School For Cash

This morning I went to visit a potential school/daycare for Cash. I must admit the thought of being away from him (even for a half day) makes me want to cry, but I know interaction with other children and adults would be good for him. It would also make it easier for me to contribute more at work.

We would probably only do a half day until he turned one year (I would still want to have him all to myself or share him with my co-workers in the afternoons.)

I visited a Montessori school today and I really like the Montessori philosophy on child education.

Here are the principles of a Montessori education:

• movement and cognition are closely entwined
• a sense of control and choice improves learning and well-being
• interest in the content promotes better learning
• employing extrinsic rewards as motivators negatively impacts motivation when the reward is withdrawn
• collaborative arrangements are conducive to learning
• learning within a meaningful context is often deeper and richer than learning in abstract contexts
• particular forms of adult interaction are conducive to more optimal child behavior outcomes
• an ordered environment is beneficial to children

Here is how the school I visited today structures infant education:

During this period infants evolve from helpless to active beings; one of the greatest gifts we can give them is independence: they can begin to solve problems (like reaching the book or getting more milk) and soothe themselves without adult intervention – if they need us we are right there, but the more they do for themselves, the more meaningful the experience will be.

Some key experiences for the children are:

• as soon as infants can sit up, they eat meals sitting in small chairs at a small table
• rather than using cribs, we will have low beds for the infants so they will have controlled independence and the freedom to move about when they awake
• children are actively involved in diapering with the adult talking them through the process, washing their own hands at a custom sized
  sink after
• we promote communication and expression by using American Sign Language with the children (even infants younger than 9 months old can make the signs for “more” and “milk”)
• the children are on individual schedules, eating when hungry, sleeping when tired and when they are awake they have empathetic adults to assist them through the sights and sounds of the world around them

I plan to visit a couple more schools, but I really liked the director of this school and the facilities. They're also cloth diaper friendly!

Now, hold onto your socks . . .here's a super cute picture of Cash in nothing but his diaper and his first pair of boots.