Pioneering Partnership: Mariner Montessori & Liverpool FC International Academy

Introduction:

Mariner Montessori is thrilled to unveil a transformative partnership with Liverpool FC International Academy Texas, a collaboration we're proudly calling "Mariner X Liverpool." This partnership is a landmark initiative in early childhood education, blending the physical dynamism of soccer with comprehensive developmental education. By bringing the renowned expertise and global legacy of Liverpool FC into our curriculum, we're creating an unparalleled opportunity for our young learners. This initiative is not just about introducing soccer; it's about integrating a global, disciplined, and team-focused approach to learning that resonates with our ethos of holistic development and excellence.

Tailored Soccer Programs:

Our partnership introduces two specialized soccer programs, each with sessions lasting 30 to 35 minutes:

1. Red Rookies (2-3 years): Tailored for our youngest enthusiasts, this program introduces the wonders of soccer through playful and imaginative activities. The Red Rookies experience focuses on developing basic motor skills, understanding teamwork, and instilling a love for the game through interactive games and activities. It's an engaging way to develop coordination and social skills in a fun, nurturing environment.

2. Red Champions (3-6 years): Designed for older children, this program builds on the foundations laid by the Red Rookies. The Red Champions sessions delve deeper into soccer techniques like dribbling, passing, and shooting, while also nurturing strategic thinking and sportsmanship. Beyond physical skills, these sessions emphasize the importance of collaboration, respect, and perseverance, preparing children not just for the game of soccer but for life's many challenges and teamwork situations.

Why This Partnership Matters:

• Holistic Growth: The Mariner X Liverpool initiative goes beyond soccer skill development. It aims to nurture the overall development of children, fostering not only physical agility and coordination but also critical thinking and problem-solving skills through team-based activities and strategic play. This holistic approach supports the physical, mental, and emotional growth of our students.

• Positive Introduction to Sports: Our programs provide a welcoming and supportive environment for children to explore and enjoy sports. By making their first experience with sports positive and enjoyable, we encourage a lifelong interest in physical activity, helping to foster healthy lifestyle habits from an early age.

• Character Development: Each session is carefully designed to instill important life values such as respect, cooperation, and appreciation. Through team play and interactive activities, children learn the importance of teamwork, empathy, and sportsmanship. These sessions serve as a platform for teaching important social skills and building character.

• Global Perspective: The partnership connects our students to a wider global context. Exposure to Liverpool FC's international legacy and values offers children insights into different cultures and global sportsmanship. This broadens their horizons, encouraging them to understand and appreciate diverse perspectives and to see themselves as part of a larger global community.

Conclusion:

The Mariner X Liverpool partnership is more than just an educational program; it is a comprehensive approach to nurturing young minds and bodies. It uniquely combines the physical benefits of soccer with the development of important life skills and global awareness.

Mariner Montessori Celebrates Winning Work Together Wednesday Award from TXAEYC

Mariner Montessori is thrilled to announce that our innovative blindfolded Easter egg hunt has earned us the prestigious Work Together Wednesday Winner award during the 2023 Week of the Young Child (WOYC) celebration, hosted by the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC). Our team's dedication to fostering early childhood development and promoting the importance of quality early education has not gone unnoticed, and we are honored to receive this recognition.

WOYC is an annual event held from April 1st to 7th, celebrating our youngest learners, their families, educators, and the significance of early childhood education. This year's theme, "Texas Together," highlights the collaborative efforts of TXAEYC, ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI), and early learning programs across the state to raise public awareness about the importance of creating supportive environments for early childhood development.

As part of the WOYC celebration, TXAEYC encourages participants from various backgrounds, including teachers, directors, educators, trainers, organizations, college students, student organizations, and parents, to showcase their creative activities that exemplify Texans working together in early childhood education. Participants share their WOYC celebration and activities on social media using the hashtag #WOYCTEXAS and tag @TXAEYC.

Mariner Montessori's winning entry showcased our blindfolded Easter egg hunt, an inclusive and engaging activity that aligns with the spirit of Texas Together. As a result, we will receive free staff trainings from the ChildCare Education Institute, books for our school, and public recognition on TXAEYC's social media accounts and monthly e-newsletter. Additionally, our amazing teachers, who give their best to our students every day, will receive a child development and learning course from CCEI, the WOYC partner.

We're overjoyed to share the WOYC Winner 2023 award with our community and remain committed to working together to nurture every child's potential. Mariner Montessori would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to TXAEYC for recognizing our efforts in promoting quality early childhood education. We look forward to continued collaboration and success in our mission to provide exceptional learning experiences for young children.

You may follow this link to see our award winning social media post.

Mariner Montessori rated highest quality preschool from Texas Rising Star!

Mariner Montessori is proud to announce that it has received the highest rating, a 4-star rating, from the Texas Rising Star program. The Texas Rising Star program is a quality-based child care rating system for child care and early learning programs participating in the Texas Workforce Commission's Child Care Services program. The program offers three levels of quality certification (Two-Star, Three-Star, and Four-Star) to encourage child care and early learning programs to attain progressively higher levels of quality.

Numerous studies have shown that children who attend high-quality early learning programs are more prepared for school than those who do not (Gormley, Gayer, Phillips, & Dawson, 2005; Magnuson, Ruhm, & Waldfogel, 2004). For example, a study by Gormley and colleagues (2005) found that children who attended high-quality preschool programs were more likely to have higher test scores and fewer grade retentions in elementary school. Programs that achieve Texas Rising Star certification, which means they offer quality care that exceeds the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's Child Care Regulation minimum standards, are in a better position to positively affect the physical, social-emotional, and cognitive development of children (Texas Rising Star, 2021). As programs advance through the levels of Texas Rising Star certification, they are increasingly able to positively impact the development of the children they serve.

A 4-star rated center like Mariner Montessori demonstrates a commitment to quality and excellence in early childhood education. These centers often go above and beyond the minimum standards set by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and offer a wide range of enrichment activities, resources, and support for children and families.

We are thrilled to have received the 4-star rating from the Texas Rising Star program and will continue to strive for excellence in the care and education we provide to our students.

References:

Gormley, W. T., Gayer, T., Phillips, D., & Dawson, B. (2005). The effects of universal pre-k on cognitive development. Developmental Psychology, 41(6), 872-884.

Magnuson, K., Ruhm, C., & Waldfogel, J. (2004). The effects of pre-k on school preparation and academic achievement. The Future of Children, 14(2), 187-220.

