Montessori Preparatory Group

The Montessori Preparatory Group, which prepares children for the pre-school period using the basic principles and methods of Dr. Maria Montessori, has attracted significant attention from parents in recent years. At Binbir Çiçek, our Toddler class, which consists of a maximum of 9-11 children, provides service with two teachers in a comfortable and warm environment where our children can learn the basic principles of the Montessori philosophy.

The main goals of our Toddler class include the development of coordination, body awareness, and the formation of mindfulness, independence, self-management, concentration, and focus on the subject. In the transition process to Montessori groups, gaining independence in their daily habits, laying the foundations for their first social experiences in small groups are the basic objectives of our Toddler class. While the development of self-care skills, gross motor development, sensory education, verbal and auditory language development are the special areas of interest for this age group, teaching toilet habits is the most important task of our Toddler class.

As children develop, the activities that meet their needs in the classrooms also change and evolve over time. The classroom arrangement is designed to meet the needs of the children, not the adults. Most of the furniture and materials are made of wood to teach our children to live in a natural and aesthetic environment. Our materials are presented on open shelves at a height where children can see the work itself and be enthusiastic about it and can access it independently. Additionally, through mixed-age groups, younger children learn through observation how to do a task from older children, while older children have the opportunity to spend fun moments teaching something they can do to their peers.

A child who completes the preparatory group and is sufficiently developed emotionally and intellectually can transition to the Montessori group after their 3rd birthday. The most important prerequisite for this is that the child has fully mastered toilet training, there is sufficient space available in the Montessori groups, and the teachers feel that the child is ready to transition to the Montessori group.

The learning areas in Montessori classrooms are designed as follows:

Daily Life - pouring, spooning, bead stringing, transferring, tray carrying, learning how to fold a rug or mat, etc.
Language - learning one letter sound each month, reinforced for 4 weeks
Mathematics - identifying numbers and expressing them by matching (one bead means "1", two beads mean "2", etc.)
Movement - outdoor and indoor activities, some specialty classes (such as yoga, etc.)
Outdoor games - indoor games when weather conditions do not permit outdoor activities
Music - learning through circle time activities and songs, finger plays
Sensorial materials - learning through all five senses
Specialty classes

Our Toddler class has 4 specialty classes per week as follows:

Monday: Ballet Class
Tuesday: Music (Orff) Class / Drama Class
Wednesday: Gymnastics Class
Thursday: French Class
Friday: Visual Arts / Ceramics Class

Toilet Habit

Is it Toilet Habit or Toilet Training?

Toilet habit differs from toilet training. While toilet training is a process managed by an adult, toilet habit is a process in which the child actively participates in the learning process. Since toilet training puts pressure on the child, it can lead to difficult-to-remedy consequences and is based on the adult's demands, such as "you have to do it now." Therefore, the most important difference between toilet habit and toilet training is the attitude of the adult, which makes a big difference for the child.

Toilet habit begins with the child feeling ready and is a natural development process in which the child actively participates. It does not require disrupting your nights of sleep and cannot be achieved using a reward-punishment system. Developing toilet habit independently and acquiring necessary hygiene habits are sufficient internal rewards for the child to feel empowered. Apart from the help and support given to the child when needed and when desired, the child should be allowed to learn on their own without interference. Using positive language is crucial in encouraging the child during the process of acquiring toilet habit.

Acquiring toilet habit starts with the child acquiring the necessary physical skills to use the toilet. This process may vary for each child, but it usually begins around the age of 12 months and can be completed by the age of 2-2.5 years with the use of diapers. Introducing the child to the potty gradually from around 12 months is one of the most important steps in acquiring toilet habit. When the child shows interest, you can go together to get the potty. How to use it is explained without pressure. The potty can be placed in their room and taken to the bathroom when needed. The child can be encouraged to notice other children using the potty or toilet. During the process of acquiring toilet habit, there may be some difficulties. The child may refuse completely, show no interest, accept and sit for a while but not do it, then do it once or twice and refuse to continue, or hold it for days and become constipated. In such cases, allowing the child time to be ready without insisting, allowing them to notice that their peers have succeeded in toilet training without creating jealousy, can be helpful. Taking a deep breath, leaning back, not getting angry, not getting disappointed, and remembering that there is no one who cannot acquire toilet habit are important. When the child feels it as a part of their body, they will quickly move on to using the potty regularly. Developing the habit of using the potty regularly is a good way to familiarize oneself with using the toilet and feel comfortable in the toilet. It allows the child to explore the world in a fun way, provides the necessary freedom of movement for them to learn on their own, and helps them gain independence. However, during this process, the child should never be embarrassed or punished for not being able to use the potty, having fears, or having accidents. Toilet training can take 6-8 months. Months such as the summer when the mother is more relaxed and there are opportunities to walk without diapers are more suitable. During this process, one should not be tense, try to observe the child's feelings, focus on the subject, and remember that every child can be different, so flexibility is necessary.

Language Usage in Toilet Habit

The language used in the process of acquiring toilet habit is crucial.

When inviting your child to use the toilet, always use clear, understandable, short, and positive sentences such as "you can go to the toilet and sit on the toilet/potty." If the child tends to reject positive sentences constantly (which is highly likely around the age of two, known as the first stage of adolescence, where situations such as stubbornness, doing the opposite of what is asked, rejection, and polarization are common), you can use gentle but encouraging sentences like "if you need to pee, you should go to the toilet and sit on the toilet/potty." Never force your child to go to the toilet and poop/pee using negative sentences such as "you have to go to the toilet and poop/pee right now." In situations where the child wets themselves during the toilet process, instead of calling it an "accident," make small explanations like "you should poop/pee on the toilet/potty" and help them understand that a wet garment needs to be changed. Remain calm under all circumstances, and never lose control of your emotions, always remembering that you are modeling for your child with your own behavior.

Is My Child Ready to Acquire Toilet Habit?

Children need to reach a certain neurological and emotional development to recognize that they need to go to the toilet and

 reach the toilet by themselves. The rectum and anus gain these features as early as 18 months, while the bladder and urethra do so at 24 months. Girls can achieve toilet training a few months earlier than boys. Therefore, trying to toilet train before these ages would be incorrect. Signs indicating that the child is ready for toilet training should be evaluated before starting. If parents or caregivers have good interactions with the child, they may have observed these signs. There are physical, mental, and spiritual signs indicating that the child is ready, as shown in the table below.

During this process, parents should also be prepared to provide toilet training to their child. This includes understanding the appropriate timing for the child, being able to perceive whether the child is ready, ensuring there are no stressors within the family, and discussing the matter with other caregivers involved in the child's care to reach a consensus.

In general, children should not be pushed too hard for toilet training. Toilet habituation is a natural process in a child's development, and they should acquire this habit at a comfortable pace. It's important for the child's age and readiness for the necessary skills to use the toilet to be appropriate, and during these sensitive periods of development, being aware of their own bodily functions and feeling strong enough to accomplish this reduces the likelihood of distress. Occasional accidents during the toilet training period are not "failures" but rather a way for the child to develop a sense of needing to use the toilet and to learn not to feel comfortable with wet diapers or clothes, and it's part of the process of acquiring toilet habits. Even children who have received toilet training may have accidents until the age of 4-5. There may be regressions during stressful times. Encouraging tolerance for these regressions is beneficial.