Montessori Principles: Respecting the Child in Infancy

Many people do not associate Montessori with infancy, but we can apply many of the core Montessori principles starting as early as infancy. One of the most important pieces of the Montessori pedagogy is respect for the child. What this looks like in an infant classroom is the teacher or guide working to develop a sense of trust with the infant. This can be as simple as the teacher responding to the child’s basic needs such as feeding, diapering, and sleep schedules. Or, it can be as complicated as experimenting with new materials and matching the child’s interests along with those new materials. Where the teacher begins to learn about each infant as an individual and responds accordingly. 

Respecting the infant as an individual includes respecting their body. We see infants as human beings with their own needs and desires. Instead of simply doing things to their body, we want them to have the experience of doing things together, with our assistance. When we pick an infant up, we first tell them that we are going to pick them up and then what we are going to do next. Explaining what we are doing helps to foster a sense of trust as well as helps to prepare them to feel as if we are connected and working together. Eventually, they need less assistance, but this way of showing intentional respect sets the stage for their own independence in the future as well as their ability to respect others. 

Although infants cannot speak, they learn to communicate with us in many ways. It is up to the guide to first provide an enriching environment, then respond to the child’s needs within that environment, then to tailor the environment to continue to scaffold the child’s development. We continually observe the child and take notes about how they move about the classroom within their day. This gives us rich data to explore when we are coming up with our materials and classroom environment. For example, I might notice that one of our infants is practicing the skill of rolling. In order to entice them to move their body in order to roll, I will need to notice things within their environment that they are drawn to. Then, I can put a particularly interesting item within their periphery, but out of sight to entice them to turn their body and move so that they can reach the item. Exploration is key at this age, so offering plenty of opportunities to explore is important. We show our infants that we respect them by learning their preferences, and pushing them to grow within their own frame of reference. 

Perhaps the most important way we respect the infant is by allowing them the opportunity to move. The biggest part of development for the infant is learning their body — how their body exists in space, how their body relates to others, and how to move their body. If we were to restrict their movement by placing them into popular items such as exersaucers, swings, or bouncy seats we would be preventing them from doing the work that is most important to them at this stage. These items also impede the child from working on these critical skills, which can lead to their frustration and perhaps delay their development in these areas. This is why Montessorians believe that showing an infant respect is allowing the freedom of movement on the floor. In our infant space you will not see the use of “containers” (i.e., swings, bouncy seats, prolonged use of boppy pillows, high chairs, etc.) because respecting the child in the Montessori environment means allowing them to move their body. In every day life, the needs of a family are much different than the needs of the classroom and it is understandable that the use of common baby items at times is usually unavoidable. However, the more opportunities that an infant can have at home to explore the floor freely will also benefit your child immensely. 

Finally, we show respect for the infant by narrating their experiences. We explain what they might be feeling, for example, “you are crying because you heard a loud noise and that scared you. I know that’s so loud, I’m so sorry that scared you” in a comforting and empathetic tone. Showing empathy for the child, explaining and narrating their experiences shows them that they are connected to the world around them and things don’t just happen to them, but they are actually a part of a broader community. 

Our infants are capable of so much and oftentimes we don’t provide them with the chance to move on their own timeline. We oftentimes unknowingly impede them when we do not put respect for the infant at the forefront of our minds. We can even challenge ourselves to think “If someone picked me up from behind without a warning and moved me across the room, would I like that?” If the answer is “no” then it might be a chance to re-evaluate and think of the more respectful and empathetic approach. Starting this from infancy has an incredible impact on the child as they move on to interact with their broader community as when they are consistently treated with respect from a young age, they then become more respectful children themselves because this has been consistently modeled for them.