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(Short video featuring Montessori infant programme)
The Montessori educator’s community has, over the years, developed a strong programme for children from age 2 to 3 months to 2 years. These infant programmes offer inspiration to professionals working with infants. They are warm and beautiful environments staffed by caring and well trained professions.
The Montessori infant toddler programme is divided into two stages. The first programme caters to children up until about 14 months (when the child is walking well) and is called Nido (Nest). Nest programmes accommodate up to 9 children and have an adult/child ratio of 1 – 3. The second Infant Community programme runs until the child is age 2 1/2 and progresses to the Montessori Primary programme.
An group of Infant Toddler centres in Yokohama, Japan is a fine example of the quality of the programme and possibilities for the physical environment that can be provided. One of these centres was developed with the cooperation of the local government. Local families enter a lottery so that their child can attend the centre. The interior is purpose built with a tatami area for sleeping; special Montessori equipment; child sized furniture; and, Japanese inspired Montessori infant exercises. The landscaping of the centre includes a beautiful pond and gardens for the children to explore.
The Association Montessori Internationale, Holland (AMI)lists the following components for the training programme taken by professionals working in an Infant setting from birth to three years:
- Anatomy and Physiology.
- Obstetrics: Prenatal, birth, and postnatal development.
- Nutrition and Hygiene: Maternal care, digestive system, food preparation, and health issues.
- Child Neuropsychiatry: The Nervous System and normal psychological development.
- Development of Movement and Development of Language.
- Environment: Preparation of the home and Infant Community as an aid to human development within the first three years of life.
- Music, Art, and Spiritual Development.
- Observations: practical training for observation of children in maternity hospitals, homes and infant communities.
- Material Making: Hand made materials.
- Practicum: Work in an infant community evaluated by a course staff member.
- Preparation of reference albums and curriculum albums.
It can be difficult to access AMI training centres locally. The AMI believe that it is important for trainees to have face-to-face and hands on experience. Therefore the AMI does not support distance learning programmes.
The AMI following centres offer the Infants training programme:
Australia Australian Montessori Teacher Education Foundation West Lindfield Australia Assistant to Infancy
Japan Montessori Institute of Tokyo, location Osaka, c/o Shuji Matsumoto Osaka Japan Assistant to Infancy
Montessori Institute of Tokyo, location Yokohama Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken Japan Assistant to Infancy
Mexico Instituto Montessori de Mexico A.C. c/o Mrs. S. Carbone-Singh D.F. Mexico Mexico Assistant to Infancy
Instituto Internacional Montessori Mexico Assistant to Infancy
P.R. China International Training Center of Montessori Education of China Hangzhou Zhejiang Province P.R. China Assistant to Infancy
Sweden Maria Montessori Institutet Lidingö Sweden Assistant to Infancy
East USA Montessori Institute of Atlanta Atlanta GA USA Assistant to Infancy
Mid USA The Montessori Institute of North Texas (MINT) Dallas TX USA Assistant to Infancy
West USA Montessori Institute Northwest Portland OR USA Assistant to Infancy
The Montessori Institute Denver CO USA Assistant to Infancy
The North American Montessori Teacher’s Association (NAMTA) provides general information about infant programmes.
Both the North American Montessori Center and the Montessori Centre International provide distance learning programmes focussed on the infant years.
