In the infant years, as the seed is planted with love and care for a successful, sturdy life, each seed grows and develops at its own pace, learns to trust, learns to move and communicate. Learning to control body parts.
In our classroom, our main goal is for your child to be given the opportunity to reach their fullest potential in autonomy and valuable practical life skills. We find extreme value in the importance of creating nurturing learning environments with positive caregiver relationships to each infant in our care. Children in our environment are given freedom with boundaries in a way that is developmentally appropriate for their stage of development. Our program was created to give infants a safe space to explore that requires the least amount of physical redirection by an adult or object. Infant equipment such as bouncers and activity saucers are not used in our program to allow for uninterrupted large motor development.
Each lesson is prepared thoughtfully by the educators to aid in your child's development. These lessons will cover all of the necessary areas to help them succeed at the current stage of development they are in and to prepare them for the next! Each day, your child will have access to lessons that specifically aid in Practical Life (care of self, care of environment, fine motor skills and gross motor skills. Learning grace and courtesy also falls into this category), Sensorial development (building skills and concepts, visual discrimination, tactile discrimination, olfactory discrimination and auditory discrimination), Art, Language and much more.
Requirements for the NIDO program: Children must be at least 3 months of age.
Food: Parents must provide breast milk, formula, or may come to breastfeed. All bottles must be clean, marked with the child’s name, packed on ice, and taken home on a daily basis to be washed. As solid foods are introduced, please prepare them in such a way that they are ready to be served (i.e. pureed, cut into small pieces, etc.)
Clothing: Clothing must allow the infant to have full movement of their bodies. Please avoid clothing that would restrict movement. Please provide several changes of clothing.
Diapering: Families provide disposable or cloth diapers, as well as diapering creams and/or lotions. MSoC will provide unscented wipes.
Bedding: Please provide a clean fitted crib sheet. Prior to the age of 1 year, the bed must be free of anything other than an optional pacifier. A sleep sack is recommended for the comfort of the child. (Homemade sleep sacks are not permitted) Once a child turns 1 year, a familiar blanket and a comforting item (i.e. small stuffed animal, etc.) is permissible.
In our infant class, we consider ourselves to be a sweet little community and we value each child as a contributing member of this community. Meal times are opportunities for children to establish lifelong skills and, believe it or not, children can begin practicing these skills as soon as solids are presented to them! We would like to partner with you to ensure your child is successful in this routine at home as well as at school.
Child Expectations:
(Introduced by the time they are able and (hopefully) mastered before moving up to toddler!)
Typically our recommendation is for infants to begin trying self feeding when they are independently able to sit up as this supports their digestion process of solid foods and their ability to sit confidently in a low high chair.
Self-feeding
Able to use spoons, forks and drink from a cup with little to no assistance
Sits independently at table during meals without being strapped in
Lunchbox Management
Can open and close lunch box (requires containers that are easy to open and close for child- see recommendations for lunch boxes)
Place setting and cleaning up
Takes tray with food to table and returns when finished
Throws trash into garbage and wipes table
Chair Management
Pushes chair in when finished
I attended Chattanooga state Community college for Environmental Science. I have been apart of the Montessori school of Cleveland since 2022.
I discovered the Montessori Philosophy before I had children and felt that it’s something that resinates with me. I knew it is how I wanted to raise my own children. Since being introduced to the school, I’ve been able to gain experience in guiding young children to develop naturally into themselves. It’s an incredible journey to watch. Each young individual easily learns to be independent, adaptable, and confident in every task. Our environment is catered to them and allows for opportunity to be self reliant. Montessori is the most organic, logical and honest approach to building a strong foundation for a child.
I attended a local community college in my hometown graduating in 2007 with a Technical Certificate prior to becoming a mom. I am a proud mother of two children on the spectrum which led me on an extensive search for various teaching methods that would aid in my kids' academic growth.
During my quest, I learned about the advantages of the Montessori approach for kids with autism. The Montessori philosophy places a strong emphasis on individualized learning and sensory engagement that has substantially benefited my children's educational path. The autism journey our family has experienced has shaped the person I am today and made me aware and appreciative of the importance of early childhood education. Infants are at a crucial stage of development where every interaction, environment, and experience influence their growth. The Montessori philosophy has not only shaped my approach to teaching, but also the way I see children and their unique potential. Infants in the Montessori classroom have taught me greatly about their capabilities and the beauty of self-directed learning.
I look forward to continuing creating enriching, peaceful environments for infants, where they can develop into independent and confident individuals. I also dream of sharing my experiences with other educators and parents, advocating for the Montessori approach to early childhood education, children with different learning abilities and special needs. In every child, I see endless possibilities, and my mission is to help them uncover those possibilities in a way that respects their individual growth and development.
