can also contribute from a variety of locations. It is not unusual for students from different countries to share information on family life, customs, and transportation - as well as obstacles and challenges that can be thought provoking and illuminating. Interns commonly join chat from their sofa or desk at home as family life happens in the background. Alternately, members can participate from a coffee shop, hotel, or the great outdoors Ç wherever internet or phone service is available.
There are pros and cons to any delivery of Montessori training. Costs, distance, quality of experience, and the needs of individual learners must be considered. We encourage careful research in making decisions about how to best prepare a person to assist the development of infants and toddlers in Montessori prepared environments (and to support parents in their important role as well).
As new innovations and instruments of measure continue to confirm Dr. Montessori’s work and model of education, we must prepare our schools to meet a new and growing public interest. We know that education begins at birth, so where ever possible we must support parents and offer them needed services.
Maria Montessori asked us to become like doctors offering the correct dosage of a prescription - using our knowledge of human development and the individual child, to align our actions with the multidimensional needs (physical, cognitive, emotional, social, spiritual) of every child in our care. Montessori also said that we must become "love teachers" - models of empathy, acceptance, and respect. We realize that we have a special obligation to protect and nurture the "seed of potential" (the secret of childhood) within each child. It is on this firm foundation that all future learning and experiences will be built. It is through this beginning that we see a greater hope for the future of humanity ... and the full realization of human potential. This is why our infant and toddler communities are so much more than diaper changing and childcare facilities. This is why they must be given all the resources needed to be considered the “jewel of your school.”