Submarine Parenting

Recently there was an article in the Boston Globe about the “new” phenomena of Submarine Parenting. I had to chuckle when reading it though because Montessorians have been Submarining for over 100 years!

The idea is that, unlike helicopter parenting, a submarine parent (or teacher) places children in situations that they are fairly confident the child can handle with success, even if the task is slightly outside of the child’s comfort zone, and then allows the child to try it on their own, only "popping up" to add guidance if necessary.

By guiding children in this way children develop self-confidence, learn that success is built from failures, and become resilient and accepting of life’s challenges.

“We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself.”

Maria Montessori

Celebrating and nurturing each child’s intrinsic desire to learn

This past weekend we came together at The Westmont Montessori School to learn about what makes the “K” year particularly impactful in the Montessori classroom. Our Head of School, Colette Cross, our teachers, and our Curriculum Coordinator shared some of the milestones of the K year.  

Five and six-year olds are going through a period of tremendous brain development--a period when they are developing and honing their reasoning skills. Affording them this year of continued discovery where they have ample opportunity to problem solve as they move from the concrete learning materials to more abstract thinking helps them to really crystallize so many concepts that they have been exposed to in the Early Childhood classroom.

In addition to the academic progress that occurs in the K year, children benefit from continued physical, social, emotional, and spiritual growth. During this “pivotal” year, Kindergarteners take on a real leadership role in the classroom and even the school, serving as role models and helping younger friends in their classroom community.

To learn more about what makes Montessori education the most widely used pedagogy in the world, read more about the Montessori approach. Or just ask one of our Kindergarten alumni!

Montessori classrooms support growth during first days of school

A Montessori classroom is carefully prepared to “follow each child” as he engages in joyful learning while building independence and confidence.

The first few days of school are very important toward helping children acclimate to new routines, new friends and new teachers.

Reviewing a few basic principles will help, such as;

* Pushing in a chair when you leave the table

* Walking around rugs and work

* Rolling a rug

* Sitting in a circle

* Using the right voice in the classroom

* Washing hands

* Stopping when the bell rings (or a signal is given)

And the teachers do just that!  In addition to the carefully prepared environment, Montessori classrooms have another special feature that support a cohesive beginning: multi-age communities of children. One of the benefits of a Montessori multi-age classroom is that the returning, older friends can make the back-to-school transition easier for everyone by becoming role models for their younger friends. Younger or new friends can look to the older, returning friends for cues on how to interact with the environment and each other.

As it is customary for children to stay in the same classroom for multiple years, it means that the returning students will already know the basic ebbs and flow of the classroom. These children have an opportunity to build and hone their leadership skills vis-à-vis their younger friends. The peer cooperation that is established helps build self-esteem for both the younger and the older child.

Dr. Montessori’s vision was to create a closely-knit community in each classroom—one where each child becomes a contributing, sharing member of their school family. A multi-age classroom provides a natural environment where students learn to care for and trust one another. This strong, naturally forming bond is what helps create the peaceful, industrious hum of the Montessori classroom.

We look forward to building great communities this year!

Learn more about Montessori education.