Montessori taught her how to learn, not just memorize facts.

Montessori schools have an edge

Let me begin by saying “Montessori trained teachers are taught to look to instill certain traits in their students as the result of Montessori; these are known as characteristics of an authentic Montessori experience”.

They are:

• independent thinking
• self-assured/self-confident
• mature
• critical thinker
• early reader/good reader/enjoys reading
• develops fine-motor skills
• self-motivated
• respectful of others
• knows how to learn/loves learning
• creative

The above list shows that the Montessori method does just what it says it will do but for many people, the observations of parents and teachers aren’t enough. They want hard data to prove that Montessori works.

Research suggests that children who attend Montessori schools may have an edge over other children in terms of both academic and social development

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/28/health/webmd/main2050676.shtml

Steven J. Hughes, PhD, LP, ABPdN has done extensive research on cognitive development, and he has concluded that the Montessori style fits the way our brains process information. http://hercules.gcsu.edu/~doetter/lib_stud/pubs/stoudenmier_0905.pdf

There are many ways to quantify the effects of the Montessori method, and they all have value.

• The scientific studies give validity to our observations
• Our observations bring life to the scientific studies
• Montessori method of education is something special

As one parent said,

“Give your child the best gift of their life, give them a Montessori education.” 

There's More Than Meets The Eye

Ever wonder the answers to some of life’s little questions?

• How do skills develop in children?
• What factors influence their development?
• What factors inhibit their development?
• What role can physical movement play in education?
• What do balance, hand-eye coordination, and music all share in common? And how can this affect the development of other cognitive abilities in children?

These are just a few of the questions considered if your job is:

Teacher At A Childcare Center

• Are you wondering what working in this profession entails?
• Have you ever wondered what my average day is like?
• Do you imagine the benefits of doing this type of work for a living?

The following brief job description contains not all but some of the hundreds of details that working in the field of early childhood development has given me.

Job Title:Teacher

Type of Company: Privately-owned childcare center in Summerside PE.

Education: Early Childhood Education Teaching Diploma, Truro Teachers College (Truro. NS) Montessori Teaching Diploma (NAMC Vancouver BC)

Previous Experience: I was an intern at a preschool, then an assistant and later became a lead teacher at various Kindergartens throughout the Province.

Job Tasks: As the owner and lead Teacher in a Montessori preschool that cares for children that are two and half to five years old. I manage two full-time teaching positions and assistants when required. I organize and conduct parent and staff meetings, fill out progress reports throughout the year, follow guidelines of the EECD (Education and Early Childhood Development) and ECDA (Early Childhood Development Association). I write a newsletter to parents, do a monthly/weekly planning. and provide a safe and nurturing environment, while trying to teach children basic help skills and build self-esteem on a daily basis.

Each day: I welcome the children to school and shake their hand. As the children arrive between 7:30- 8:25am they each are free to use the toys in the classroom (special activities in Montessori classrooms) and share stories of their time away from the class with their friends. After all our friends have arrived and settled I then have circle time on the rug where we read a story, sing and talk about what instructions each of them will need to work on in the “work period” to follow. During the work period the children are free to use and learn materials from the various lessons sometimes individually other times in small groups. We go outside two times a day weather permitting morning and afternoon and work together on our gross motor skills. At noon they have lunch and snacks are provided throughout the day. I often write each parent a note about their child's day or special millstones they achieve. It is always busy and there is always something to do. We have a lot of daily paperwork and many things to document. It's a long day but worthwhile.

Best Parts of the Job:

The best part is the children and how much they love to learn. Children are by nature very happy and to work with them and see them grow is just wonderful, so each day is exciting and fun.

Job Tips:

Enjoy the children while you try to teach.

You must be a teacher in your heart. (Anyone can be a teacher on paper)

Get as much education as you can. Daycare jobs often require Post Secondary now.

Additional Thoughts:

To do this job, you must like children. Days can be hard and long. There is never enough staff to cover days off. You are needed every day. The job is low-paying and turn-over rate is high.

But, if you love children, teaching, smiling and laughing, this job is tops! I've been doing it for 22 years and I love every day of it and I can't imagine doing anything else.

Multiple Intelligence in Education

With the implementation of publicly funded full day Kindergarten, Prince Edward Islanders have come to recognize that quality child care has long term benefits for children, families and society.

The public also increasingly understand that the key to quality care is a well trained, skilled and fairly compensated workforce

Some recent factors that place a higher emphasis on quality childcare in PEI

1. Parental Employment
   
   Women have joined the workforce in increasing numbers over the years for two main reasons.

• First of all there is an increased financial burden felt by many families. Thus, access to quality childcare helps to reduce the numbers of children growing up in poverty.
• Secondly, there has been a shift in societal beliefs regarding woman's work roles and responsibilities. Quality childcare helps parents to balance their work and family responsibilities – thus reducing the amount of stress felt by families. Governments also support parents by providing parent support resources, and helping parents network with one another.
  
  
  2. Life Long Learning
  
  
  Not only does quality child care nurture early learning, it also enhances children’s overall development and well being – thus providing a solid foundation for life-long learning. Quality childcare stimulates both social and intellectual growth that persists into elementary school, thus establishing a solid foundation for later learning successes. Quality childcare lays the foundation for lifelong learning and Montessori also supports an important belief that children do not just learn using reading and writing intelligences. We parents know that because that is how we nurture our babies from birth. Yet all too often we send our children who have been taught to use all their intelligences off to schools where they are severely restricted in what they learn and how they learn it. If multiple intelligences are important to your child rearing philosophy, then Montessori and Waldorf schools are worth a look at.

Steps To Choosing Care For Your Little One!

-Start Early: Start looking as far in advance as you can (spaces can be limited)

No matter what type of care you are considering a child care center or care in someone else's home finding the right child care option can take some time.

-Make a Call: Begin your search by calling your local experts

Referrals from other parents and can give you the facts about child care, and a list of child care options in your area that may meet your needs.

In addition check out online resources like Websites and Social media pages for info.

-Visit and Ask Questions: Find out about these key indicators of quality

• -Adult to Child Ratio. Ask how many children there are for each adult. The fewer the children for each adult, the better for your child. You want your child to get plenty of attention. The younger your child, the more important this is.
• -Qualifications. Ask about the caregivers' training and education. Caregivers with diplomas or special training in working with children will be better able to help your child learn. Are the caregivers involved in activities to improve their skills? Do they attend classes and workshops?
• Turnover. Check how long caregivers have been at the center or providing care in their homes. It's best if children stay with the same caregiver at least a year. Caregivers who come and go make it hard on your child. Getting used to new caregivers takes time and energy that could be spent learning new things.

-Make a Choice: Think about what you saw at each visit

Make the best choice for your child and family. Believe me not all childcare centers that are Licensed and Certified are the same. Centers and Home-based Childcare that follow Government Regulations are a starting point and really offer the most in the way of a guaranty of quality. But so many other individual factors can come into account that only an informed and proactive approach will enhance the likelihood of your child and family getting the most from this precious decision.

-Stay Involved: You and your child's caregiver are partners now.

Here are some ways to be involved:

• Go to parent meetings regularly, and ask questions.
• Offer to volunteer time when needed, like participating activity days, decorating, etc.
• Be there for your child's special parties.
• Visit your child at child care and read a book aloud.

Even if you can't get time off from work during the day, Ask the caregiver how things are going, and how your child is doing at drop-off or pickups. Visiting and participating in events at your child's provider sends a strong message. It tells your child and your child's caregiver that you think what your child is doing and learning is important