You’ve decided that Montessori school is right for your child. Congratulations! This is going to be an exciting adventure for them. But, now you may be wondering how to do you best prepare your child for Montessori school.
Here are 3 tips to prepare your child for Montessori school.
Whether your child has been at home with you or family until this point, or they’ve been in a different daycare or preschool and are transferring to Montessori, you can do a few things to make their transition smoother.
Talk to them about starting Montessori school.
They may be excited about starting a new school, but they could also be nervous. Depending on their age, ask questions, answer them honestly. If they’re worried about making new friends, be sure to talk to them about it and try to show them how they’ve made friends in the past. Give them tips on making friends. Let them know that you hear their concerns and you want them to be happy there too. It can be scary to start a new school. It’s up to the grown-ups to try to help make the transition as easy as possible.
Visit the new school before the first day.
Drive by the school, arrange to meet their new teacher before the first day, see if you can take your child to see the classroom environment in person ahead of their start. The more comfortable the child feels on the first day, the easier the transition will be for them.
Start getting them used to doing things on their own
In a Montessori school, children are self-directed, they’re able to choose the works that they want, and they’re going to be encouraged to be independent. To help your child transition easily:
1. Get them used to doing a few things for themselves.
2. Have them choose the shirt they wear (keep it easy at first, give them a choice of two shirts they like), have them help pack their lunch, ask them to help you put away laundry. Eventually allowing them to choose their own clothing for the day. Let them be expressive in their choices.
3. Find a few things they can do to help you and also to be independent. If they’re used to someone doing everything for them, the new Montessori environment could be a big adjustment for them.
It may be harder to do some or all of this with a very young child but do what you can. Make sure they have a chance to see the school and meet the teacher before the first day.
A Montessori school pro-tip for an easier transition
There will likely be tears at first. Children often cry when they’re being dropped off for the first few times (or weeks). Tears are typical and expected. In most cases, they stop crying within a few minutes. Teachers and other children are used to this, and while it may pull on your heartstrings and make you feel like you’ve done something wrong, trust that it’s normal, and soon, you’ll see drop-offs will be full of smiles, and they’ll be running and leaving you behind because they see their friends waiting for them.
If you’re interested in learning more about our Montessori School contact us today.
