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"Never interrupt a child at work." So says one of the most often-repeated reminders to Montessori teachers in the Early Childhood classrooms. These classrooms are designed to capture the child's attention, to direct it to meaningful, authentic work, and to allow it to develop, bit by bit, over time, as children become fully absorbed in the activities they choose. How is it that we so often see third-year students engaged in lessons that might take an hour or even two to complete? Because of what happens in the first and second year. Unlike the Infant and Toddler classrooms, you won't see as much monologuing in the Early Childhood environments. You will see teachers engaged in conversations with children, modeling language and attentiveness. You'll also see teachers offering thousands of lessons specific to nomenclature and vocabulary, taking advantage of the explosion of language that often happens in the first year of this cycle. But the constant narration of a teacher observing a child's work is replaced by a persistent adult quiet... patience... waiting. Instead, you'll find an entire area of the classroom filled with materials that are enticing to the child and that include, as one of their primary goals. the development of the child's concentration. The Practical Life materials all share four common objectives, developing children's concentration, their coordination, their independence and their sense of order. The initial materials isolate particular skills: tonging, spooning, using a sponge, pouring, etc. More complicated materials build upon those skills and apply them toward multi-step processes: cutting fruit, washing furniture, watering plants. With each advancement, the child's existing attention span is extended, bit by bit, like a muscle becoming stronger. In the meantime, the materials themselves include qualities that are particularly enticing to children, like the sound of water pouring or the way light reflects on a polished silver spoon. These enchantments catch children's attention and engagement. And because these materials support children's ability to care for themselves, an intrinsic motivator, children are eager to master each of the steps as they grow in their own agency and as contributors to the classroom. But what about that rule again, "Never interrupt a child at work?" That's a firmly protected boundary, not just because it demonstrates respect for the child's work, but because we want these moments of concentration to expand, and we understand that won't happen as efficiently if we keep getting in the way. Children's ability to concentrate, and their motivation to expand that ability, are natural to their development. We don't want to teach them out of the skill by interrupting them whenever they demonstrate it. Instead, we wait until a child has completed their work and, while we're waiting, we observe. It's within these protections and supported by the design of the materials that you see children deeply engaged in their work, thoughtful and attentive, and seemingly more at peace than you may expect. When children's concentration is an explicit goal of the environment, you'll see it supported in material design, teacher language, and classroom norms. And when children's concentration is prepared for so pervasively in the classroom, you'll see it evident more often. #Concentration #FirstPlane

interactions- that it is both ok to experience sadness and that it's ok to make consolation a priority. 3.

If you imagine a traditional preschool, you might think about children sitting together at circle time, singing songs all together, listening to stories all together, playing games all together, or exploring the outdoors all together. Indeed, search for "preschool" in your search engine, and you'll find all sorts of choices of pictures of children in groups, happily grinning at the camera. Montessori classrooms take a little different slant. Yes, you'll find time when children in the Early Childhood classrooms enjoy common activities, working together on small group lessons or sharing birthday celebrations on the ellipse. But more often, you'll observe children working largely independently. This is not from some prohibition around children socializing. Quite the opposite. We understand that the need to interact is an important one, as is the need not to. Rather than requiring group activity, we provide it as an option and support children in interpreting their own boundaries for when and with whom they want to socialize. As a result, you'll see children observing each other's work, chatting comfortably across a table as they each engage in their own lessons, or choosing a friend or two to engage in a more elaborate material. You'll see children sharing snack together, or serving each other from individual portions of fruits, vegetables or other bites they've prepared. You'll see children with their heads bent over the same book or laughing together as they care for a classroom pet. But you'll also see children working independently, or choosing a quiet space from which to observe the classroom alone. You'll see children politely answering, "No, thank you," when invited to share a snack or enter a game. You'll see children absorbed in their own activities such that they seem blissfully unaware of the busy-ness of the classroom around them. All of these children are welcome here. Montessorians understand that children in the First Plane of development have both the need to interact with others and a need for support when they want to be alone. Our classrooms, then, encourage children to observe each other at work, but preserve a limit that protects children from being interrupted while they're working. We believe that a child's attention is a valuable developing skill, and we restrain ourselves and others from disturbing children when they're concentrating. Likewise, we offer lessons in grace and courtesy that model how to ask to participate, how to engage a friend in an activity, and how to decline politely. Even our few full group activities, like time at circle, often allow for children's choice to interact or not. A child might choose to stay at their work, or might choose to come to circle but not to volunteer to participate. By giving children the opportunity to interact when they opt to and protecting them when they opt not to, we help them to develop the ability to regulate these social spaces independently, simultaneously respecting that, just like adults, children need differing levels of social engagement and meaningful opportunities for those engagements to be valuable and fulfilling. #Freedom #FirstPlane #Socialization

