What Is a Montessori Preschool: What You Need to Know When Choosing a Child Care School
When it comes time to choosing a preschool for your child, you need to make sure you are making an informed decision. You probably have a lot of questions about how to choose a preschool and what you can expect from a child care preschool. Many parents choose a Montessori preschool while others choose a more traditional child care school. No matter what kind of preschool you choose to send your child to there are a few things you need to be aware of. Read here to discover important tips about choosing the right preschool and find the child care programs that work for you and your family.
What is a Montessori Preschool?
When you start looking around for a preschool or even for child care resources, you're likely to hear the term "Montessori Preschool." You may be asking yourself, "What is a Montessori Preschool?" It's simple. A Montessori school is a preschool accredited by the American Montessori Society or the Association Montessori Internationale. All teachers in an accredited Montessori Preschool have the correction credentials and certifications to teach your child. Montessori Preschool sfollow the Montessori philosophy, which was set forth by Maria Montessori more than 100 years ago.
What about Student vs. Teacher Ratio
An important part of any Montessori Preschool is the student verses teacher ratio. All teachers at a Montessori school must be certified. Almost all preschools supplement their classrooms with babysitters, nannies, and other day care helpers. This is important to keeping the teacher-to-child ratio as low as possible. You'll want to ask how many certified Montessori teachers are in each classroom before you enroll your child.
What to Look for on a Site Visit
An important part of deciding on any child care preschool is to do a site visit. When you visit the child care school, whether it is a Montessori Preschool or not, consider the following when you make a visit:
- If possible, go when class is in session. This will give you the best indication of the way teachers interact with the students.
- Observe how much freedom the students have. This is especially important in Montessori Preschools.
- Is there an atmosphere of respect? Even as young as preschool age kids need to be treated with respect.
When it's time to choose a child care preschool, especially a Montessori preschool, keep the tips and ideas mentioned here in mind. You'll be grateful you took extra time and attention to find the right preschool for your child.