Texas Rising Star (2021). About the program. Retrieved from https://www.texasrisingstar.org/about-the-program

The Importance of Reading

“Readers are leaders” is probably the phrase that people heard quite often. Reading is a great source of knowledge and learning new things. However, raising children to be a reader in the age of technology has become challenging. Parents may need to build a habit of reading for their children since the beginning of their life. Several research suggests that reading in early ages could lead to better school performance and result in bigger or better success when the children grow up and become adults. Therefore, it is recommended to support children with reading from very young. 

Reading to children early will cultivate the love for reading for which is significant for advancing specific literacy skills. It will promote emergent literacy, language and cognitive development, imagination and supports the relationship between children and parents. When parents have positive attitudes towards reading, they are prone to pass this attitude to their children toward literacy. Reading will assist them to have a solid language and literacy skills later in life. In addition, early reading is more than just a nice thing to do with children. It has a very important role in building brain networks that will serve children long-term as they transit from verbal to reading. 

When parents share books and read out loud with children, they can enhance the understanding of the world for their children as well as their social skills and the ability to cope with different situations. Moreover, they tend to have a higher score on achievement tests in all subject areas and have a greater knowledge than those who do not. 

Here are 4 suggestions to help children cultivate the love for reading 

1. Building their habit: Having a habit of reading starts from a young age. Parents could help them by having a bedtime story. It is a habit of reading books together before children go to sleep. Not only it would help strengthen child-parent relationships, it also strengthens their vocabulary and communication as well. Key to success is that parents must be consistent and make reading a positive experience for children. 

2. Discussing after reading: When children are able to start speaking, parents are able to ask them questions after reading each book. For example, if the content of the book is about sharing, you may ask children, “Do you think sharing is a good thing? And why?” It will allow children to express their opinion and also increase their self-esteem. Parents can teach their young kids during discussion time about certain topics according to the content of each book, such as social manner, sharing, and etc. 

3. Letting them choose the book: Letting children choose the book that they would like to read each day is advantageous for building their character. They will learn that they have a right to choose for themselves and be able to enjoy reading even more. It will encourage them to be an independent reader in the future. 

4. Limit their screen time: It is easier for children to access animated entertainment that might keep them entertained. Parents need to limit the time of spending on screen according to their age and suitability. Limiting screen time will be beneficial for children to spend their time off screen and playing with toys, drawing, communicating with other people or reading more. Parents can encourage children to spend their time on vivid books and have a quality time together instead. 

In conclusion, building readers starts from a young age. Parents play the most important role for building a reading habit for their children by having a bedtime story moment together. Early reading will enhance their development in various ways, such as language and cognitive development, as well as the brain and social skills. Children who love reading tend to have higher scores in school that might lead to a better career or better outcome later in life. They are likely to obtain more knowledge and love learning new things. After all, having a reading habit will be advantageous for children throughout their lifetime. 

P. Ratnajarn M.A.

Reference 

Baker, L. (1997). Home and Family Influences on Motivations for Reading. Educational Psychologist, 32(2), 69-82. 

Cullinan, B.E. (2000). Independent Reading and School Achievement. School Library Media Research: Research Journal of the American Association of School Librarians, 3. 

Klass, P. (2015). Bedtime stories for young brains. Retrieved from https://readtogrow.org/wp- content/uploads/Article-BedtimeStoriesforYoungBrains-Klass.pdf

Growth Mindset in Children

Mindset is a characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations. Each individual has their own unique mindset, as do children. Parents can help their children develop their way of thinking and how they think about themselves by encouraging them to have a growth mindset. It will be the result of being successful, resilient and motivated about their life or when they face a difficult situation. Therefore, raising children with a growth mindset is vital. 

Growth mindset concept was developed by professor Carol Dweck. She had compiled decades of research to form the idea of mindset. Her findings have been groundbreaking for people around the world. In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work, furthermore talent is just the starting point. Children create admiration for learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Kids who develop a growth mindset will become more resilient when they face challenges. As a result, they will leave their comfort zone to solve problems, try new approaches and grow as a person. 

Nonetheless, a fixed mindset is a belief that children are born with certain talents and it can’t be changed. Children who have a fixed mindset tend to compare themselves to others and believe that their intelligence and talent are innate and immutable. Kids tend to avoid challenges which test their abilities and refuse to take any opportunities. Moreover, it may be associated with parenting style and how parents praise their effort. Therefore, it is important for parents to encourage and assist their children to have a growth mindset. 

Recommendations for parents to assist children to strengthen their growth mindset: 

Praising: How parents praise children seems not so important. They might think that just say “oh, great job” or “You are so smart doing it this way” is enough but it is important than people think. Actually, when parents praise children, they should consider praising on their behavior and process than praising on their character. It is able to put the emphasis on each step that kids took in order to get to the end result. By focusing on the process, children will be keen on asking for help and trying new strategies. For example, if the kids are drawing something, parents could praise on the way that their children drew and on their process. 

Pay attention to their effort over the result: when children learn something new, it is important for parents to pay attention on their effort and keep reminding them that how far they have come, rewarding them on their effort and not on the outcome 

Tell them “...yet”: “Mommy, I can’t count the number till 100, but all of my friends can do it already” said the boy. The mom may tell him “Well, darling...you just can’t do it yet but you will be able to do it one day eventually. I can help you, okay? Let’s try to learn and count it together today”. By telling children “...yet”, they will slowly develop a growth mindset because they do not know it yet doesn’t mean that they will not know it forever or would not be able to know/do it. There will always be a space for them to learn and grow. In the future, children tend to self-talk to themselves when they face difficult situations. 

It is okay to fail: parents can give the permission for children to get it wrong and tell them that it is okay to fail. Parents are able to encourage them to try again and do not give up easily. It may broaden their capability and take risk to experiment an alternative way. They will not feel ashamed to fail in front of their parents and do not need to worry whether their parents will scold them on not being successful on something. By raising kids this way, they will be able to expand their creativity, problem solving capabilities and readiness to embrace challenge. 

Last but not least, growth mindset is not something that children can have instantly. It will take years of procedures and encouragement before kids can fully start practicing growth mindset strategies on their own. It is nonacademic skills which are necessary base for life-long learning and benefit them throughout their lifetime. 

