SAN DIEGO - Jan. 28, 2020 - Teachers seek to reduce distractions to build a positive and clutter-free environment. "Distractions take away a student's focus," Kelly McFarland, Director of a La Jolla preschool, says. "When parents are looking for a preschool or kindergarten, they ask 'how is Montessori teaching different?' One response: we do all we can to focus on each child's individual traits and learning patterns by eliminating external elements that can lead to distractions or jealousy."
Say Goodbye to Superheroes
"At La Jolla Montessori School, we do not let children wear characters on their shirts or lunch boxes," McFarland says. "Light-up shoes, too. We are trying to stop children from feeling bad that a classmate's shoes light up and theirs don't. It creates jealousy."
Superheroes can create aggressive behaviors in boys. "We never want to see a three year-old jump or try to fly on our climbing structures, slides or rock wall! Or, use karate and boxing moves aimed at classmates!" McFarland exclaimed.
"And, students wearing light-up shoes create a noisy distraction that takes away from students' focus," she says.
So, parents are asked to leave character-oriented lunchboxes, logoed T-shirts, rolling-wheeled sneakers and the like at home.
And No Uniforms, Either
"At our preschool in La Jolla, we're solely focused on teaching children in a one-on-one, individualized manner," McFarland says.
"We know that uniforms have their place in various school systems to build continuity, uniformity, and community. But, the Montessori Method doesn't teach groups of kids how to all do the same thing at the same time to get the same result. Rather, we're attempting to build independence in toddlers and preschoolers."
How Montessori Teaching is Different
Montessori teaching focuses on preparing for your child's growth via the Montessori Method. When you're instilling a love for learning—especially via individualized learning—you're instilling an understanding of 'doing it yourself,' and feeling pride because you are part of your family, both at home and at preschool and kindergarten.
Summary
Over the past 110 years, Montessori has taught millions of American schoolchildren via a different tack based on their individuality. Whether it's math, life skills, daily immersive bilingual language teaching or art, Montessori is a better school for your toddler or preschooler. So when parents ask 'how is Montessori teaching different?' the answer is simple: the focus is on one child—your child—not all the kids in the room.
La Jolla Montessori School is located at 8745 La Jolla Scenic Drive North. Visit us at www.lajollamontessorischool.com (http://www.lajollamontessorischool.com) for more information or call at (858) 999-0364.
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