First Steps to Daycare

It’s hard going to work when you have young children. They are growing and learning so
quickly and you want to be sure they have the correct environment to encourage that. You don’t
want to just hand your child over to a babysitter. So, your first steps to daycare is to educate
yourself. You can start by looking for the best infant and toddler care in your area. . If you are in
the Marshall, Virginia area, here are a few ideas for Fauquier County:

CareLuLu or The Best Daycares in Marshall, VA. Asks you to enter your zip code to find the
ones in your area. Try this out and see what training amenities are offered.
https://www.carelulu.com/daycare-preschool/marshall-va.

Children of America, Warrenton, VA. Kindergarten and elementary classes to grade 5 give
your child an excellent education. Visit their website to see the variety of locations across the
country at https://www.childrenofamerica.com/locations-warrenton.cfm.

First Steps Academy, McLean, Virginia. Accepts children aged infant to kindergarten. Their
motto is “Supporting Dreams, Preparing Minds”. Review their website for more information at
http://firststepstysons.com/.

Mountainside Montessori, Marshall, Virginia the premier and exceptional choice in the
Marshall, VA area for parents who want to give their children the freedom to learn at their own
pace with guidance from exceptionally well-trained teachers is definitely Mountainside
Montessori. If you want to make the Best first steps in childcare count, then this is the ideal
place to start. The Montessori method allows your child to interact with students within a three-
year age group in order to teach and learn from each other. This is a beautiful campus with wide
open spaces for children to explore and get fresh air and have fun while learning. It is a unique
and rewarding option for childhood education.

There are many Montessori Schools throughout Virginia and I will list a few from different
locations below for your convenience. You cannot go wrong with a Montessori education. Visit
our website at https://mountainsidemontessori.com/.

Virginia Montessori Private Schools | PrivateSchoolReview.com
https://www.privateschoolreview.com › Virginia

Montessori School of Northern Virginia – American Montessori Society
amshq.org/School%20Resources/Find%20a%20School?m=US_STATE&s=VA

Richmond Montessori School | A World of Difference
https://www.richmont.org/

Montessori schools are so popular that it should be easy to find one in your area. Take your first
steps to daycare by contacting Mountainside Montessori today. We are located at 4206 Belvoir
Road, Marshall, Virginia 20115. Phone (540) 253-5025. Call for a tour today.

Top 10 Resources for Preschool or Childcare in the Delaplane, Virginia Area

Making sure your child has adequate,and in top ten Preschool or Childcare in your area and engaging childcare as an infant or toddler is number one on the minds of most parents. They want to know what their child will be doing all day.
Are there games and activities that enrich their mornings and afternoons? It is important to make
a list of what you are looking for including the cost, convenience and how suitable it is for your
child and easy to drop off on the way to work. It’s very easy to go on line and ask for the top ten
resources for Preschool or Childcare in your area. You can check each website and read reviews
and see what they have to offer. When you have a list for 3 or more favorites, make
appointments to visit, tour, talk to some of the teachers and maybe even see classes in session.
These days, many families use Care.com to search for in home childcare and they do have a
great reputation. However, if your child is ready to go to school and interact with others, here
are some suggestions.
Care.com This service will provide a Childcare person to come to your home and take care of
your child or children. Their references are carefully checked and they can be tailored to your
needs.
Among the top ten resources for Preschool or Childcare are these examples:

The Goddard School for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers.

In the Arlington area,
Goddard’s has a comprehensive curriculum for various age groups designed for individual
learning skills, communication, social interactions bonding with teachers learning about the
world around them using the STEAM method. Goddard’s also offers a summer camp program.
Check them out here https://campaign.goddardschool.com.
The Minnieland Academy at Kirkpatrick Farms offers similar programs and enrichments for
infants, toddlers and Preschoolers. Call them to make at appointment after you have read
reviews and information on their website at http://www.minnieland.com/location/minnieland-
academy-kirkpatrick-farms/.
Mountainside Montessori in Delaplane, Virginia is the premier choice for discerning parents.
The carefully designed classes arranged by age groups allows students to actively engage with
others a little older or younger. Students can learn as they play and teachers guide them through
different steps of learning. Come to our website and view our beautiful campus. There is so
much safe open land for children to explore and enjoy. Serving Infants to children up to age 15,
means that Mountainside Montessori is a popular choice and among the top ten resources for
Preschool or Childcare in your area. https://mountainsidemontessori.com.

The Montessori teaching method is well respected giving children the opportunity to learn at
their own pace in a comfortable, supportive and safe environment. Here are some other schools
in your area.

