GCH “Green Seeds” Infant Program is committed to promoting quality Montessori infant care for children from three months of age, based on these key American Montessori Society concepts.
The aim of the GCH Montessori infant programs is to foster the development of basic trust and to assist in the normal development of the personality. Basic trust develops in an environment where people respond appropriately to the infant’s communication of needs to be loved, respected, and accepted. Infants learn through their senses. They learn by watching and moving freely. Freedom to move is essential to the development of the infant’s potential. The infant is considered as a whole person and is affected by the quality of holding and feeding, as well as the quality of physical care. Learning, which leads to independence, occurs when infants participate in their daily routines of care. Infants must be spoken to in the language with which they will communicate.
The Montessori infant specialist is educated in these areas:
- Self-knowledge as preparation
- Human growth and development observational skills,
- To assist the development of each child
- Preparing responsive environments to meet the infant’s developmental needs
- Respecting daily routines and incorporating them into the infant’s curriculum
- Both verbal and non-verbal communication skills respecting the infant as a person
- Respecting the environment as a resource for the infant’s development
- Taking responsibility to assist and protecting the infant’s development
- Nurturing infants
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A Montessori infant environment must have these basic characteristics:
- Adults educated in the Montessori philosophy and methodology appropriate for infants
- A partnership established with the family.
- Within the Montessori philosophy the family is considers an integral part of the individual’s total development.
- A variety of interesting objects– to look at, explores, and experience– which are designed to meet the developmental stages and sensitive periods of infants.
- A flexible sequence of routines and activities that reinforce the rhythmic patterns of activities of individual infants– not a rigid schedule.
- An atmosphere that communicates unconditional love and acceptance.
