Montessori

Next year Bevan is enrolled for Shine Montessori preschool for 3 days a
week. (He'll still be going to 1 session of playcentre too, and Christopher
should manage 2 playcentre sessions).

When I visited their open day and a session earlier this year I really liked
what I saw with a beautiful environment and well cared for equipment. The
teacher and assistants showed genuine care for the children. The children
were quietly busy and well settled.

With 2010 coming around VERY FAST I thought I should do some research about
the Montessori methods. I've realised that a lot of the activities are
things that can be done at home so over the last week I have been
introducing Bevan to some of the activities. Self-care and practical life
stuff is really useful and I don't have to buy special equipment to do it.
It complements what I as a mother and as a playcentre mum should be
encouraging anyway. Bevan may need to work on his attention span!

There are some good books and blogs that I am reading to get more
information.

A friend takes her son to the Montessori play group at Wa Ora School in
Naenae. I hadn't bothered to enrol Bevan there as I didn't want to settle
him in somewhere that he'd only be going to for a couple of terms up to age
3. But it occurred to me last week that while Bevan is at Shine I can take
Christopher along to the playgroup. Christopher will have a good foundation
of experience with the Montessori environment by the time he gets to three
years old.