3 Ways For Parents To Improve Their Understanding Of A Montessori Education

Posted February 24, 2021

At the Montessori School of Wellington (MSW), we’re strong advocates for parents becoming familiar with the Montessori pedagogy. The reason is simple. Although children spend a lot of time at school, under the instruction of accredited teachers, the majority of their time is spent at home, with their parents. No matter how great the education your child is receiving at school, if similar principles aren’t being applied or followed in the home, the benefits of a Montessori education may be reduced.

As the Age of Montessori puts it, “Parents are their children’s first and foremost teachers. By knowing how your child learns and develops, you can maximize their learning experience.”

1. Information Evenings

Your child’s teacher can be your greatest resource in extending a Montessori environment into your home, and that is why we offer information evenings for parents. Not only do these evenings give our teachers the opportunity to teach you more about the Montessori pedagogy, but they also provide an opportunity for parents to ask questions. In addition, these information sessions help parents develop a strong network of support with other parents and educators.

We highly recommend that parents and guardians take advantage of these sessions and come prepared with questions.

2. Montessori Resources for Parents

Books, blogs, podcasts, oh my! Where do you even begin?

With so many resources available to parents, knowing where to start may feel overwhelming. The good news is that the MSW has resources for you to borrow, and your child’s teachers have tons of material to share with you as well.

If you’re looking to increase your understanding of Montessori, check out this huge list of resources put together by The Montessori Notebook.

3. Transparent Classroom

Our teachers use software called Transparent Classroom. It allows for easy record keeping and is designed by Montessorians for Montessorians. The benefit for parents is that our teachers will take photos and document observations about your child’s development. This will allow you to better understand where your child is excelling and where they may need extra support at home. If you’re eager to improve on your, and your child’s, understanding of the Montessori pedagogy, you can even set up some of the activities at home and make observations of your own!

We know that a Montessori education — both public and private — allows students (particularly kindergarten aged children) to advance more rapidly in math, literacy and soft skills more rapidly than their ‘traditional’ schooling counterparts.

Eventually every child’s school day comes to an end. For benefits to really take hold, what they learn in the classroom needs to be extended into their home life. If you have any questions about how you can bring what MSW’s teachers do on a daily basis into your home, feel free to reach out or speak to your child’s teacher — they’d be happy to help.

Glynis Hamilton

I am Glynis Hamilton, the owner of the Montessori School of Wellington. When I had my children I knew exactly what I wanted for them in terms of early childhood education. It was only when I visited a beautiful Montessori school in Toronto that I knew I had found what I was looking for. I became intrigued by Montessori and so, at the ripe old age of 44, I went back to school and then switched career from legal secretary to Montessori teacher. Since that time, Montessori has become a way of life for me. The past 20 years have been a joy rather than a job. I have moved from being front line in the classroom to the office doing more administrative work. But, my office door is almost always open to the classroom where I can hear the children’s laughter and welcome them in for a visit. I truly love what I do.