P. Ratnajarn M.A.

Reference 

Dweck, C. (2015). Caro Dweck Revisits the ‘Growth Mindset’. Retrieved from 

https://portal.cornerstonesd.ca/group/yyd5jtk/Documents/Carol%20Dweck%20Growth% 20Mindsets.pdf 

Morin, A. Growth Mindset: What You Need to Know. Retrieved from 

https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/empowering-your-child/building-on- strengths/growth-mindset 

Young, K. 11 powerful ways to build a growth mindset in your kids. Retrieved from 

https://www.mother.ly/child/how-to-build-a-growth-mindset-in-kids/nurturing-a-growth- mindset

Positive Parenting

Parenting is one of the most significant, rewarding and challenging jobs for parents. It could be one of the main factors to determine how one child would grow up to be like. Even though there is no right or wrong when it comes to parenting, positive parenting is one of the approaches across cultures that would help children to develop their social and emotional skills. 

Positive parenting is based on social learning theory and development psychology. The core of this viewpoint is to have a harmonious parent-child relationship and on the well-being of parents, children and the whole family. Its purpose is to achieve that by mutual respect, being fair to each other, praising on behaviors, setting clear boundaries and rules within the family by having firm-but-kind communication. As a result, children are prone to grow up and be healthy, happy and confident with a great relationship with the parents. 

It is beneficial to raise children positively in many ways: 

1. Better focus and self-control. 

When parents provide age-appropriate guidelines and limits for children's behavior, children will know what they can do and what they can’t with reasons from their parents. Parents may need to recognize and be able to regulate their own feelings and behaviors before they respond to their children as well. 

2. Effective communication 

Raising their kids up with effective communication, parents respond to what their child needs and question them if they do not understand. As a result, when children grow up, they tend to communicate well with their parents because they can expect that their voice would be heard and responded to. 

3. Higher self-esteem 

The approach of positive parenting is believed that there are no bad children. There are only good or bad behaviors. Its core is to teach children to learn for the future instead of punishing their actions in the past. 

4. Easier to accept challenges. 

When children are raised by a positive parenting approach, they are recognized and praised from their strengths, abilities and capacity to learn and develop. When children grow up, it is easier for them to go out of their comfort zone, take on challenges and try something new. 

Positive parenting is all about understanding and loving children. At the same time, parents should set rules and apply them with their children accordingly in a fair and friendly manner. There are “3 Fs” of Effective Parenting that parents can discipline their children effectively. 

1. Firm: Parents should be firm with the rules that they set with their children.

2. Fair: The punishment should be on what parents and children agree on. Parents should state the consequences in advance so that the children know what to expect. 

3. Friendly: Parents may use friendly-but-firm communication style when undesired behavior of their children occurs. They may need to let their children know the consequences they will receive and encourage them to remember what they should do or can do better in the future. Moreover, parents are able to praise their kids for desired behaviors and tell them that it is the right way to go. 

In conclusion, positive parenting is a good approach to raise children. It will benefit children’s development and also strengthen the parents-kid relationship that will last for the lifetime.

P. Ratnajarn M.A.

Why STEM learning for early childhood education

Technology is continuously expanding into every aspect of our lives. Many schools these days usually include STEM learning in their curriculum. They believe that it will enhance children’s abilities to solve problems and discover the world through science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) at a younger age. Even for preschoolers, early STEM learning will encourage them to initiate their curiosity to explore the world and can support children’s early math development and other important skills. Hence, STEM learning is vital for children’s development. 

STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The core concepts of STEM are curiosity, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. Moreover, it would be recommended for children to start as early as possible because they will be able to explore and naturally acquire these skills. In the future, children who have STEM competencies tend to have better academic outcomes and have a better career choice since the skills are in demand. Hence, STEM skills are essential for kids to learn since their young age. 

STEM learning is utterly beneficial for children in many ways. Research shows that children are able to learn math concepts deeper when they have a chance to apply what they have learned, and discover math in the real world. Children naturally engaged in conversations and experiments using early math concepts, such as measurement and spatial awareness (Lange, 2019). 

In addition, STEM learning will enhance children to have more life skills. They need to solve problems and have a perseverance in solving them. They tend to have logical reasons abstractly. For example, if the kids are building structures with candy pumpkins, they will require to think logically and abstractly how they can put sticks in candy pumpkins and build it vertically without making it falling down. Moreover, STEM learning also promotes language development and encourages independent and collaborative learning. 

In addition, parents are one of the important people that can encourage and assist their STEM skill. Parents are able to do it easily at home through playing or doing activities together with their kids. Not only at school that children can build their STEM skill, but also they can learn in their household with their parents. Parents can initiate fun activities and integrate STEM learning in the activity as well. For example, make magic by letting them observe how ice melts and ask their opinion, as well as teaching them the scientific fact behind it. Baking with your children might be another engaging and fun activity. Parents can teach them recipe and help each other count the number in the tray or might deduct some and count it again. Children will have the opportunity to learn abruptly through playing and applying in the real world experience. 

In conclusion, STEM learning is an essential skill for 21th-century kids. The world is changing rapidly and they might be able to have these skills to survive and thrive for their brighter future with the school curriculum or parents’ guidance that they have been familiar with since kindergarten. 

P. Ratnajarn M.A.

Reference 

Bowman, B., Greenfield, D., Day, C. B., Leslie, D., ... Worth, K. (2017). Early STEM Matters.Retrieved from http://d3lwefg3pyezlb.cloudfront.net/docs/Early_STEM_Matters _FINAL.pdf 

Lange, A. A (2019). Engaging Preschoolers in STEM: It’s Easier Than You Think!.Retrieved from https://dreme.stanford.edu/news/engaging-preschoolers-stem-it-s-easier-you-think 

Mano, H., Molina, K., Lange, A. & Nayfeld, I. (2019). Preschoolers think about, talk about, and solve a real problem in the garden. Retrieved from https://www.ecstemlab.com/uploads /4/0/3/5/40359017/plantingtheseeds-ee.pdf

Grit and Montessori’s pedagogy: keys to success

What are the keys to be successful for children? Every parent may define success for their young ones differently. Some of them may want their children to have a high score of Intellectual Quotient (IQ) since they believe that is a path for a child's success. While we might have many research and studies to look at as of these days regarding a child’s success, one of the well recognized research from Angela Duckworth (2007) suggests that the keys to success are Grit that astonishingly align well with Montessori philosophy. 

Grit was defined as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals”. It is the new term in the psychology field, created by a psychologist Angela Duckworth herself. Her studies have shown that people who have high grit are able to maintain their determination and motivation over long periods of time, in spite of some adversities or failures. In her study, Angela concluded that Grit is a better predictor of success than intellectual quotient (IQ). The study was based on early studies in GPA among Ivy League undergraduates, dropout rate of cadets at West Point US Military Academy, and ranking in the National Spelling Bee. Moreover, it is utterly possible for parents to raise their young ones up with grit. Hence, the children who have grit tend to be successful in the future. 