Mountainside Montessori School
5.0 (16) · Montessori School
Marshall, VA · (540) 253-5025
https://mountainsidemontessori.com/

Middleburg Montessori School
5.0 (3) · Montessori School
Marshall, VA · (540) 687-5210
https://www.middleburgmontessori.com/

The Boxwood Montessori School
5.0 (1) · Montessori School
Warrenton, VA · (540) 347-1679
No website available.

Contact the school closest to you for more information and there are more throughout the region.
Give your children the best education possible and the Montessori Method of teaching is well
known and respected. Check with your local school to see if they have any openings and to ask
for more information.
It’s never too early to get them started on the right path to education. Find a Montessori school
in your area. It’s easy to find public results on the successes of Montessori students and here is a
quick look at some you may recognize.

DAVID BLAINE – Illusionist & magician. He has taken something that’s been around for a
long time and created something new and unique with it to entertain us.
GEORGE CLOONEY – Started as a toddler. Academy award-winning actor, director,
producer, humanitarian, and United nations messenger of peace. This Montessori preschooler
made good.
ANNE FRANK – Memoirist & author. Anne Frank’s diary is a natural extension of her
Montessori education. She learned observation skills and how to record her thoughts in a journal.

This has been a sampling of information to help guide you to the right decision for your child’s education.

What About the Montessori Kids?

Anytime you want to ask students about their schools you expect to get a mixed bag of information.  It depends on the ages of the people involved and many other factors, such as age, geographical location, economic situation or their general mood and attitude.

Arianna was homeschooled and did not come to Montessori until the 4th or 5th grade year since she was about 8 years old.  She liked that there were older kids she could learn with and from and that she could pace herself.  The style of learning helped to create new habits that she felt could be used throughout her life.

Meredith felt she had a careless attitude before going to Montessori and it helped her to focus and gain the trust of her teachers.  She learned to work on the things she knew she needed to learn and she learned how to become a leader and help kids who were having trouble. In the second semester we were given notebooks by our teachers to record what we did each day, she said.  The teachers would decide if we had used our time wisely that week and their monitoring helped me learn to manage my time better and this has stayed with me throughout my life.

These methods of learning have impacted them and many others all their lives and helped them learn how to learn, manage their time and form good habits.

Here are some other Montessori kids that may seem familiar to you:

JEFF BEZOS – Amazon founder has an extraordinary ability to learn from others and is proud of his Montessori roots.

DAVID BLAINE – Illusionist & magician.  He has taken something that’s been around for a long time and created something new and unique with it.

JULIA CHILD – Celebrity chef & author.  Julia had an unusual personality and used her gifts to relate to people everywhere with the love and joy she found in her work.

GEORGE CLOONEY – Academy award-winning actor, director, producer, humanitarian, United nations messenger of peace.  This Montessori preschooler made good.

ANNE FRANK – Memoirist & author.  Anne Frank’s diary is a natural extension of her Montessori education. She learned observation skills and how to record her thoughts in a journal.

How many of our current and future Montessori students will be world famous and valued. Will it be your child or someone you know well?

Teacher Training for Montessori Schools

Teaching is a noble and respected profession and we need well educated and dedicated people who want to educate our children.  Montessori has schools all over the world on six continents, but you need to have a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree to get started and then will need to add some specialized Montessori classes as well.  There are lots of ways to get started.

Go and visit a Montessori school and make an appointment to talk to the administrator.  Ask for advice and see if you can get a tour.  Perhaps you can volunteer at the school and see what you think of it.  Go ahead and dream about it a little.  Don’t let anything stand in your way of fulfilling your dream of being a Montessori teacher.

The American Montessori Society has a wealth of knowledge for those who are interested in becoming an Administrator, Guide or Teacher in one of their schools.  Learning their teaching methods and guidelines is very specialized.  For important information and guidelines about this go to this site https://amshq.org/Teacher-Resources/Become-an-AMS-Montessori-Teacher-or-Administrator.  Read through all their top line categories for valuable information and resources.  You may even find scholarships, job openings and other incentives.

Montessori for Everyone http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/teaching is a great blog with resources for everyone. You can even check them out on Facebook.  Have some fun reading the blog and gaining some more information.

