Parent and Child Montessori for Toddlers

Session Guidelines

Program Philosophy

LePort Montessori’s Parent & Child Montessori offers your toddler a carefully prepared Montessori environment to explore, one that is ideally suited for children 18 – 36 months. It is a unique opportunity for him to have more than a full hour of uninterrupted time every week in which to choose independently from activities that benefit his development.

Young children in our fast-paced culture seldom have much freedom of choice or the time to think for themselves. Because we are often in a hurry, we tend to rush our toddler through tasks that he might otherwise be able to do himself. Whereas we are focused on getting things done, toddlers are focused on trying things out on their own. We hope your Parent & Child time is an opportunity for you to slow down to your child’s pace as he explores the classroom activities.

In our Parent & Child Montessori program, your child has the freedom to choose the activities that he likes the most. Encourage him to complete them—but let him discover his mistakes for himself. If you allow him to take the lead, more often than not, he will discover for himself how to complete the task. This will give him many opportunities for problem solving.

Don’t be concerned if your child chooses the same few activities every week. Young children learn through repetition. By repeating a task, a child starts to notice more details, improve his skills, and gain confidence. Sometimes parents are anxious for their child to move quickly from one activity to the next, but please remember that Parent & Child is your child’s time to get used to directing his own choices.

One of Dr. Montessori’s great discoveries is that a lot happens when caregivers take a step back and observe how a child interacts with the environment around him. Use your Parent & Child time as an opportunity to unobtrusively observe your child: You might be amazed at what you discover!

A Montessori environment is designed to be fully accessible to young children. Everything is the right size and at the right height for a toddler. The room is primarily their space, not ours. You will notice that the adults in the room are not dominant: We speak with soft voices, use slow movements, and handle everything with care because we are constant role models to the children. When we model appropriate behavior, children learn to do the same.

Session Details

Thursdays from May 29th to May 29th

Instructor Info

@leportschools.com
Read 's bio

Location Info

,

School Email:

School Phone Number:

Program Guidelines

Please review the following guidelines to help our program and your experience run smoothly for everyone. If a caregiver other than yourself brings your child to class, please have him/her review the guidelines as well. Keep in mind that each child attending the Parent & Child class must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver (e.g. twins require two adults). No older siblings are permitted.

Arrival Time

If you arrive before class begins, please wait in the lobby area. Prior to class start time, your session leader is busy preparing for class, so please try not to come into class beforehand. She will be happy to greet you and your child right when the session starts.

Behavior

Toddlers are just beginning to learn appropriate social skills. They often experiment with their strength and their ability to control the environment. Hitting, biting, grabbing and provoking—while unpleasant— are commonplace at this age. We view these behaviors as normal for children in this age range and will work with parent and toddler to modify these behaviors.

If an incident between children does arise, LePort Montessori employs positive redirection and conflict resolution techniques rather than isolation. We do not have “time-outs” or “naughty chairs,” and we respectfully request that parents also not use these during their Parent & Child Montessori sessions. Your session leader will model positive discipline strategies to help resolve any conflicts. You might later talk to your teacher about ways to prevent future incidents. Please try to view these incidents as positive learning opportunities.

Toys from home

Please do not bring any toys into our classroom environments, with the exception of teething rings if your child is teething.

Cleaning Up

Most Montessori activities are self-contained units. After your child does an activity, please guide him to return it to the shelf so that it is ready for the next child, allowing him to do as much of the cleanup on his own that he possibly can. If he needs help, our approach is to slowly show him how to do it for himself rather than to do it all for him. Showing young children how to clean up makes it possible for them to take better care of their surroundings and learn to take responsibility for their things.

Clothing

We suggest both parents and children please dress in layers and closed-toed shoes to be comfortable in the Montessori classroom and play area. Also, please bring an extra change of clothes, as your child will have an opportunity to work with water activities, food preparation, and painting at the easel.

Eating

Water and cups are always available for both adults and children, and partway through the session we will provide a lovely snack gathering for all children (e.g. Cheerios and raisins; cheese and crackers). We do not allow children (or adults!) to eat or drink while working with the Montessori materials. Please make sure to let your session leader know if your child has food allergies.

Diapers

Please bring your own diapers and wipes. Soiled diapers may be disposed of in the trash in the diapering area in our Parent & Child Montessori room. Our classrooms also have adjacent low toilets available for children learning to use the toilet. Our Montessori approach to self-care allows children to stand up during diapering, so if you need help learning this process to assist your child’s independence, please ask your session leader for guidance.

Cell Phones

Please show respect for your child’s Montessori experience by silencing your cell phone and not texting or checking messages during your Parent & Child sessions. If you absolutely must make a call during class time, please step outside to do so. (You may, however, use your phone to unobtrusively take pictures or videos of your child engaging with the Montessori activities.) Please also refrain from allowing your child to use your cell phone during class time, as this distracts your child from the variety of materials available to explore in the classroom and outdoors.

Illness

Please do not bring your child to class if he is sick. While a runny nose is fine if your child is otherwise healthy, excessive coughing and irritability are reasons to keep your child at home. Also, if your child has vomited, has had diarrhea or has had a fever less than 24 hours before class, please keep your child at home.

Facebook

Please join our closed Facebook group! As part of your enrollment, we invite you to join this private group dedicated to families of LePort’s Parent & Child programs. Your child’s session teacher will post pictures, share interesting news on Montessori education, notify you of upcoming events – and you’ll get to connect with other parents in the area who have young children.

Make-Up Classes

If you cannot make it to one class, we cannot guarantee a make-up class will be available, but you are welcome to contact your campus to discuss possible options. If you end up missing a number of classes or need to drop out, unfortunately, we cannot offer a refund or credit.

Administrative Questions

If you have administrative or enrollment questions, please call at or email at .

Program Questions

If you have questions or concerns regarding program content or procedures, please feel free to email at @leportschools.com.