Being a nanny is about more than simply "babysitting". It is participating in their education, accompanying them in the discovery and exploration of the world around them: it is helping them grow. Enter the Montessori method.
What is the Montessori pedagogy?
The promises of Montessori pedagogy are numerous: to promote self-confidence, improve autonomy, allow the child to evolve at their own pace and in complete freedom. This method of education that places the child at the centre of learning is sometimes considered too permissive. But what does this pedagogy really consist of?
The principle seems quite simple and could be summed up as follows: help the child to do it alone.
According to Maria Montessori, Italy's first female doctor dedicated to the cause of children, "educating is not training." For her, "the child is not a vase that is filled, but a source that is let spring". With this philosophy, the Montessori method obeys several principles:
- freedom
- self-discipline
- education in experiences
- respect for everyone's rhythm
- individual activity
- education as an aid to life
As a nanny, can you easily apply this pedagogy?
Montessori pedagogy is based on very specific material, the result of years of tests by Maria Montessori. Montessori material is therefore specific, validated and with approval.
Nevertheless, it is possible to be inspired by the Montessori method in order to be able to "help the child to do it alone" and thus help them develop their autonomy and self-confidence.
How to apply Montessori pedagogy at home
Before you start, it is imperative to organise the space depending on the development of the child, taking care to adapt it to their needs, age, and ability to do alone. It is therefore necessary to secure the house to promote the child’s autonomy.
Here are some ideas to adapt your home into a Montessori-style space:
Entrance: help the child do it alone as soon as they arrive home
Small chair
Low height hook
Shoe shelf
Kitchen: mix safety and accessibility
Dining area
Solid foot step
Work counter at child height
Accessible place in the cupboards for the child's dishes
Adapted utensils
Living room: bet on separate activity spaces
Play space (with a few low shelves to store toys)
Reading space
Desk (with chairs and table suitable for the child)
Arts & Crafts Area (be careful to keep paintings, etc. out of reach of children)
You will have understood the logic of securing and favouring autonomy through these few examples and all you have to do is continue to expand this logic room by room! Encourage your child to explore these new spaces, take the time to explain caution when handling certain objects and watch them explore, grow, and develop into autonomous individuals.
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