In addition, teaching grit in children can start from home or in early childhood education. Parents or educators can help children build grit by being supportive and praising their process. Moreover, raising gritty children can also be found in the Montessori Method as well. Montessori philosophy is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children, developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori. Montessori’s pedagogy views each child who is naturally eager for knowledge and has the ability to initiate his or her own learning in a supportive, prepared, thoughtfully environment. It will thoroughly assist and enhance children’s development in their physical, social, emotional and cognitive skills. Students work with intrinsic motivation to learn and learn to be patient. The Montessori method will assist students to develop a desire to become competent and independent. Moreover, this method of education will be able to build grit in children. It will also build character traits that enhance the children to reach their highest academic potential, and are significant to children’s competency to succeed and able to accomplish their long- term goals, according to the study (Dahbour, 2013). 

In the scientific paper of Dahbour (2013), she studied the relationship between grit and Montessori method. The purpose of her research is to comprehend whether the Montessori method elaborates grit and patience in children or not. This research was taken at the 

children’s classroom located in an urban Montessori school. It comprised 53 students, averaged age is 5-6 years old. 13 of them were new students who did not have any background in Montessori school. The experiment asked students to play with the puzzle that they had 2 choices. The first option is if the children decided to put the last piece of the puzzle right away, the kid will be allowed to work on the puzzle only once. The following option is if the children decided to wait until the following day to place the last piece of the puzzle, they will be allowed to play with the puzzles more than 10 times again. Noticeably, the children who have chosen the second option tend to have more grit. Furthermore, the outcome has shown that students who got Montessori education did have more grit and patience toward their long-term goals. 

Last but not least, raising children up with grit is achievable. Parents are able to develop their grit by supporting them when they are doing their activities outside of their comfort zone, despite the hardship and failure. Parents can brainstorm with them and discuss the effort needed in order to achieve their goal and encourage them to have a growth mindset. Parenting grit in children at home will ultimately align with the Montessori school system that will bring the best out of their children to grow up being a gritty adult. As a result, they will be able to go through hardship in their life and will possibly be successful in the future. 

P. Ratnajarn M.A.

Reference 

Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087- 1101. Retrieved from ProQuest Education Journals 

Dahbour, A. N. (2013). The Relationship Between Grit and Montessori: An Educational System. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: http://sphia.stkate.edu/maed/28

Why pretend play is important for children?

Children’s play might demonstrate more benefits than we thought and might be the foundation of their life. Playing is an intrinsically satisfying activity which is essential for their development, such as cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being. It will allow children to emerge their cognitive schemes in action while practicing and strengthen their competencies. Toddlers who are 18 to 24 months old may develop pretend play or symbolic play which is the most exciting breakthrough in play activities. 

Pretend play or symbolic play is known and burgeoned during Piaget’s preoperational period. It is a structured form of playing which normally includes role-plays and object substitution. When children act in pretend play, they are strengthening and integrating previously obtained knowledge and able to express their desires and fears. This is because this type of playing represents a safe setting environment for them. The ability to play in a symbolic play may begin around 11 to 13 months of age which might be the earliest and simplest, such as eating, drinking or sleeping. But by the age of 18 to 24 months, infants will be able to progress their ability to perform multiple acts in a play with a meaningful sequence. Children can collaborate and coordinate their actions with their playmate. They might be able to mimic each other and sometimes they may have the ability of cooperating to achieve a goal. 

There are numerous advantages of symbolic playing. Children may feel encouraging for their creativity and imagination. It will also maximize their capacity for cognitive flexibility. Their language and communication skills will be improved through pretend play. In this setting, children will communicate to their parents or friends and be able to explain what they are thinking which leads to developing their thinking, learning and problem-solving skills. Children often demonstrate more advanced intellectual skills during pretend play than performing other activities. It fosters cognitive, social and emotional development. Fisher’s study (1992) suggests that children who are engaged in a great amount of pretend play perform better on cognitive development tests, language skills and creativity than children who “pretend” less often. Hence, symbolic play for children is crucial. 

From all the benefits mentioned above, parents or primary caregivers may be an important person who can play with and support our own children. Knowing how essential it is, primary caregivers should not ignore or think that this kind of play is useless or a waste of time. Parents could be the very first children’s playmate and support their imagination. Parents might be able to teach their kids through playing and have a better communication or interpersonal understanding of their children even more. 

In conclusion, pretend play is able to foster healthy emotional development by allowing children to express their feelings. It might bother them or to resolve their emotional conflicts. 

Parents should not neglect the importance of this type of play because it will enhance their holistic ability and children will grow up with a greater foundation in life. 

P. Ratnajarn M.A.

Reference 

Fisher, E. P. (1992). The impact of play on development: A meta-analysis. Play and Culture, 5, 

159–181. 

Johnsen, E. P. (1991). Searching for the social and cognitive outcomes of children’s play: A 

selective second look. Play and Culture, 4, 201–213. 

Piaget, J. (1970b). Piaget’s theory. In P. H. Mussen (Ed.), Carmichael’s manual of child 

psychology (Vol. 1). New York: Wiley. 

Piaget, J. (1962). Play, dreams, and imitation in childhood. New York: Norton.

Nature vs Nurture

How can children grow up being who they are today? What makes them intelligent, bold or successful? Is it because of their genetics which they have received from their parents since they were born? Or is it the way their parents raised them up? The nature-nurture topic has been debated for a long time among researchers. Today, we know that both “nature” and “nurture” actually have an impact on child development, such as personality trait, psychopathology and cognitive trait. Hence, it is vital for parents to know how they may influence their children both in a direct and indirect way. 

In the 18th century, some psychologists believed that children are not born like a blank slate. They believed that children are born with something in them which is inherited from their parents, such as intelligence, physical appearance, temperament or personality. It is the nature of children which is the hereditary factors and the biological force that may determine who they are. It may be the primary determinants of child development as well. In addition, other attributes such as behavior, mental health and personality are also a consequence of parental genetics. In addition, there is a paper from Minnesota studied between adopted identical twins which were raised in different families and identical twins who raised up together. The results have shown that both groups are similar which means that genetic factors affect psychological differences and general intelligence. However, many psychologists had debated that nature might not be the only factor that shaped children’s life. Nurture might also have a significant influence too. 

