Pinnacle Montessori Toddler Room
“The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn” Dr. Maria Montessori
The Toddler Environment is unique as it provides a ‘home-away-from-home’ atmosphere allowing your child the security to relax and embrace the Montessori learning paradigm as it applies to their age group. They have become more mobile thus allowing these amazing little ones the opportunity to foster more independent explorations within their classroom, the opportunity to be given proper Montessori lessons, as well as, gain the awareness of the concepts of empathy, sharing, and working together.
Our educators are specially trained in Montessori for this age group, to provide exceptional guidance for your little one during this crucial time period during their development. Your child, according to Dr. Maria Montessori, is in the midst of experiencing their sensitive period for acquisition of language and developmental stage of the Absorbent Mind. The Absorbent Mind is the stage of development you child has begun at birth and will continue through to about their sixth year, these little ones will absorb information at a rate that will be heretofore unmatched throughout the remainder of their lives. Providing a rich, Montessori learning environment, is crucial for their successful development. Pinnacle Montessori does precisely that for your child, in a safe and loving environment.
Here is an example of a typical day in our Toddler Room:
Independence
The educator’s main objective for their students is to encourage gross and fine motor skills, and their confidence in their own independence. Children at this age are much more capable of doing for themselves than they are given credit, especially when we give them the opportunity.
Routine
We provide a consistent routine each day; children rely on this consistency, it provides comfort and security to our younger students.
Self-Control
This begins by the educator giving simple instructions that the children are able to follow, then increasing the instruction from the simple to one direction, and then to more than one direction at a time, this must be followed in sequence. How is this accomplished? Line time, games, songs, and the Montessori work cycle. This is the classroom practice of choosing a work, completing it, and then placing it back on the shelf where it belongs. The children also learn to ask for a lesson before taking a work they have not first been given a lesson on. Success is due to routine and practice.
Clean Up
Our little ones are taught from day one how to properly clean up after they complete their works, and after they eat their meals. Of course their teachers will come behind them to ensure all is pristine, but the goal is not to complete the task ‘for’ the child, but rather to promote independence and a ‘can do’ attitude. Helplessness is often a learned attribute, and an attribute we do not promote, rather we support the child.
Potty Training and the Daily Sheet
This is the time potty training begins. The educator has the little ones go to the rest room every 45 minutes. The children learn how to be kind if someone has an accident, how to wait their turn, and to encourage their friends on their potty-training journey. As they get older, they are encouraged to go to the bathroom on their own. The educators are always in close contact with parents during this process so homelife can mirror school and visa-versa. A daily sheet goes home with each child every day to update their families of behavior, eating habits, potty training, and their sleeping habits.
Daily Activities
AM:
- Line Time, Games, Songs, Montessori Lessons
- Montessori Work Time, Practical Life and Sensorial Lessons / Art / Potty Training
- Snack Time / PottyTraining
- Play and Outdoor Playground; Depending on the weather, our gymnasium is also available
- Line Time / Potty Training
- Lunch
- Potty Training
- Nap Time
- Wake / Potty Training
- Play Outside, weather permitting
- The schedule repeats in the afternoon, minus the nap
Afternoon Repeats minus the nap.