preservation of the child’s natural patterns for sleep, food and activity, Montessori teachers in the 3- 6 classroom expand upon this protection to include children’s free choice of lessons throughout the day Watch a 3-6 classroom and you are unlikely to see extended group activities in which each child is engaged

unavailable at home but not so long that the idea of "going to school soon," becomes too abstract. 3. It's unreasonable to expect your 3 or 4 or 5 year old to remember everything they brought with them every Finally, know that the emotional lives of children between 3 and 6 are every bit as complex and difficult

children need as orderly environments at home as they enjoy at school, especially in this window from 0-6.

preservation of the child’s natural patterns for sleep, food and activity, Montessori teachers in the 3- 6 classroom expand upon this protection to include children’s free choice of lessons throughout the day Watch a 3-6 classroom and you are unlikely to see extended group activities in which each child is engaged

If you imagine a traditional preschool, you might think about children sitting together at circle time, singing songs all together, listening to stories all together, playing games all together, or exploring the outdoors all together. Indeed, search for "preschool" in your search engine, and you'll find all sorts of choices of pictures of children in groups, happily grinning at the camera. Montessori classrooms take a little different slant. Yes, you'll find time when children in the Early Childhood classrooms enjoy common activities, working together on small group lessons or sharing birthday celebrations on the ellipse. But more often, you'll observe children working largely independently. This is not from some prohibition around children socializing. Quite the opposite. We understand that the need to interact is an important one, as is the need not to. Rather than requiring group activity, we provide it as an option and support children in interpreting their own boundaries for when and with whom they want to socialize. As a result, you'll see children observing each other's work, chatting comfortably across a table as they each engage in their own lessons, or choosing a friend or two to engage in a more elaborate material. You'll see children sharing snack together, or serving each other from individual portions of fruits, vegetables or other bites they've prepared. You'll see children with their heads bent over the same book or laughing together as they care for a classroom pet. But you'll also see children working independently, or choosing a quiet space from which to observe the classroom alone. You'll see children politely answering, "No, thank you," when invited to share a snack or enter a game. You'll see children absorbed in their own activities such that they seem blissfully unaware of the busy-ness of the classroom around them. All of these children are welcome here. Montessorians understand that children in the First Plane of development have both the need to interact with others and a need for support when they want to be alone. Our classrooms, then, encourage children to observe each other at work, but preserve a limit that protects children from being interrupted while they're working. We believe that a child's attention is a valuable developing skill, and we restrain ourselves and others from disturbing children when they're concentrating. Likewise, we offer lessons in grace and courtesy that model how to ask to participate, how to engage a friend in an activity, and how to decline politely. Even our few full group activities, like time at circle, often allow for children's choice to interact or not. A child might choose to stay at their work, or might choose to come to circle but not to volunteer to participate. By giving children the opportunity to interact when they opt to and protecting them when they opt not to, we help them to develop the ability to regulate these social spaces independently, simultaneously respecting that, just like adults, children need differing levels of social engagement and meaningful opportunities for those engagements to be valuable and fulfilling. #Freedom #FirstPlane #Socialization