Nurture is the way that parents will bring children up and the environment around children, such as surrounding culture and social relationships that may shape who children will become. John Loke, philosopher and physician, created a term “tabula rasa” which means a blank slate. From his point of view, everyone is born like a blank slate and experience will shape the character and interest. John B. Watson, 20th- century psychologist and developmentalist, believed that nurture is everything and nature doesn’t have an effect in shaping one human. His famous experiment named “Little Albert” demonstrated that infants’ fears and other emotional reactions are acquired rather than inborn. In his experiment, he presented a gentle white rat to a 9-month- old infant, called Albert. Albert’s initial reactions were very positive; he crawled towards the rat and played with it. Two months later, Watson tried to make him have a fear response. Every time Albert crawled or played with the white rat, Watson would step behind him and bang a steel rod with a hammer. Finally, Little Albert associated the white rat with the loud noise and came to fear of everything that is furry. Nonetheless, there are many studies suggesting that not only nature but also nurture which play a significant role in children’s behavior and personality. 

In the last decades of studies, it has been shown that nature is inseparable from nurture and that both are sources of human potential and growth as well as risks of dysfunction and 

problematic behavior. It might be possible to imply that the starting point of every child may be positive but shaped by the quality of the environment. Its quality might influence the social, physical, cognitive and emotional interaction with a child and vice versa. This is why attachment and the way parents/ primary caregivers respond to their children plays an integral role in building positive and firm foundations for success in every aspect of their life. Some children may grew up in violent, poverty or abusive families that could be a concern. Seeking out for early interventions programs may also be another option which will promote and support the best outcomes for children who may not have a great starting point. 

In conclusion, it takes both nature and nurture to shape children’s lives. Moreover, it is important for children to be in a supportive environment which will enable them to develop their personality and have their parents who will guide them. Like seeds, you need to let your children grow up in the right environment and nurture them with love, care and dedication in order to have the quality one in the future.

P. Ratnajarn M.A.

Choosing the right daycare for children to start their brightened school life

Understanding child development is a must for parents since they play the most important role in maximizing a child’s potential and monitoring a child’s progress. If the child reaches a developmental milestone or they gain expected skills at their age, it means that the child has a normal pace of development. However, parents can’t always be with their children at all hours of the day due to work or other factors. Then, who will take responsibility for monitoring child development and improving their basic skills at this time? It will most likely be a professional caregiver or a teacher in a daycare center. That is why choosing a suitable daycare for kids is really important.

Daycare or a facility for infants and toddler is the most significant place to take care of children since the early stages of childhood are the foundation for their life. In fact, if children have a good development at the beginning, they will have the potential to enter into a higher level with relative ease. As shown in most research, children, especially from the ages of 6 months to 4 years, benefit greatly from learning in a daycare environment, due to its quality caregivers and teachers, effective instructions, social lessons, and school’s philosophy.

These are the most important factors that parents should consider when choosing a daycare for young kids;

1. Safety is the first priority.

Safety for children is the first factor that should be considered. Safety also involves a clean, tidy, organized, and healthy environment. Children should be physically and emotionally secure during school even in their nap time. Teachers should be able to see children every moment of every day and should be fully trained in CPR, first aid, and necessary safety guidelines. Thus, the ratio of teachers to children should not be too high. Ideally, there should be one teacher or caregiver per four infants, and one teacher or caregiver per six older toddlers. These ratios will ensure that children of all abilities, backgrounds, and experiences will be in safe, warm, friendly, and supportive classrooms.  

2. Quality teachers are also the key.

Almost every daycare can be safe enough for kids, but not every daycare will have quality teachers. Parents should be able to take the time to communicate with teachers whenever parents are concerned about their children's development. Whether that means face-to-face conversations at the front gate, daily or weekly handouts that provide the child’s progress and activities or all of the above, parents have to choose the school that offers the kind of communication that feels right. Moreover, the head of the school or director should have an understanding in early childhood education, while teachers should specialize in early childhood development.

3. School’s philosophy matters.

The method that the daycare is using to teach and take care of the kids and how well the teachers understand that method should be a factor as well. Once parents believe in the same philosophy as the daycare and understand how teachers teach a lesson to kids and raise the kids in an appropriate way, parents will need to work cooperatively with that philosophy at home in order to develop the child’s skills in the same way. Coordinating a unified teaching philosophy between home and school helps create a more cohesive learning environment for children to develop. That is why it is important for both teachers and parents to understand and implement the school’s teaching philosophy. 

More and more children are spending time each day in a daycare environment where they can thrive with teachers or caregivers who understand how to promote their growth and development appropriately. However, parents still need to be responsible for taking care of children at home so that they will flourish and grow into happy and healthy children.

By Fern Janrana B.Ed

4 Attachment Styles and the Importance of Forming a Secure Child-Parent Bond in Early Childhood.

Since the moment each child was born, parents will always play a significant role in building the bond between the child and the parent. Parents or primary caregivers have a tremendous impact on how young children will develop their emotional bond. In attachment theory, there are 4 attachment styles that could shape individual traits and tend to stick throughout their lifespan. 

Attachment in children is a biological instinct that children will expect the response by their attachment figure or primary caregiver. For example, when a child is hungry, his or her mom is able to feed him or when a child falls, his or her mom can hold and comfort the child. Childhood attachment could define each child’s character which will shape their sense of self, their forms of emotion-regulation and how they forge relationships with others in their later life. 

Attachment theory was built by a psychologist named John Bowlby in the late 1950s. It is the theory which leads people in their patterns and habits of forming and maintaining relationships (Fraley,2010). After his observation in the experiment that separated infants from their parents in unfamiliar situation, he came up with 4 styles of attachment, including 

1. Secure Attachment 

When infants have secure attachment with their primary caregiver, they will feel content and cheerful. However, when they get separated from their parents, they tend to feel upset. Despite separating from their parents, they also know that their parents will return soon and they feel secure. When these groups of infants grow up, they will have a positive view of self and a positive view of others. They will be able to carry their relationship with friends and their romantic love well. 

2. Ambivalent Attachment 

Infants who have ambivalently attached become upset and sorrowful when they get separated from their primary caregiver. As a result, they can’t rely on their parents when they need something. They may feel unsure whether their parents will be there for them. When this group of infants grow older, they are prone to have a negative view of self and a positive view of others.

