Hello! I have four two and a half year olds begining in the Children's House next month and I am wondering if my fellow Guides out there have any advice for me? Any comments and suggestions are welcome from orientations to materials on the shelves to activities. The classroom is balanced by ages through six although it is a little more weighted with younger children. This is a fully equipped AMI traditional classroom with 20 children, a guide, and an assistant. Any help out there???
Kathy

I found that it is always helpful to get to know the teacher. The teacher will get to know your children but it is always a positive step to begin a personal relationship with your child's teacher. That way, she/he will be more comfortable discussing your children with you in the future.

Have the children already met the teacher? If yes, then it gives them a great visual of what to expect on day one. If not, it is always helpful to talk with your children about this big even in their lives. Not in a scary way but in a reassuring way, such as discussion what they might be doing on the first day of school, that you look forward to hearing what they did (even if they most likely will not talk much about the day), and other positive things.

Hi Cathy,

It seems as though you have already done a lot. Your children seem to be signed up is a good AMI school. It is completely normal that the class is weighed to the side of the younger child. (Some parents take their child out of the Montessori school for Kindergarten in order to get into the Elementary school of their choice.

I find that waiting until the child has begun school to begin trying to find things to do such as working with the materials. It also depends on whether you are trained or familiar with the AMI method. Feel free to ask the teacher what you can do at home. Most of the time parents are actually not helpful because they tend to teach their children writing or reading or spelling in a very different manor than how it is done in an AMI class.

I would also check out the "store" on this website. They have a few good reads.

Congratulations on this new step in your children's lives.