In today’s world with so many opinionated views and changing philosophies, choosing the right preschool that is right for your family can be hard. Finding a preschool that fits your family’s time needs, budget, and locality, with an opening, may seem impossible. Local mom Casey Norton Powers joked, “Our preschool was recommended to us by a dear friend, and they had an opening!” It is not uncommon for parents to choose their preschool because it was recommended to them by a friend or family member or perhaps because they are alumni.
So what about those academic standards or teaching philosophies? What does Montessori, Waldorf, or Reggio Emilia teaching look like? Well, here is a short guide explaining three types of the most common preschool philosophies and their approach to education.
Montessori Maria Montessori developed this teaching philosophy at the end of the 19th century. Montessori schools are some of the most popular preschools. The American Montessori Society (amshq.org) states that mixed-age classrooms, commonly 3-6 year-olds, as being an essential component to Montessori learning. This provides peer-centered learning, i.e., the older children teach the younger children. Students choose an activity from a predetermined set of options based on a child’s characteristics, abilities, and talents. Montessori schools have specialized educational materials in an array of different subjects that are usually made out of natural materials such as wood or fiber. Montessori is based on the model that children learn better through discovery rather than direct instruction. The American Montessori Society states “The Montessori method views the child as one who is naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment. It attempts to develop children physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively.”
Reggio Emilia The Reggio Emilia approach is also centered around student-driven, experiential learning. However, the Reggio Emilia approach is tailored to preschool and primary learning specifically. Loris Malaguzzi, the “father” of Reggio Emilia, is quoted as saying, “The wider range of possibilities we offer our children, the more intense will be their motivations, and the richer their experiences.” The core principle of Reggio Emilia is children oversee their learning and should be the ones to direct it. Children must have the means to express themselves fully whether that be through sculpture, art, drama, play, and music.
Furthermore, children learn best through listening, touching, moving, and observing in an endless possibility of ways. An emphasis on cultivating deep and meaningful relationships with peers is vital. One of the critical philosophies to the Reggio Emilia approach states that children have “100 Languages” in which to learn and communicate, why not use them all?
Waldorf Researcher Philip Woods wrote that Rudolf Steiner created the Waldorf model of teaching to awaken “the physical, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual aspects of each.” To fully understand what a Waldorf preschool encompasses I reached out to Samantha Zenack at Santa Cruz Waldorf School who shared this with me, “Young children experience a home-like environment and can engage in creative play. The child is immersed in the ‘living arts’ and can imitate those activities in play or engage in the real helping of the adults in the completion of these tasks. Real life activities such as cooking, cleaning and working in the garden support the child’s developing coordination as well as physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. Waldorf Preschool does not rush the children towards premature intellectual activity. Instead, the primary teaching modality is to provide examples for the child to imitate, with minimal instruction or explanation, which is best suited to his or her neuro-developmental stage.” The Waldorf model also places a heavy emphasis on teaching children to become good world citizens holistically and creatively.
Each one of these approaches emphasizes the same outcome, wanting our children to learn, grow, and thrive. They might take different paths to facilitate these goals. To all the parents out there currently looking for a preschool, I hope this helps and the best of luck to you and your family.
Helpful Websites:
American Montessori Society
www.amshq.org
Association of Waldorf Schools of North American
www.waldorfeducation.org
North American Reggio Emilia Alliance www.reggioalliance.org
Preschool Philosophies, A to Z
www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/preschool-philosophies/