Montessori Basics

A G U I D E TO H E L P YO U S TA R T U S I N G

M O N T E S S O R I AT H O M E

© The Montessori Guide 1

— INTRODUCTION TO THE
M O N T E S S O R I M E T H O D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

— O B S E R V A T I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

— O B S E R V A T I O N W O R K B O O K . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

— P R E P A R A T I O N O F T H E
E N V I R O N M E N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

— R E S P E C T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

— O R D E R A N D R O U T I N E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1

— I N D E P E N D E N C E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2

— F U R T H E R R E A D I N G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 4

© The Montessori Guide 2

— INTRODUCTION

“Our care of the child should be

governed, not by the desire to make him
learn things, but by the endeavor always
to keep burning within him that light
which is called intelligence.”
— MARIA MONTESSORI

The idea behind the Montessori philosophy is to provide an environment

in which children are self-motivated, eager to learn and try new things,
and above all, respected. Each child is shown an equal level of respect
and in return, they learn early on to respect others and their environment.
We show each child respect by speaking to them as human beings
rather than babies and letting them be active participants in all aspects
of their life, starting at birth.

A few of the key principles of Montessori philosophy and parenting

include:

• Observation
• Preparation of the environment
• Respect
• Order
• Independence

© The Montessori Guide 3

— O B S E RVAT I O N

“Now the adult himself is part of the child’s environment;

the adult must adjust himself to the child’s needs if he is
not to be a hindrance to him and if he is not to substitute
himself for the child in the activities essential to growth
and development.”
— MARIA MONTESSORI, THE ABSORBENT MIND

How are we meeting the needs of our child? Taking the time to observe
each child allows us to assess their individual needs and interests - social,
emotional, and developmental. These observations give us the information
we need to prepare a proper environment for each child’s development,
and to rotate materials and activities as they grow and their interests change.
By observing our child with their materials, we can learn what piques their
interest or what challenges them. Observation can especially come in handy
when our child is “acting out”. For example, if our toddler is throwing all their
toys off their shelf, that tells us that 1. we might want to simplify their shelf
or reduce the number of materials and 2. give them other opportunities to
throw, such as balls into a laundry basket. If our child isn’t interested in any
materials, it also may be that they are too challenging or too easy, and we
can make changes from there.

© The Montessori Guide 4

 — O B S E RVAT I O N WO R K S H E E T
Find a time when there are few distractions and you are able to sit near your child for 10-15 min-
utes. Observe your child as he/she works with materials. Try to be objective in your observations.
Use this sheet to record your observations. We recommend doing this excersize once a week.

What work do they choose?

How do they use their body or hands?

What work do they spend the most time on?

© The Montessori Guide 5

What do they ignore or toss aside?

What sounds/words do they make?

What areas of the house are they drawn to?

Do you find yourself intervening or talking as they are working?

Do your actions or words affect their concentration?

© The Montessori Guide 6

— THE PREPARED ENVIRONMENT

“The greatest sign of success for a

teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children
are now working as if I did not exist’ ”
— MARIA MONTESSORI

Instead of the teacher or parent at the center, Montessori describes

a triangular interaction among the adult, child, and environment. The
adult is the connection between the child and their environment, inviting
them in. This is in part why teachers are called guides in Montessori. With
a prepared environment and carefully chosen materials, the child can
explore their environment (at home or school) and use their materials
with minimal assistance. This kind of environment promotes curiosity,
concentration, and independence early on.

Toy rotations are an excellent way to keep the envrionment

interesting for your child.
Good rule of thumb for number of materials displayed at a give time:
Age in months = Number of materials on the shelf (up to 12 months or
12 materials)

How often/how much to rotate:

This depends on your child’s time spent with their activities, and their
interest level. Generally, it’s a good idea to rotate toys every other week
for babies and once a week for toddlers. Rotate just a few (up to half)
the materials at a time to avoid overstimulation. Try to rotate out the
ones that haven’t been used very much or at all and place a few new
materials out in their place. Keep the toys out that are still being enjoyed
or still providing an appropriate level of challenge.

© The Montessori Guide 7

“The things he sees are
not just remembered;
they form a part of his
soul.”
— MARIA MONTESSORI

© The Montessori Guide 8

—RESPECT

Respect is the most important

element of Montessori, and
parenting in general.

Respect for infants and toddlers comes in

many forms in a Montessori environment,
and it starts at birth. It includes a beautiful
and inviting space for our child to play in.
It also includes making children feel like
important and contributing members of
our family or community. Respecting the
child means speaking and interacting
with our child in a gentle and loving way,
and in words they can relate to. Lastly, this
includes respecting each child’s individual
development and pace/style of learning,
whether at home or at school.

