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Montessori for Infants: A Window Into the Nido at LePort Montessori

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    - [background music]
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    - Welcome to the Nido.
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    We call our Montessori
    infant room the Nido.
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    Which is Italian for Nest,
    a warm, nurturing place,
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    a home away from home.
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    For babies and young
    toddlers, it is a place
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    where babies can develop
    at their own pace,
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    where they're cared for
    by teachers who are loving
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    and who understand the unique
    needs of these young youth.
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    It's a welcoming place for looking around
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    and observing, for moving about whichever
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    way you can for exploring
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    with all your senses, hearing, touch,
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    taste, sight, smell
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    for eating when you are hungry,
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    and for sleeping when you are tired.
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    An authentic Montessori
    environment is nothing like
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    a typical daycare setting.
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    You won't find any containers,
    cribs, clay pans, bouncers,
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    or high chairs here.
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    Our babies are always free to move.
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    The environment is set
    up to entice movement
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    to make it joyful and rewarding.
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    Babies find floor mats to crawl on mirrors
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    to encourage tummy time
    and self-discovery.
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    Pull up bars to pull to standing
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    obstacle courses and tunnels for crawling
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    different size stairs
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    and ramps to climb up
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    and down, low furniture
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    to cruise along and carts to push.
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    I know we also offer infant
    ized outdoor play areas
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    to explore with balls to throw
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    and chase, and plenty
    of space to run around.
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    Our teachers love engaging with babies.
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    We help them communicate with
    words or with sign language.
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    We explain what we do and
    encourage them to use words
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    or signs to express their needs.
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    We use correct, elaborate
    language with them.
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    This girl is fascinated with the photos,
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    displayed a child height
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    and listens eagerly to her
    teacher's explanations.
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    - In fall turn orange and
    yellow. Look at the trees.
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    Trees. There's so many.
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    The forest, the sun.
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    The sun is going down. The sun is yellow.
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    - This child gets to choose his food.
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    These children are learning
    that a teething ring
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    that fell on the ground
    needs to be washed.
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    - I'm sorry it was on the
    ground. Let me wash it off.
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    Let me wash it off. I will be back.
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    - And these children enjoy a song
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    and movement activity outside.
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    Babies need to explore the
    world with all their senses.
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    Actively explore using the
    hand as the tool of the mind.
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    That's why our Nido offers
    a rich, sensorial environment.
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    Babies have access to
    materials of many textures
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    from soft sheep skins to
    cuddle with, to furry balls,
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    to touch to seasonal items like pumpkins,
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    to explore at length with little fingers.
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    They play with a wide
    range of toys from balls
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    and interestingly textured baskets
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    - To
    - A wide range of wooden toys to handle
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    from trackers, to explore
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    to wooden objects, to band
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    saw songs and instruments like shakers are
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    integrated into the day.
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    Children benefit from the time
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    and space to really enjoy the taste
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    and texture of their foods.
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    They love outside play.
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    From playing with bubbles
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    to exploring the sand,
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    and of course, grass to run on.
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    They go on stroller outings
    every day to observe nature,
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    to look at birds, trees,
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    - Flowers,
    - And the
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    Montessori infant program.
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    We want to help your
    child take his first steps
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    toward independence.
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    This principle is key behind
    some of the differences
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    between our educational
    approach and typical daycare.
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    We never do anything for the child
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    that she can do for herself.
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    We don't feed children,
    assembly line and high chairs.
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    Instead, as soon as children can sit,
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    we offer them a place
    at a low weaning table.
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    We give them finger foods
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    or their own spoons to
    participate in feeding
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    with careful support.
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    Children just over a year
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    are surprisingly capable self feeders.
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    We engage children in toileting.
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    We explain to them what is happening?
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    Oh, your diaper is wet.
    Let's go change it.
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    We wait for a response.
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    A five months old lifting
    his arms to be picked up.
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    A 10 month old calling toward an onto
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    the low changing table.
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    We ask children to help to
    lift up their legs, to sit down
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    and pull off their pants.
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    For those who can stand,
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    we change their diapers standing up.
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    Newly mobile babies like
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    that a lot better than
    being forced to lie down.
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    We also invite them to use the toilet.
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    And of course, wash hands.
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    Toilet learning in Montessori
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    is just another natural
    step toward independence.
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    While it is convenient for the
    adults in a daycare setting
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    to have everybody eat
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    or nap at the same time, it
    is not optimal for the babies.
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    In a Montessori environment,
    we always follow the child.
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    We maintain a consistent routine.
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    When children wake up, they
    can leave the sleeping area.
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    As soon as they feel ready,
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    the teacher will have food ready for them.
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    As most likely, they will be hungry.
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    They eat again at their own pace,
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    so they can self feed.
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    Then it is time for
    activities for exploration.
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    When a child shows us she is tired,
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    we help her get settled for a nap,
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    and then she can sleep until she's done.
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    No waking up a sleeping baby. Here,
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    children need space and time to explore.
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    All Montessori guides act
    as guides, as facilitators,
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    more than as teachers or entertainers.
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    They guide the child toward independence.
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    They've put him in a position to succeed.
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    They remove obstacles
    rather than doing things
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    for the child, they provide words
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    to identify to the child what he's doing.
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    They are the destination
    the child can walk
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    to under his own power, rather
    than holding the child's hand
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    and making her walk before she's ready.
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    Because a Montessori infant room, a Nido,
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    is carefully prepared for
    the child with low furniture.
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    I need toilets, little tables to eat at
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    'cause our Montessori
    guides are trained in child
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    development and love to work with babies
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    Cause in the Nido,
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    babies are loved, respected,
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    and treated as fully human
    Montessori infants are happy,
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    engaged, learning
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    and growing every day.
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    And when babies thrive, parents are happy.
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    That is the power of Montessori
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    from the very first steps.
Title:
Montessori for Infants: A Window Into the Nido at LePort Montessori
Description:

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Video Language:
English
Duration:
10:46

English subtitles

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