3. Avoidant attachment 

Infants who have an avoidant attachment is a result of being neglected or abused by their parents. They tend to possess a positive view of themselves and a negative view of others. Also, they are prone to suppress and hide their feelings, and will deal with their rejection by avoiding and distancing themselves from their parents or relationships. 

4. Disorganized Attachment 

Children who have disorganized attachment have no clear (or mixed) attachment between them and their primary caregiver. It may occur when their parents act as an primary caregiver and a reassuring one at different points of time which infants may get confused. Children in this group will be demonstrated unstable views of self and others. They might find it difficult to trust others and view themselves as unworthy. Moreover, they might find themselves denying their feelings and uncomfortable expressing affection. 

Having a secure child-parent bond is vital for survival and development for children. Extensive numbers of papers suggest that having a secure attachment in children will make them be better in controlling their negative emotion in stressful environments. They will be capable of having a better social competence and have the confidence to explore the world around them, knowing that no matter what their parents will be around and will always be there for them. Children who have a secure attachment will have a sense of worth in themselves and be able to empathize and collaborate well with other people. They also have the competence of having better social skills that could help them to form a strong relationship with their friends, romantic partner and family. 

P. Ratnajarn M.A.

Understand the child development and developmental milestones

Developmental Milestones are a set of standard skills that children are expected to be able to do at a certain age such as taking their first step, speaking their first word, understanding the concept of pointing, waving at people, or their first time dressing themselves. These milestones can involve physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and communication skills. Doctors and professional caregivers usually use milestones to identify if a child is developing as expected. However, there is still a big concept of what’s considered as normal since some children may develop at a different pace than others. In fact, children who are born prematurely may reach developmental milestones later than children who are born maturely. 

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Development guideline, in the first year of infant’s development, infants will start learning basic skills. They are expected to know how to reach out, how to focus their vision, and how to explore the environment surrounding them. Their brain will develop cognitive aspects which is the process of learning language, basic reasoning, memory, and thinking. Infants will also try to listen, memorize, and understand the sounds or voice they have heard and try to copy. Once they understand and know the names of things and people, it means that they have improved a part of language development. Additionally, at this age, infants are developing relationships with people such as parents and other acquaintances. They will feel safe and warm among these people after they build connections of trust and love with them. This is a part of social and emotional development. 

During their second year, toddlers will start moving around more and more. They will be aware of themselves and their environment and enjoy exploring new things. At this stage, they will begin to show that they are more independent and defiant. They will imitate some behaviors from people surrounding them, especially people who are older than them. Also, they will be familiar with the names of things used in their daily life, people that they see often, easy phrases and sentences they have heard a lot, and uncomplicated directions or instructions. 

In their first two years, children are experiencing the world around them based on the relationships they have. Daily activities such as going for a walk in a public park, shopping in a grocery store, cooking their food, and going to the post office help children understand how to interact appropriately with other people in different situations. They will easily absorb information from their environment and adjust themselves to their surroundings.

On the other hand, if children can’t reach the developmental milestone as expected at their age, parents should consult a doctor or a professional child development expert. However, parents should remember that each child has developed at their own pace. Not all kids are going to meet these milestones at the same time. That is why parents, caregivers and teachers play the most important role in monitoring a child's development. Teachers who truly understand child development will work on maximizing each child’s potential individually. Like Montessori teachers, they understand that each kid has their own pace of developments, different interests, different personalities, and different learning styles. In order to create a Montessori classroom, children will make a choice in their learning. Montessori teachers will follow their steps to support them under the condition of age-appropriate activities because the growth of children’s brains is affected by provided experiences. Thus, teachers need to let children discover and explore the knowledge of the world with a loved, secure, supportive, and confident environment. 

Interested in monitoring your child by using the Developmental Milestone? 

Follow the checklists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

By Fern Janrana B.Ed

Nature-Deficit Disorder

In the 21th century, children obviously are spending more time indoors and always with electronic devices by default compared with previous generations. They have less chance to be outside and play with nature due to the growing number of cities and crimes. It might be easier for parents to keep entertaining children with animated games, TV time and more. Moreover, parents might not have time for them or may have the idea of keeping them safe from the danger outside. Therefore, children are prone to face the term called “Nature-Deficit Disorder”. 

Nature-Deficit Disorder was introduced in 2005 with the publication of “Last Child in the Woods'' which is the term that is not yet recognized in medical manuals for mental disorders, such as the DSM-5. It is the idea that spending less time outdoors and spending more time indoors with electronic devices such as television, video games and Youtube video which will be the result of many behavioral issues, such as Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), obesity and more. 

Children in Generation Z (born after 1997) were born with the proliferation of electronic innovation, communications and devices. It was the cause of lacking time spent with nature. It might also include poor urban planning. In some cities, they might not plan their cities well enough to have green space for their citizens which leads to diminishing open space for children to play and increasing the amounts of cars and street traffic. Parental fear might be another reason that keeps their children residing inside due to social media and negative news around the world. Decreasing the importance of the natural world in both public and private education and increasing competitive education system are additional causes that associated children with spending time inside their place. 

There are extending bodies of research that are burgeoning about Nature-Deficit Disorder. The evidence suggests that children who spend less time outdoors will tend to decrease their senses. For example, they might not have a chance to smell the fragrance of flowers or observe the different types of butterflies. Children may have attention difficulties is another effect that parents might encounter. They have challenges with sustained attention and not being able to engage in the classroom. Last but not least, children who spend more time inside their house or building may face conditions of obesity. They may have less opportunities to play outdoors or exercise outside. 

Spending time outdoors means to explore the world with 5 senses on their own and able to have direct experience with nature. It will increase their executive function which is a core of exert self-control as well. Parents are children’s first teachers and have the ability to protect their children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by helping them care more about nature. Parents are able to guide them with the sense of curiosity and bring them outside to play with nature. It should be something fun and parents will have quality time spending with their young kids too. 

In conclusion, Nature-Deficit Disorder is not something we should be afraid of but to be aware of how we are raising our kids in parallel with their technology world. It is hard to deny the importance and benefit of using technology but parents should be able to balance kid’s time and see the importance of playing in nature that will bring the benefit for their life and allow them to have direct experience in the real world. 

P. Ratnajarn M.A.

Why the Montessori philosophy could be the best method preparing students for 21st century?

"One-size-fits-all" has been in use for over five decades to describe clothing expected to fit people of a wide range of sizes. Then, the term has been extended to the field of education. It defines a method or procedure created to apply to every single student in school. However, it is not always effective to use only one method for every child since each child has their own pace of learning, interests, development and learning style. Thus, a lot of educators have been attempting to find an alternative learning method. One of the most successful alternatives is the Montessori discovered by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator. Celebrating Maria Montessori's 150th Birthday is on August 31, 2020.

