Deciding where to enroll your child in preschool can be challenging. When you’re doing research, you may come across terms like Montessori or Waldorf. But what do those different labels really mean, and how do you know which is best for your child?
To help, here’s a primer on some of the key preschool educational philosophies employed throughout Northern Virginia.
Montessori
One of the most common preschool models is Montessori. It was started in the early 20th century by Maria Montessori and emphasizes the need to allow children to grow and learn independently, rather than through a strictly structured classroom setting.
“One of the biggest premises of Montessori is that it’s all about independence, because when you feel capable, then you feel like you can conquer the world,” says Christie Yang, director of Full Circle Montessori School in Arlington.
A Montessori school will have a focus on self-guided expression, meaning children have the autonomy to decide what, when, where, and for how long they want to work on something — with ample time to master a skill at their own pace.
“A Montessori classroom environment is created to specifically align to a child’s plane of development. The classroom includes work that will develop the whole child and also includes a mixed age range of students to ensure each child has the chance to not only learn but also guide others and develop a sense of leadership,” says Jillian Johncox, head of the Grace Montessori School in The Plains.
Classrooms will have mixed age groups, such as 18 months to 3 years and 3 to 6 years, rather than classes being separated by year. This model strives to create a setting full of social interaction and community where students can learn from older kids, teach younger ones, and practice interpersonal relationships.
Many schools use the Montessori name. There are some voluntary accreditations (like through the American Montessori Association), but there are no restrictions on what schools can or cannot be called Montessori. It’s important to learn about the specific school and its structure to determine how it employs the Montessori pedagogy and whether it’s right for your child.
Reggio Emilia
Another philosophy that many schools tout is the Reggio Emilia Approach, which follows the belief that children are “active protagonists in their growing process” and therefore gives kids autonomy to explore in their own way. “If we provide them with an environment that is supportive of their needs, interests, and want and will to learn, they’re going to naturally tell us what they want to learn,” says Kirstin Thorpe, director of operations at Reggio’s Treehouse in Lansdowne.
One of the key elements of this philosophy is that children have “100 languages,” a metaphor for “the extraordinary potentials of children, their knowledge-building and creative processes, the myriad forms with which life is manifested and knowledge is constructed,” according to the Reggio Emilia Approach website. In practice, that means that teachers pay careful attention to the many ways that children communicate. And, throughout the year, teachers carefully document each student’s progress to make a record of their thought processes, interests, and personal growth.
This philosophy also stresses that the environment is a key factor that has a significant influence on the learning model. So much so that Thorpe says that it’s set up to “be an additional educator in the classroom.” At Reggio’s Treehouse, she says the classrooms have specific stations that could evolve over the school year to reflect the age group or subject matter, such as zones with blocks for building, an art area, and a writing area that kids are free to explore.
The classrooms are more traditionally separated by age, rather than the three-year groups of Montessori. But an emphasis on community building and teamwork is what Thorpe says distinguishes the two. “Reggio, truly at its heart, is community based. It does look at the ‘What is my role within this community?’ and things like that, where Montessori — from my experience, from my perspective — focuses a bit more on the individual goals and the individual interests of the children.”
There is no accreditation for the Reggio Emilia philosophy. Instead, schools describe themselves as
“Reggio Emilia–inspired,” which means that they can incorporate elements to varying degrees.
Waldorf
Waldorf schools follow a philosophy created by Rudolf Steiner. The guiding principle is an approach that integrates the arts in all academic disciplines. It also takes a low-tech approach in the early years and instead focuses on showing students how to engage in “imaginative play, hands-on work, and outdoor and artistic activities,” according to the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) website.
“Math, language arts, science, humanities, the arts, languages, and physical education are not simply subjects to be read about and tested. They are experienced. Through these experiences, Waldorf students cultivate their intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual capacities to be individuals certain of their paths and to be of service to the world,” the site continues.
Waldorf schools also place an emphasis on the development of relationships within the classroom. One way they foster this is by having teachers remain with the same class of students for several years, rather than students getting a new teacher every academic year.
Waldorf schools must be accredited by the AWSNA in order to use the Waldorf name.
Whole-Child Approach
Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf schools all take a whole-child approach, meaning they focus not only on academic learning, but also on each child’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Play-Based Learning
Many preschools tout a “play-based” philosophy. The lessons focus on allowing students to learn through play rather than straightforward academic lessons. This doesn’t mean that it’s completely without structure — schools still follow state guidelines for educational milestones like reading and arithmetic. It just allows for more flexibility and creativity in the learning process.
NAEYC Accreditation
Many schools, regardless of their learning model, have accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This is a voluntary credential based on 10 key standards of early childhood education. Standards dictate that the school must promote positive relationships; have a curriculum that fosters cognitive, emotional, language, physical, and social development; promote children’s health and nutrition; and provide a safe and healthy environment. NAEYC maintains a list of accredited schools.
Feature image, Monkey Business/stock.adobe.com
This story originally ran in our August issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
