Assistants to Infancy (0-3)
Working with the youngest children requires patience and a deep understanding of the path of human development. Assistants to Infancy practitioners are trained to support families and children through the stages of pregnancy and birth and to work with children during the earliest years. Two distinct Montessori environments, the Nido and the Infant Community, emerge as places which can meet the constantly changing needs of children of this age group. The guide’s role requires acquiring a healthy respect, knowledge and recognition of nature’s design for development, cultivating an understanding of the usefulness of collaborative relationships with both family and the child, and stresses the vital importance of providing a setting filled with enriched language and movement opportunities for the child. The most profound period in a child’s life, this is the foundation for all to come.
VIDEOS IN THIS CATEGORY:
A TO I & PRIMARY:
JOURNEY TO INDEPENDENCE (21:47) An exploration of how Montessori practice supports the natural unfolding of human development in the earliest years. This video includes topics such as the need for sharp observation skills, the importance of dynamic language, what "toddler" concentration looks like in the infant community and a brief overview of when a child is ready to transition from the infant community into a primary setting.
MONTESSORI’S INTUITION (6:53) Dr. Montessori's informed intuition led her to techniques of working with children, such as the three period language lesson, that reflect today's scientific discoveries about human learning.
ASSISTANTS TO INFANCY (0-3):
BEAD STRINGING (6:07) A story of the hand and the mind working together.
EVERYDAY FOOD (4:14) Capturing ordinary days in Montessori environments...a look at the daily preparation and enjoyment of healthy food in communities of young children.
HUMAN BONDS (19:00) An examination of the human relationships and settings that best support our youngest children on a daily basis.
MY MORNING (20:45) Experience the Montessori approach for toddlers by following three individual children through a morning in the infant community.
THE CHILD’S WORK (19:56) Young children are driven by an internal growth process to seek out experiences that meet their constantly evolving developmental needs.This video includes a discussion of the development of the child's will, how learning is deeply tied to movement in these early years and how nature provides a road map for the adult in meeting the constantly changing needs of children.
TOILET LEARNING (12:07) A concise explanation of the approach to toilet learning used in Montessori environments.
WATER (7:28) A story of gently guided exploration.
All Age Levels:
SUPPORT FOR MONTESSORI PRACTICE: NEW TEACHERS (16:30) The first years of Montessori practice present unique challenges for newly trained teachers. Teacher trainers from all age levels of practice explore some of the dynamics involved. They describe the type of support a budding guide needs to successfully navigate his/her critical beginning years.