Montessori is a child-centered method which approaches education based on the scientific observations of children. It is designed to accommodate educational and behavioral needs of each individual child that cannot be adequately addressed in a traditional school setting.  The pedagogy also provides an educational experience tailored to each stage of a child's development. Montessori teachers will use specially designed tools and techniques to help children learn through hands on experience and working with objects, not only from memorization and direct instruction. Rather than memorizing math facts, for example, children will start by counting and adding using a set of color-coded beads. This method provides a more involved and exciting learning environment for children. 

In the same way, all these Montessori concepts are complied with the 21st century skill set which does not only focus on 3Rs (writing, reading and arithmetic) as in traditional schools, but they also focus on 4Cs (collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking). Thus, educators, early childhood development experts, and parents need to work cooperatively to develop a child’s important skills set at their early age. It is crucial to develop these skills early because infancy is the most flexible time to accommodate a large range of environments, interactions, and experiences. Similarly, play is the heart of how children learn. While playing, they can show what they are learning, what they care about, and what they are interested in. If teachers understand and spend more time with children, they will be able to identify what skills that children need to practice more and will guide each child to the next level when he or she is ready. 

According to Helping Young Children Build 21st-Century Skills article by David Ross, a global education consultant and former CEO of the Partnership for 21st Century Learning, there are ten essential strategies to help children build their 21st century skills set; 

1. A child-centered focus that explores their interests 

2. Providing opportunities to develop skills beyond basic language, math, and reading

3. A play-based learning environment

4. Provide a cooperative learning environment where children are encouraged to work together in creative ways to solve problems. 

5. Blending online play with hands on play. Online play creates a personalized environment where the child to learn at their own pace and test the skills they have developed. The learned skills are then reinforced during hands on play with group activities.  

6. A flexible attitude and learning environment that allows children to follow their interested even in a structured environment.  

7. Differentiated instruction which adds variety to the learning environment and can account for each child’s different learning styles.

8. Observe the children while at play to help determine a lesson plan based on the skills they display.

9. Create consistent routines and expectations to help children feel secure in their learning.

10. A focus on developing the 4C’s: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication.

Combining all these methods can provide a perfect environment for children to develop the skills they need. Once they enter the higher level school, they will be ready to learn new lessons effectively since they have all important basic skills. That is why the Montessori concept focuses on these key areas to help prepare young children for the future. 

By Fern Janrana B.Ed

Executive Functioning Skills : What you really need to learn in Pre-K!

Preschools serve several important functions, with some more important than others to particular parents.   In the old days, preschool was often mainly a place to keep kids safely while their parents were at work: can thus called “daycare”.   If a school refers to itself as “daycare”, it’s likely to see its main function as safekeeping and not education. But many parents, even a few decades ago, saw preschool more as a place for their child to learn social skills – the ability to play well with others.   This “socialization” aspect of a preschool (or even of a day care) is very important in the development of a healthy child. In recent years, preschool as a term is becoming more common, as the majority of US parents expect academic skills to also be taught. We strongly believe that children are ready for, and enjoy, age-appropriate academic skills development at the preschool level.  Such skills include numeracy, literacy, and vocabulary.

However, as important as academic skills are today (more than ever!), they should not be taught without real attention being paid to the development of what we call “executive function” skills: specifically, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control.  

Working memory means the ability to keep information in mind while tasks are being performed, and to be able to use that information as needed.  Learning about sharks means not just being able to name it and spell it, but to learn something about sharks that allows the child to discuss new questions about sharks they haven’t seen before.  

Cognitive flexibility, or flexible thinking, is the ability to think about things in multiple ways.  Not only is this important in play (for instance, turning around a puzzle piece when it doesn’t fit one way) and in literacy (if the word is “bee”, and the teacher tells the child it is not spelled “be”, what other ways can they think to spell it?), but in interpersonal relations (if you can’t get what you want, can you think of another way to ask, or something else you can ask for?).  Although it is often ignored (ie, multiple choice tests that only grade on whether the correct answer was found), cognitive flexibility is crucial in problem solving and in human interaction.

Inhibitory control is the ability to regulate emotions and ignore distractions – the ability to delay gratification, resist temptation.  Temptations might include leaving the table before finishing eating, not being willing to share, or to hit another person when angry.  

Together, these three subsets of executive function help ensure that a child has these five important skills:

1. Paying attention

2. Self-monitoring

3. Organizing and planning

4. Staying focused on tasks

5. Regulating emotions

In choosing a preschool, ask questions of your teacher and head of school to ensure they understand the importance of executive function and integrate these skill developments into your child’s learning experience.  

If you choose to apply to a competitive elementary school, you will find that executive function skills are of primary importance during the interview process.  Competitive schools know that good executive function skills are a prerequisite to learning and difficult to teach if a child has been without exposure to those skills for several years.  Competitive schools are serious about creating a positive learning culture, and children with poor self-monitoring and self-control skills can be a major distraction and impediment to learning for the rest of the class.  A major element of the “interview” process at competitive elementary schools is to watch the way your child interacts with others being assessed at the same time.

The best way to think of executive function skills is what a gift you bestow to a child by ensuring they learn these skills.   These are the skills that make a person happy, effective, a nice to be around: and they are skills that make all other learning possible!

Children and digital devices

As the digital revolution continues to expand, becoming a larger and larger part of children’s lives, parents often wonder how to set healthy guidelines for their children. This is true even for very young children, who often spend a great deal of time in front of televisions, iPads, and smart phone screens watching movies and playing games.  Increasingly, these shows, movies and games are aimed directly at young children.  Some of these are clearly not educational, while others are marketed as being good for brain development.  In any case, busy or exasperated parents often see screens as convenient ways to capture a child’s attention or even to divert from what might otherwise be some form of behavior disruptive to the parent (recall the common sight of children quietly watching movies at a restaurant).

While we all want our children to grow up with experience with digital devices and applications, we also want to insulate our children from the negative effects of excessive screen time.  A healthy person appreciates the value of electronic media, understands its use and its pitfalls, and maintains a balance of on- and off-line activities and interactions: a healthy mind, healthy body, and healthy relationships!

