The staff of Village Montessori School is pleased to announce a new Infant & Toddler Program beginning January 2020.
Infant Curriculum
Our program for infants is based on respect. In order to be respectful, we must also be responsive and have a reciprocal relationship with the infants in our care. We accomplish this through building basic trust with each infant. We provide quality time, when we are fully present and involve infants in all things that concern them.
We believe motor development should be allowed to occur naturally; therefore, our program does not support the use of any apparatus that confines infants and prevents their freedom of movement, except where safety is a concern, such as buckling into strollers for rides outdoors. Babies are never propped into sitting positions or otherwise placed into positions that they are not yet able to get into on their own. Quality of movement is sought over time and will develop according to each child’s inner schedule. Faster is not always better. Each stage is honored and respected when it occurs.
We believe in the infant as whole human being and invest the time to build a total person. Our goal is to help raise authentic infants who are competent, resourceful, curious, confident, secure and happy.
Toddler Curriculum
The toddler curriculum is designed to meet the specific developmental needs of the ever-inquisitive toddler. It is our belief that children learn best by doing; therefore, the environment is set up to allow maximum participation in classroom life. The responsibility of care of self is practiced daily, as the children learn dressing skills, toileting and proper handwashing. The skills necessary to care for the classroom environment are part of each day.
The materials on the shelves offer a wide variety of choices to allow students to practice decision making by choosing independently the “work” that calls to their particular Sensitive Periods from Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Art materials. Singing is part of each morning circle and art activities are done at least weekly.
Currently, VMS is licensed to accept children ages 2 through 6 years of age. In January, that age range will expand to 6 weeks through 6 years. This new Montessori program will be led by Denise Murtha.
Denise comes to VMS with over 20 years of Montessori Infant & Toddler (I/T) experience from the Barrie School and the Jefferson School, among others. In addition to teaching young children, she also teaches adults aspiring to be Montessori I/T teachers at the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies (see her bio under About for more information.) Denise has already transformed the 2 Year Old Program at VMS from a traditional setting to a Montessori environment.
VMS is now accepting applications for this new I/T Program. Interested parents should contact Sally Robinson at 301-977-5766 or by email to schedule a tour.
