Parent Education: Ages Birth to Three

Montessori education is an aid to life and is not restricted to the prepared environment. An important part of Montessori education is working with parents, families and the community to foster understanding and appreciation of the extraordinary development of young children from birth to three years of age.

Montessori educators provide parents with as much information as possible about child development at this stage, how parents can nurture that development and the way the Montessori approach can support that development. The ways this is achieved include:

• parent information evenings

• open days

• provision of videos, DVDs, books and articles

• discussion groups

• home visits.

Throughout the year there are regular individual meetings offered to parents and prospective parents.

When parents attend with their children in the parent-infant or parent-toddler groups, they can:

• observe the development of the children in the group

• engage with their child in the environment

• seek guidance from and be guided by the Montessori trained adult.

Adults awaiting the birth of a baby and those waiting to adopt may also be invited to attend these environments to observe and gain an understanding of infant development. It is part and parcel of the role of the trained Montessori Assistant to Infancy to promote understanding of development at all times. For this reason, parent information sessions are not restricted to parents of children attending Montessori centres.