Think of how happy and excited you will be when you are finally fully qualified and can apply for a job in the area of your choice. There are thousands of opportunities all over the world.  Visit Mountainside Montessori near our nation’s capital, for some great information about their school and students and interviews with teachers and parents and tons of great information.  This is a great school in Marshall, Virginia.  It’s a great school and you will love the beautiful campus.  Just imagine working at just a beautiful school.  You can find them here.  https://mountainsidemontessori.com/faculty-staff/.

Special Needs Children and Montessori

The concept of a Montessori education may seem ideal for children with special needs such as autism, ADHD and other learning challenges. There are both positives and negatives in this idea.  Montessori schools are concerned with the best interests of each child and strive to provide this to each student.

 

Montessori classrooms are equipped with beautiful materials to engage all of a child’s senses. They are hands-on, enticing and therapeutic. In most cases they teach only one skill at a time and offer a chance for children with special needs to use their hands to explore and learn.  Montessori groups children into 3-year (3-6, 6-9) multi-age classrooms, so the younger children can learn from older ones and Montessori emphasizes peace, cooperation, and respect, so it is less likely that a child with special needs will be teased or ostracized because the other children usually make an effort to accept, befriend, and encourage a special needs child.  In the event that a special needs child needs to repeat a grade, they can do so without being held back or missing their classmates.  But because class sizes are larger the Special Needs Students may not get the level attention he or she needs.  Since children are encouraged to work at their own pace, without competition, test scores, and grades, they are also encouraged to follow their own interests when it comes to reading, writing, and research.  This kind of freedom allows the special needs child to flourish.  The multi-age classroom means a child is with a teacher for a 3-year cycle, building a strong relationship with the parents and their child and he or she doesn’t have the stress of starting in a new classroom each school year.

 

Montessori teacher’s training does not include information on working with Special Needs Students, so prospective teachers must obtain this training and experience on their own. In addition, public schools are required to accommodate Special Needs Children, but Private schools such as Montessori school do not have that requirement.  It is recommended that you inquire with the individual school you are interested in so see what their requirements, capabilities and accommodations for Special Needs Students are. Ensure that you understand what, if anything, they are able to provide before attempting to enroll your child.

Benefits of a Montessori Education

All forms of education offer a benefit to someone.  Mountainside Montessori takes this very seriously.  Mountainside Montessori provides an opportunity for children to develop individual potential as responsible, competent, and respectful citizens with an understanding that learning is for life.

Every child is a unique individual.  Our education recognizes that children lean in different ways, at their own pace each advancing through the curriculum when he or she is ready, guided by their teacher with an individualized learning plan.

Beginning at a young age, students learn to develop order, coordination, concentration and to be independent. Materials, routines and class design help encourage their ability to educate themselves and think about what they are learning from toddlers to adolescents.

Multi-age classrooms spanning 3 years, students are part of a close, caring community, like a family structure.  Older students enjoy mentoring and younger ones feel supported and confident.  Teachers show respect, kindness and foster peaceful resolutions.

Teachers set parameters for students who actively decide what their learning focus will be.  Their curiosity and interest will sustain their joy of learning during their lifetime.

Students learn to actively seek answers to their own questions. By learning to evaluate their own work and finding and recognizing their errors they become self-directed learners, will be critical thinkers and act boldly with confidence and    enthusiasm.  This is a necessary skill for the 21st century.

Montessori’s Core Components

Teachers are properly trained in Montessori methods.  A teacher is a guide, mentor and observer who prepares the classroom for children with appropriate materials based on development, interests and abilities.

Multi-Aged classrooms enable younger children to learn from older ones and learn new challenges.  Older children act as role models and develop leadership skills.

Didactic Montessori Materials that are scientifically designed and beautifully crafted to entice touching and teaching of a single skill or concept.

Child Directed Work with classrooms designed to arouse curiosity and work in a calm environment as an individual or in a group setting.  Teachers are guides or mentors.

Uninterrupted Work Periods allow children to work in their selected tasks at their own pace.  They select the task, work on it, clean it up and return it to its original position, then select another task or responsibility.

Beyond Mountainside Montessori

These days we are truly a global community.  With the Internet, Facebook, Instagram and a host of other social media, we can connect with people all over the world.  Many of those people may have young children and be just as curious about education as you are.  Many families also make the choice to accept a career in another country to broaden their horizons and opportunities.  To further that idea, we have a list of Montessori organizations and contacts that you may find useful.   This information comes from the American Montessori Society and you can find their website here https://amshq.org. 

 

Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)

Please contact us at AMI’s Head Office or via the enquiry form below.

