COMMUNICATING WITH YOUNG - North …

1 0-3 Guide 116-146 2018_0-3 Guide 116-146 2015 2018-02-22 9:04 AM Page 116. COMMUNICATING . Montessori way shows genuine appreciation and respect for the children with YOUNG . and follows Montessori principles. COMMUNICATING the Montessori way CHILDREN THE involves more than words and tone. It also involves attitude, body language and MONTESSORI WAY actions responsive to the children and their needs. For under-threes, responsive In every center, caregivers care for the COMMUNICATING helps each child develop children and carry out activities according trust in the caregivers, feel free to move and to the goals of the particular program. In explore, and develop his/her own skills. the Montessori program, where everything How does a caregiver communicate with represents a possible opportunity for the children in the Montessori way? The child's learning, how the caregivers care for following list is not exhaustive, but gives ten the children and carry out activities important ways of COMMUNICATING in a depends on how the caregivers Montessori childcare center: communicate with the children.

2 Ideally, COMMUNICATING with children the NAMC 0 3 Classroom Guide 116 NAMC - North American Montessori Center 0-3 Guide 116-146 2018_0-3 Guide 116-146 2015 2018-02-22 9:04 AM Page 117. Prepare the environment carefully. comfort. For example, choose furniture that is child-size and in a variety of Use proactive guidance strategies. shapes and sizes. Intervene gently, quietly, and only when Accept that a certain amount of necessary. untidiness is normal when children are Give a directed choice. learning. Locate practical life, sensory and art activities near child-size sinks so Use touch often. that the children can easily access the materials they need for cleaning. Slow down. Ground the children in what is real before Speak and listen with respect. introducing them to fantasy. Offer real or Use non-verbal signals for quiet and realistic-looking objects for them to work stopping. with . Make socializing an everyday experience. Keep use of plastic materials to a minimum.

3 Remember that YOUNG children Support competence and independence. learn by using all their senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. Plastic, PREPARE THE being odorless and generally hard and ENVIRONMENT CAREFULLY smooth in texture, does not offer the range of sensory stimulation provided by The carefully prepared Montessori natural objects. Instead, as often as environment communicates to the child that possible, present a wide variety of real she/he can move and explore easily and objects appealing to all five senses. safely. It also communicates that it contains Examples: unusual vegetables and fruits, attractive things that interest and challenge aromatic herbs, fabrics, child-size the child, motivating the child to move and musical instruments, objects from nature. explore and rewarding the child's natural curiosity. Since preparing the environment USE PROACTIVE. has been covered in more detail earlier, here are just a few examples of how you GUIDANCE STRATEGIES.

4 Can prepare the environment to Proactive guidance refers to communicate important messages to the communication strategies that many children: Montessori teachers have found effective because the goal is to guide, not force, Build in control of error that challenges children in positive ways as they develop. the children to learn to control their Instead of deciding how the child will movements. For example, make sure that develop, caregivers in a Montessori chairs and tables move easily if jostled. preschool act as guides for the children. Using proactive guidance strategies rather Make the children feel welcome and than praise or punishment, the caregivers competent to make choices for their own NAMC 0 3 Classroom Guide 117 NAMC - North American Montessori Center 0-3 Guide 116-146 2018_0-3 Guide 116-146 2015 2018-02-22 9:04 AM Page 118. communicate to the children when they are Show the children that playing not acting suitably, compliment them when cooperatively can be fun.

5 Develop a they are, and show the children that there repertoire of constructive cooperative are many alternatives to unsuitable games and play them regularly with the behavior. Here are a few examples of ways children. you can communicate what is suitable behavior to YOUNG children: Intervene gently, quietly, and only when necessary Let the children know that you notice and Another important way Montessori appreciate their suitable behavior. When caregivers communicate is by intervening the child behaves suitably, use positive gently, quietly, and only when necessary. interaction, a communication strategy consisting of quiet, simple statements or Unless a child is in danger, wait before physical responses that let a child know intervening in the children's social that he/she has been noticed and interactions. Give the children time to acknowledged. Positive interaction does solve their own problems and settle their not involve cheering and clapping or own differences.

