One Lead Teacher and one Assistant Teacher work with up to 10 children in the Toddler House each day. Toddlers begin anytime after 16 months of age and will typically transition to the Children's House somewhere between 33-38 months of age.
Because social and emotional development is an important goal, we teach respect and empathy in our mixed-age classrooms. This classroom model helps build positive relationships by providing the youngest children with older role models. Then, as these children become older, they become role models in the classroom. The older toddlers help guide and nurture the younger children, which in turn helps the older toddlers build confidence and self-esteem and learn independence as well.
The Toddler Program seeks to enhance the social, emotional, cognitive, language, and physical domains of its young students. As in the Montessori primary environment, toddlers are encouraged to develop their unique potentials by allowing their own interests to be the starting points for their learning. The goal is to make learning both interesting and fun for the child, without the use of strict formal teaching guidelines. Emphasis is on developing important independence skills, in addition to working with other children.
The Toddler House environment provides a comfortable and inviting place for children to grow, explore, and interact through play. The child-initiated environment facilitates children’s creative development by allowing them to experiment with materials of their choosing. Children are encouraged to exercise choice in the classroom, building on and supporting their inherent desire to learn, their growing independence and their self-esteem. Open shelves and designated play centers are provided to encourage active learning, helping them create individually meaningful learning experiences.