© The Montessori Guide 9

 “Children are human beings to whom
respect is due, superior to us by reason
of their innocence and of the greater
possibilities of their future.”
— MARIA MONTESSORI

Examples of how to phrase things to your child:

When your child is sad or frustrated...help provide a label for their
emotion, but let them sit with it.
“I see that you are feeling ______. Would you like a hug or to sit with me?”
When your child is doing something unsafe or misusing a material in
an unsafe way, explain that that is not safe or okay and redirect them
to something they can do.
You are showing me that you are not safe/ready for ______. Let’s _____
instead.”
I can’t let you _______. You can ______ instead.
When your child is struggling to move through a transition, e.g. get
dressed or go potty to go outside, offer them a choice to get them going.
Would you like to wear the striped shirt or polka dot shirt today?
Are you going to _____ or do you need me to help you _____?
When your child completes a task and is proud of it, acknowledge their
effort and work without praising.
It looks like you really enjoyed that work!
You did it (all by yourself)!
It’s so nice to see how proud and happy you are.
When your child helps you with a task or does something kind.
That was so helpful how you ________.
I like the way you _______.

© The Montessori Guide 10

— ORDER AND ROUTINE
In a world that is so big and often
overwhelming, infants and toddlers are
usually happiest when they have order and
structure to their day.
This includes organization of their environment and routines. In Montessori
classrooms and homes, all of the children’s materials have a specific place
in their environment, and there is a consistent daily schedule. The idea is
that infants and children come to know what to expect and feel more secure
with that knowledge. With that security, the child has the confidence to
seek out independent play and take on new challenges. Of course we can’t
always keep our environment perfectly organized or our days structured
(nor should we), but the more we can do, the more calm and confident our
child will feel.

Although newborns don’t really stick to anyone’s schedule, babies can start
to follow a routine around 3-4 months. This is when they are capable of
sleeping longer stretches at night, as they respond to the solar schedule.
Creating and sticking to a routine gives the infant information about the
world when they do not yet understand what morning let alone “8 o’clock”
means. In the beginning it can help to talk to your infant about the routine
by telling them simply what comes next. For example, you can explain how
you are dressing him, moving her to a different room, giving him food, or
changing her. Eventually your infant will learn the order of these activities,
e.g. that he will get his diaper changed before sleep, or she will be fed before
going on a walk. These consistencies in routine provide security and trust
for your baby.

Toddlers need and thrive on routines even more than babies. It also becomes
easier to stick to routines when toddlers are down to just one or two naps a
day, and are sleeping through the night. In addition to talking them through
your routine, or what comes next, it can help to have visual prompts, such as
pictures of your morning or evening sequence, to help them work through
the steps.

© The Montessori Guide 11

— INDEPENDENCE

Help me do it myself.
Whenever possible, children are given a chance to do things for
themselves before the adult steps in. A common quote in Montessori
communities is “help me to do it by myself”. We, as adults, are there to
model and guide, but not to take over our child’s work. Giving infants and
toddlers time and opportunities to exert their independence and build
their concentration promotes their self-confidence and self-reliance.

Even infants appreciate being given the patience and space to figure
skills out in their own time, such as rolling or finally grasping the hanging
ring with their hand. You can even more clearly see the delight and pride
on a toddler’s face when they put their own shoes on for the first time.
For toddlers, one simple way to give them more independence is to
give them choices rather than directions. For example, “Would you like
to get in your pajamas or brush your teeth first?” rather than “It’s time to
get ready for bed”.

© The Montessori Guide 12

“Never help a child with a task at
which he feels he can succeed.”
— MARIA MONTESSORI

Each guide incorporates activities to promote independence from

birth, but as your baby becomes a toddler, it can also help to take note
of everyday tasks and ask if your child can help or wants to help. For
example:

• Putting laundry in the washer or dryer

• Folding or sorting laundry
• Weeding in the yard
• Watering the flowers
• Putting food or dishes away
• Washing dishes
• Choosing a snack (limited options)
• Helping add or mix ingredients in the kitchen
• Tidying up
• Gathering supplies for an activity

© The Montessori Guide 13

— FURTHER READING

Montessori from the Start - Paula Polk Lillard and Lynn

Lillard Jessen

The Joyful Child - Susan Mayclin Stephenson

The Montessori Toddler - Simone Davies

Elevating Childcare - Janet Lansbury

Positive Discipline: The First Three Years - by Jane Nelsen,

Cheryl Erwin, Rosyln Duffy

The Whole Brain Child - Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne

Bryson

How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen & Listen So Little Kids
Will Talk -Joanna Faber and Julie King

© The Montessori Guide 14