How can Montessori help a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to excel educationally and developmentally? Take a look at some common questions parents have about ADHD, the early childhood education environment, and Montessori preschool.
How Common Is ADHD?
A new diagnosis can prove stressful for many families. Even though you may feel lost, nervous, or overwhelmed, you aren’t alone. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 2016 parent survey revealed that 6.1 million children in the United States have an ADHD diagnosis. The statistic includes 388,000 preschool-aged children two through five years.
If your child is one of the hundreds of thousands of U.S. preschoolers with an ADHD diagnosis, there’s good news — the right early learning environment can help your child to reach developmental goals, build basic academic skills, and create a foundation for the rest of their educational path.
While you have many options for early education, Montessori’s individualized approach has benefits you may not find in other preschoolers. If your child is ready for preschool, learn more about Montessori, the school’s philosophy, and how it can help children with ADHD.
What Needs Does Your Preschooler Have?
As a child with ADHD, your child may have different learning needs than some of the other preschoolers. The disorder can impact your child’s ability to focus, pay attention, behave in a way that many schools expect, or learn effectively. These issues can make preschool a challenge for some children with ADHD.
Even though your child may have different needs, they can still excel in preschool. The key is to find the right preschool setting. A restrictive school that forces your young child to sit and listen to a teacher’s directions or doesn’t individualize instruction may not mesh with their temperament, personality, or needs.
A child who is pushed to conform with strict instructional practices may not feel comfortable or may not have the ability to stay within the confines of the restrictive classroom. This can negatively affect the child’s view of school and may cause additional problems. Right now, your child needs a supportive, inclusive early educational environment that promotes individual learning and development.
How Can Montessori Meet Your Child’s Needs?
Not only can the Montessori preschool meet your child’s needs, but it can also help them to excel. Unlike the traditional preschool classroom, Montessori schools include a child-centered approach that allows a child to learn and develop at their own pace. Montessori methods foster self-discovery, self-reliance, independence, and respect.
The educator acts as a guide and not as a lecturer. Instead, the Montessori pre-K teacher creates an environment that promotes learning on multiple levels and in many different ways. This allows your child to explore, experiment, and create their own learning opportunities. The child-led approach gives the young student with ADHD the freedom they need — within the confines of a supportive classroom.
How Can Montessori Help Your Child’s Social Development?
Beyond the ability to direct their own learning experience and experience preschool at their own pace, your child will also get the chance to develop essential social skills. The behavioral and attention challenges that ADHD creates can make social development difficult for some young children. The Montessori classroom environment fosters positive social ties through a multi-age approach.
Grace and courtesy are at the heart of the Montessori classroom. These concepts help young children to understand social norms and grow together as a caring community. The result is a supportive environment that can help a child with ADHD to flourish socially.
Contact Miniapple International Montessori School to learn more about how this education style can benefit a child with ADHD.