6 Reward and punishment. The reinforcement can be as simple as a If possible, prevent unsuitable behaviors smile or a quiet observation, such as I by gently and quietly distracting or see you put that mat away, Janey or redirecting. Sometimes just holding an Amid, you are turning those pages very interesting object or placing yourself carefully or Ben, I hear how quietly you calmly on the floor between two infants closed that door. or toddlers and engaging with them defuses a situation. Another proactive Communicate to the children that guidance strategy, referred to as gluing, cooperative behavior, not competition, is involves keeping a child who is restless the norm. Do not encourage the children or disturbing others close by for a period to run races or to be the first in line. of time before inviting the child to choose a more suitable activity. This strategy is Make every effort not to reward particularly effective for toddlers and unsuitable behavior with direct attention.

7 Twos who are new to the childcare center For example, try not to react immediately or have been disturbing others. However, when a child screams in anger or throws the Montessori caregiver's goal is to him/herself on the floor in a rage. Instead, guide the child as soon as possible to acknowledge the behavior and help the something that engages the child and child identify the feelings behind it: I. allows him/her to move and work hear that you are feeling angry or I see independently of the caregiver. that you are crying. Are you feeling sad? . Then calmly look for opportunities to When the children are absorbed in direct the child to more suitable behavior. activities, communicate that their work is important to you as well as to them. NAMC 0 3 Classroom Guide 118 NAMC - North American Montessori Center 0-3 Guide 116-146 2018_0-3 Guide 116-146 2015 2018-02-22 9:04 AM Page 119. Intervene as little as possible. Observe children, infants especially, touch is an the situation before you decide when, important form of communication.

8 Touch in whether and how to intervene. For the form of cuddling and stroking has long example, 18-month-old Marta is trying to been used to communicate caring and place the last wooden block into a box. comfort to YOUNG children. Such touching The box keeps sliding so that Marta can't has a calming effect on most YOUNG children, get the last block in. Marta's caregiver allowing them to experience the people, observes from a distance, and sees both things and sensations around them. with that Marta is trying to solve the problem every experience, more neural pathways are and that Marta is becoming frustrated. established in the child's brain. The caregiver quietly approaches Marta and holds the box steady so that Marta Montessori caregivers can find many can fit in the last block. As soon as the opportunities for touching under-threes. For last block is in, Marta dumps all the infants, diapering presents an ideal blocks out and starts fitting them in opportunity to stroke the infant's body.

9 The again. The caregiver quietly removes caregiver could also make a special time herself from the scene. each day after feeding, for example to massage the infant's body. Touching the Give a directed choice infant can also provide an opportunity for a language activity, where the caregiver As much as possible, offer a directed names each body part or quietly sings a choice, giving a child the opportunity to body song to the infant. For older infants, choose between two equally attractive and toddlers and twos, who are very physical in positive actions or objects. This way of their relationship with the world, touch can COMMUNICATING shows the child that you also be a communication of caring and have confidence in her/his ability to make comfort. A toddler may climb up into a choices and gives the child experience in caregiver's lap to look at a book and a two- expressing preferences. For example, do year-old may lean against a caregiver's leg not ask the child What do you want?

10 While chatting. (Possible answer: My pail from home. ) or Do you want the red pail? (Possible However, caregivers need to remember that answer: No, no, no. ) Instead, offer two not all YOUNG children welcome and respond choices with similarly positive outcomes. to touch in the same way. To use touch as For example, say: Sami, do you want the an effective way of COMMUNICATING , the red pail or the blue pail? or Tina, would caregiver approaches gently and quietly, you like to stay here and keep working on observes the child's reactions to gentle this puzzle or go outside and paint rocks? touch, and learns each child's preferences. For example, an infant may dislike being Use touch often undressed and may prefer being wrapped in Research conducted throughout the last half a blanket while being massaged, and a two- of the twentieth century has confirmed one year-old may like having his back rubbed of Montessori's ideas about what helps while he goes to sleep.