It's time for the end of the school year celebration, teacher thank-you's and summer plans. For teachers and parents, this is a time of year that feels chaotic: thinking ahead to next year, trying to be sure that everyone who supported or cared for the children this year is appropriately acknowledged, making sure everything you wanted to accomplish gets done in the few last weeks of the year. But for the children, especially children in the First Plane of development with its strong need for structure and order, all this excitement feels more like a disruption than a celebration. While you're getting ready for what's coming next, be sure not to overlook what the children need now. Give your child notice about the upcoming changes, but not too much. Children in early childhood need about a week's notice before any visible changes in their environment. That is to say, think about a week out from when the child's schedule might change or something in their environment might be new or missing, and let them know the change is coming. Telling children about changes (even good ones!) sooner than their ability to conceptualize those changes causes undue stress. Give the details they need, knowing that they might not need as many as you do. Explain how whatever is changing will change. "Next week, we will have a big celebration party to say goodbye to this classroom and get ready for summer." "Next Monday, you'll begin swim lessons. After lunch each day, we'll go to the pool together. We'll do that every day for one week." Offer supports that are at their level: Ask your child what questions they have about the upcoming change. Listen carefully and take their concerns seriously, and remember that they may need time to think about what's changing before they can articulate their questions. Check in as you approach the transition to see what sense they're making. Engage them: If there are things to do to prepare for the end of the school year, be sure to let the children take the lead. So, for example, if your child is giving a thank-you gift to their teacher, let them help to choose the gift, talking them through what they know about the recipient and what they think would be of value to them. As an adult, you might give a different gift, but the ones that come from your child should come from your child. If there is packing up to do, let them be involved whenever it's happening. You wouldn't want to return to a space that you knew well to learn that someone else had packed up your things while you were gone. The children don't, either. Be honest about what's coming next: If a teacher is changing positions or if you are going to a new school, be honest, but again, don't offer more details than your child needs sooner than they need them. " Next Friday will be your last day at Willow School. Last days places can feel a little different. What questions do you have about your last day at school?" Answer their questions, but offer the information that's useful to them rather than complicated lists of facts that might be more than they can take in. Finally, remember, as in all parenting, to offer the truth, in a way they can hear, with the kindness they need to feel safe. Your child may demonstrate all sorts of emotions as they prepare for a big change at school, from fear to excitement, and some of those emotions might end up presenting like they're very different things. A child who's scare might act more energetic or silly. A child who's sad might act more hesitant or assertive. Acknowledge the emotions that you notice, and ask your child to talk about them in a loving way. You're modeling for your child the full range of experience that comes with saying goodbye, both the enthusiasm for what's coming next and the sadness for what you're leaving behind. Let them have the time to make sense of those emotions, and share them compassionately, assuring your child that, even when things change, your love for them remains constant. #Transitions #FirstPlane #Primary #ForParents

You can have a more filling dinner later. 3.

notice what you might need to work-around with items that will be stored at school instead of home. 3.

Are children naturally empathetic? You may have heard of the phenomenon of infants crying in a nursery, reacting to each other's cries in a sort of snowball of emotional distress. Research shows that newborns, for example, respond more to the cries of other babies then they do to other loud sounds. They respond more to the cries of other babies than they do even to the recorded sound of their own cries. Caregivers often describe this response as evidence of the innate nature of empathy. But more recent research suggests that, while these early examples of sharing emotions with other infants may predict children's empathy later, in infancy anyway they are more likely to be the result of "emotional contagion," when one infant's cry triggers another infant's fears, causing them to cry as well. The infant isn't crying to demonstrate kindness to the first child, but because the cries of the first child caused them anxiety or fear. The old yarn seems to be just a story. So, are children naturally empathetic? More recent research suggests that we shouldn't throw the empathetic baby out with the nursery bathwater. While that particular phenomenon probably doesn't show us as much about empathic concern as it does about emotional contagion, there is good evidence that infants and toddlers are nonetheless empathetic. In fact, more recent evidence suggests that not only are they empathetic, but they are even more so in situations in which they may be able to influence the outcome. That is to say, when infants and toddlers believe they can make it "better," they are even more likely to behave in ways that seek to. Not only are children naturally empathetic, this research suggests... they are naturally kind. So why don't we notice that more often? Simple, the research suggests. We're too busy. We end up paying more attention to the behaviors that are problematic than to the ones that are quiet, kind, and compassionate. Montessori infant and toddler classrooms are often paced differently than the rest of the child' life. In these spaces, the development of infants and toddlers is the first, and often only, priority of the day. There are no older children to get to soccer practice or dinners to cook. There aren't pets to manage or checkout lines to navigate. Instead, there is a space prepared specifically for the development of the children within it and paced as their own development demands. It turns out that, when you take out all the rushing and distractions and commotion of the rest of our lives, infants and toddlers are actually pretty lovely people. Observe and you'll notice infants paying attention longer to teachers , making eye contact and connecting even before they are verbal. You'll see infants reaching out to comfort each other when they see sadness or finding each other's faces when something funny happens to share the joke. You'll see them sharing food or offering hugs. You'll notice toddlers helping each other to put on their coats or carrying heavy items together, patting each other on the back when one is hurt or offering consolation when one is crying. You'll see them bring each other flowers on the playground or wrap their arms around each other to cuddle up. These acts of kindness reflect their natural empathy for each other. While they may not yet be able to demonstrate the perspective-taking that will allow them as their development progresses, these early kindnesses can be protected and nurtured when they're in an environment that notices and reinforces them. This is not to say that there won't be challenging times: infants and toddlers often have more complicated agendas than they have language skills, and the disparity doesn't usually present as kindness. But in a classroom within which children set the pace, teachers can notice and affirm their efforts to care for each other, supporting and protecting these gentle qualities in them as they grow. #FirstPlane #Infants #Toddlers #ForParents