Setting expectations on digital exposure must begin early.   As important as it is to let young children explore quality learning games, it is also important to set time limits - short at first - and to ensure that digital media do not replace human interaction.   Ensuring meals are times for personal interaction - with no electronics allowed - is an important element of this.  

Schools also have a role in teaching children to have a healthy relationship with electronics and digital media.  Schools that utilize iPads for games or learning activities should be sure that these devices are put away after the activities are over, so that children don’t become overly dependent on them - this is especially true at younger ages.  Schools have the opportunity - and the obligation - to ensure that children develop a healthy relationship to devices and media that can be an incredible source of information and research.  When schools do this well, children are less likely to see electronic devices simply as playgrounds.  

As children get older, some parents will relent to their child’s pressure to let them have a smartphone, because it can be convenient for the parent to be able to call or track their child - but the longer the parent delays, the better for the child - most parents try to wait until middle school.  Children and adolescents quickly exhibit signs of addiction if they are given unlimited access to devices. Studies have shown this is more than a strong mental attachment; interacting with video games causes a release of dopamine in the brain, similar to that of certain drugs,   Excessive use can also cause behavioral issues or make existing behavioral problems worse: a 2006 study in the Annals of General Psychiatry found that playing video games for just one hour per day led to more severe symptoms in children diagnosed with ADHD.  

It’s also important to be aware of the disruption that electronics can have to sleep patterns.  The light emitted by screens (called ‘blue light” even though it may not appear blue) lowers melatonin production by the body, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.  Most experts recommend turning off screens at least one hour before going to sleep.   And parents should absolutely be sure their children do not have any devices with them in the bedroom, because children will play with those devices rather than sleep.  And this goes for children of any age - as noted above, even adults will experienced diminished sleep quality due to blue light emissions.

Parents have the opportunity to raise their children in a way that will give them a healthy relationship with electronic devices - be sure to start early!

Why Montessori?

Iconic Italian educator and physician Maria Montessori developed her revolutionary empowering method of teaching and learning over the first few decades of the 20th century.  Montessori teaching has grown ever more popular as increasing numbers of people question the traditional methods of education that grew so much in the second half of the century. 

Montessori education is about developing children into lifelong learners by encouraging them to explore, experiment, and discover at their own pace, inside a safe environment and guided by experienced educators.   My wife and I enrolled our own children in a Montessori preschool when they were one year old, and it was an excellent decision, and enriched their lives and turbocharged their education.  The thing we saw immediately in our own children was that they not only loved going to school each day, even as toddlers, but they loved learning.   We saw them bring their passion for learning home with them, along with a confidence and independence that they learned in their Montessori classroom. 

In our experience, children who come out of quality Montessori preschools are well prepared for elementary school.   Mariner Montessori incorporates age-appropriate activities that engage the young mind, and build, over the elementary years, into a strong foundation for the rest of their education and lives. 

For example, Montessori is well known for developing independence as children are encouraged to discover and explore solutions on their own.  This forms an excellent basis for group work, when a great teacher guides children to work with each other to explore not just their own solution but possible solutions by others in their group. 

At Mariner, the Montessori method is woven into a strong STEAM curriculum with complementary extracurricular activities that help develop resilience, creativity, and problem solving ability, and a passion for learning.  For more on the terms “STEM” and “STEAM”, read about our Preschool STEAM curriculum.

What is STEM and STEAM?

“STEM” means “science, technology, engineering, and math”.  Since schools have always taught science and math, the key point in calling something a “STEM” program is not only a promise to deliver really strong science and math, but to teach technology and engineering too.  And that’s something schools have not traditionally done.   

We’re seeing that the good jobs today, and even more in the future, are going to those people who don’t just know science and math, but who know how to apply it to make things - to design and build things. That’s what an engineer does - and that’s why engineers make so much more money than mathematicians! 

But these skills are not just important for becoming an engineer: learning how to apply what you learn to real world situations makes anyone more effective and more valuable - whether you have a career in technology, or even if you have a career in business or even the arts.  The people that get ahead in today’s world are creative, collaborative team players who know how to dream, plan, and get things done.  That’s what STEM education is all about.

But not only has there been a lack of practical science in the traditional school curriculum, there’s also been a lack of attention to the arts, which are a crucial part of a classical education.   So the “A” in “STEAM” is for the Arts.

While we should put heavy emphasis on the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, researchers also know that Art is not only fun for kids, and makes them more well-rounded – but it actually makes them better at math and science too.  And art (whether drawing, dancing, or listening to music) is and should be a relaxing activity that complements their other work later in school, and throughout their lives.

Art is important in child development also because it helps children develop their motor skills at an early age – developing muscles in their fingers to do artwork also helps them draw letters and numbers later on.  Look at Leonardo da Vinci: a great scientist, but also a great artist – and his art is what made his science accessible to others.

Montessori provides a proven and highly respected method of building motor and social skills in young children, and developing an inquiring mind.   Adding additional STEM elements to build collaborative and problem solving skills really gives children what they need for the 21st century – the world is really changing – faster than we know.   Mariner Montessori combines these two proven and highly relevant elements of education into a learning environment that prepares children for the future.

Preschool versus Daycare

Many parents of young children have full time jobs, and need a safe and nurturing place for their children to remain during the day.  While safety is the most important factor, more and more parents are realizing that children as young as six months old will benefit from an environment enriched by a qualified teacher specializing in early childhood education.  In other words, more parents today are looking for more than daycare – they want preschool – also known as “early childhood education.”

An effective early childhood classroom looks a bit different than an elementary school classroom – and different from daycare.   In an early childhood classroom, teachers incorporate learning into the play and socialization activities that take place.   

One of the most effective methods of teacher-guided “play” is known as Montessori education, and is especially popular at the preschool level.  In Montessori classrooms, teachers show young children how to work with toys known as “manipulatives”.  The Montessori methodology is more fully described here.

The fact is that children are capable of much more than most adults realize.  Language acquisition is just one area where extremely young children benefit greatly from an environment rich in conversation.  Children also learn valuable socialization skills when exposed to other children at very young ages.  This is especially true when the environment is created and guided by an experienced teacher.   Children can also acquire a significant head start in other skills such as experimentation, analysis, reasoning, logic, and of course literacy, numeracy, and familiarity with colors, shapes, animals, and other things that are a part of our world.

 Children who have been enrolled in quality preschools are more prepared for elementary school.  Whether you are interested in a competitive private elementary school for your child, one of the most sought-after Magnet schools, or even your neighborhood public school, a good Montessori preschool experience is a great choice. And a choice your child will thoroughly enjoy!