Koninginneweg 161
1075 CN Amsterdam
The Netherlands

+ 31 20 6798932

info@montessori-ami.org

Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA)

Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators
4953 Dundas Street West, Suite 102, Toronto, Ontario M9A 1B6
Phone: 416-239-1166 or 1-800-954-6300 – Fax: 416-239-9544
Email: ccma@bellnet.ca 

The Indian Montessori Association (IMA)

Contact AMI for current info as this website has been disabled.

The Institute for Montessori Education (TIME)

Contact AMI for current info as this website has been disabled.

Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE)

MACTE

Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education

420 Park Street, Chafottesville, VA  22902

(434) 202-7793

info@MACTE.org

 

Montessori Educational Programs International (MEPI)

PO Box 6 Smithville, IN 47458

P 812-824-6366          F 888-708-2470                          MontessoriEPI@gmail.com

Montessori Europe

www.montessori-europe.com

Pan American Montessori Association (PAMS)

Contact AMI for current info as this website has been disabled.

The Montessori Foundation (IMC)

 (800) 655-5843 / 1+941-729-9565 admin@montessori.org

 

The North American Montessori Teachers Association (NAMTA)

CONTACT

Address
10916 Magnolia Drive
Cleveland, OH 44106
Phone: (216) 721-3773
Fax: (216) 721-3778
staff@montessori-namta.or

Unfortunately, some of the disabled websites did not provide an alternate contact, but there is still valuable information to be found.  And perhaps AMI has current contact information and phone numbers and websites.

The Mountainside Montessori School is available to answer any questions.

Mountainside Montessori and AMI

We are proud to be a Montessori school and its ideals and educational opportunities and especially to be recognized by AMI-Association Montessori International-USA as part of their organization.  We follow their standards and practices and want you to know that we adhere to these principals completely.  There are many resources available for interested parents and staff members so do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or suggestions.

Here is the contact information for AMI

AMI/USA
206 N. Washington, Ste. 330
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 746-9919
montessori@amiusa.org
© 2014 AMI/USA. All Rights Reserved.

STANDARDS FOR AMI MONTESSORI CLASSROOMS

AMI pedagogical standards maintain the level of excellence that Maria Montessori envisioned. Established by the AMI Scientific Pedagogy Group, the standards insure that each school offers programs for their children that allow for their full intellectual, social, and psychological growth and that the approach is consistent with what is presented in AMI training courses worldwide.

The Teacher
There will be one AMI trained teacher at the appropriate age level in each class.

Assistants
Each class may have one non-teaching assistant. Should local regulations make it necessary to have more than one aide, he/she should be a non-teaching aide and should assist the directress by making materials, supervising outdoor activities, and assisting with field trips or “going-out.”

The Materials
Each classroom must be equipped with a complete set of Montessori materials from an AMI approved manufacturer. These materials are available through one of the following AMI recognized distributors in the United States: The Juliana Group, Inc. or Nienhuis Montessori USA.

The Classes

Number of Children
Classes include a well-balanced division of ages as well as an appropriate number of children to ensure social development:

Nido:  6-9 children

Toddler: 10-14 children

Primary: 24-35 children

Elementary: 24-35 children

Age Range
Classes are made up of children in the following age ranges (ages listed are approximate):

Nido (infant environment): 2 months to 12/15 months

Toddler Community: 12/15 months (walking well) to 3 years

Primary class: 3-6 years

Elementary class: 6-9 & 9-12 years, or 6-12 years

Uninterrupted Work Period
Classes are scheduled five days per week (unless specified otherwise) with substantial uninterrupted work periods every day:

Toddler: 2 hours per day, at least four days a week

Primary: 3 hours per day every morning for all children, and 2-3 hours per day every afternoon for the older children (extended day)

Elementary: 3 hours per day every morning, and 2-3 hours four afternoons per week

Consultations
A consultation by an AMI trained consultant is required at least once every three years.

AMI School Recognition Status
The AMI school recognition program was initiated in the United States to assist parents in assessing whether schools are following Montessori’s principles and practices in their original integrity and completeness. It is upon these standards that AMI recognition is granted.

A school applies to become an AMI-Montessori school annually. The recognition status is based upon the training of their teachers as well as their compliance with the pedagogical standards. There are three different status levels offered:

AMI Recognized
To receive an AMI Certificate of Recognition a school must be in compliance with all of the AMI standards.

For schools that do not meet all of the standards, AMI/USA offers two alternatives:

AMI/USA Affiliated
To qualify for Affiliated Status, two out of three classrooms or three out of four classrooms, or multiples thereof, must have AMI-trained teachers at the appropriate level.  Additionally, the school must meet all other AMI standards.

