What to Look for When Choosing the Best Montessori School for Your Child

Choosing the right Montessori Preschool for your toddler or preschooler can be a real challenge!! There is an influx of schools that use the title ‘Montessori’ and the name alone does not mean that the school is authentically a Montessori Preschool or a Montessori Children’s Center.

However, if you are looking for a more authentic experience for your child and as a parent, your thought is to find a great ‘Montessori Daycare Near Me’ or ‘Montessori Preschool Near Me’ there are a few important factors that would be important to know

Teaching Belief– The Montessori Preschool that you choose should be aligned to your beliefs and values. Research on the educational vision and focus that the school has. A school that encourages Holistic Development and focuses not only on academics, but life skills and overall development is the education that you might want for your child.

Teachers’ Interaction and Qualifications– Montessori Preschool teachers are typically wonderful at communicating with the little ones. Notice how they speak and watch; do they pause and listen to what the child has to say? Do they get to the level of the child and speak with respect? One should avoid schools where teachers use punishments or labels. Check the qualifications and training done by the teachers, the specific Montessori courses and training done by the teachers ensures the school truly follows the philosophy and gives the children the experiences they truly deserve.

School accreditations & affiliations: An affiliation is provided to schools after an application and submission process. A Montessori Preschool & Children’s Center should be affiliated to a reputed Montesssori organisation such as the Indian Montessori Training Center (IMTC) or Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). Practises with AMI tend to be a wider network and provide a greater variety of trainings. For accreditations, schools must go through a rigorous process of scrutiny over an extended period of time to receive an accreditation. The accreditations require visits to the school and on-going re-evaluations to ensure the school stays on track. Check that the school has an accreditation, from a well reputed organisation, in addition to its Montessori Preschool affiliation.

Environment- When you are looking at a Montessori Preschool or Daycare the layout of the school, safety, security, and hygiene factors will play an important part in helping you make the right choice. An environment that is clutter-free, clean, bright, and cheerful will be one that your child will thrive in. Montessori Center classrooms should be inviting, organised, and not overstimulating. There should be a well prepared environment with Montessori materials for all domains and age groups.

Location– Ask yourself – Is this Montessori School Near Me or Montessori Daycare Near Me? How far will I need to drive to drop or pick up my child, will it be convenient? Do they offer transport? What would happen in an emergency?

Parent Instinct– This is the most important when it comes to Montessori Daycare, ask yourself, do you get a good feeling, is there a sense of positivity around? When you look around the Children’s Center do you see happy children and peaceful adults? Do you feel comfortable and safe leaving your child in the environment?

Reach out to the Children’s Center of your choice, meet with the admission counsellor and try and understand the school better.