AMI/USA Associated
All schools can qualify for Associated status when they are in the developmental process and are striving to meet all of the AMI standards within three years.  An exception to the three-year time limit is when low enrollment is due to circumstances beyond the control of the school, in which case the three-year time limit can be exceeded with annual review and evaluation.

Public schools may qualify for Associated status when 50% of the teachers hold AMI diplomas and when at each level there is at least one AMI teacher holding a diploma for that level.

Grace Period
Affiliated and associated schools are granted this status based on the fact that they are aspiring to become AMI recognized schools. These schools are given a grace period of up to three years in which to meet the requirements for AMI recognition.

An Overview of Mountainside Montessori

There are so many questions about Montessori Schools, what they are and how they work.  There are also many resources and answers on the internet, so take a look at some of them and see which appeal to you.  Finding a definitive answer for everyone’s question is not easy because we all see things differently, but here is a good example from Wikipedia.  It also contains a lot of resources and explanations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori education.   Let’s do a comparison of some highlights about Montessori and traditional schools.

            Montessori                                                                              Traditional                              

No set lesson plan.  Children determine direction                  Lesson plans are pre-set per grade.

Children set own schedule.                                                     Teachers work within a time frame.

Students explore and discover                                                Education plans adhered to.

Concrete ideas                                                                         Abstract Ideas

Reality structured                                                                   Role playing and fantasy

Students Order and Responsibility                                         No sense of order for students

Child oriented environment                                                    Teacher oriented

Teachers as guides only                                                          Environment controlled by teachers

Freedom of movement and expression                                   Teacher controls activity

Disorderly conduct is teachers fault.                                      Punishment for disorderly conduct

These are basic ideas that are compared and there are many more ideas to compare.  One good resource is http://www.montessoriint.com/the-montessori-method/comparison-between-montessori-traditional-education/.  It is evident that the Montessori model is much more geared to freedom for a child to learn at their own pace and that traditional schools are more structured, which is what most of us are accustomed to seeing.  Each family needs to decide which method is most suited to their personal goals.

Montessori classrooms are designed in three-year age brackets, such as age 6-9, rather than one age traditional per class.  This allows older children to help younger ones and for them to interact together freely.  Neither do they emphasize textbooks, homework or grades. Students are responsible for their own progress.  Visit our website at https://mountainsidemontessori.com/ and look through our wonderful programs and videos to get a true picture of our school, teachers and classes.

These are some very innovative and interesting ideas to consider when deciding about your child’s education. You will want to be an active participant in which ever choice you make, so get as much information as possible.

Mountainside Montessori, Marshall Virginia The Transitioning to High School

Having the benefit and privilege of a Montessori Education gives students choices that those in Public Schools may not have.  All students have been growing mentally, physically and spiritually and made many new discoveries about themselves, their classmates and families and now face the choice of where to go after being in the same school for most of their lives.

There are Montessori High Schools available in your geographic area, so if this is first choice, then we have provided some resources.  Your education so far has been self designed and while you may wish to continue with that, there are some other choices out there, so be willing to do some Home Work, and yes you may not be used to that, but this is personal for your future. Make this a personal project.  Are you thinking about college?  Well this is another step toward that goal, so you will want to choose your next phase with that in mind.

First of all, if you want to transfer to a Montessori High School, here are the ones in your geographical area.  You can easily find a list of these if you are in a different area on the internet.

Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School

1375 Missouri Ave NW · (202) 726-6200

Montessori School of Chevy Chase

5312 Connecticut Ave NW · (202) 362-6212

Aidan Montessori School

2700 27th St NW · (202) 387-2700

Additional suggestions include looking for private or college preparatory schools in the area.

2018 Best Private High Schools in the Washington, D.C. Area – Niche

https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best…high-schools/m/washington-dc-metro-area/

2018 Best Private High Schools in the Washington, D.C. Area List. Sidwell Friends School. Private School. National Cathedral School. Private School. St. Albans School. Private School. 2018 Best Catholic High Schools. Maret School. Private School. Holton-Arms School. Private School. The Madeira School. Georgetown Day …

Find the Best Private Schools in DC, Maryland, and Virginia …

https://www.washingtonian.com/best/private-schools/

Find the Best Private Schools in DC, Maryland, and Virginia …. Washington’s most diverse private international school boasts students from 60+ … Blyth-Templeton Academy, a unique college–preparatory high school in Capitol Hill, combines …

The world is waiting for you.  Don’t be late!