The Montessori model of preschool education is widespread. It is also quite effective on and above the regular and traditional modes of education. Today, learning is imparted in various ways. Moreover, there are quite a few different methods of teaching. The most renowned amongst them is leading the path to improvement of life skills in children. That is the reason why you will find so many schools coming up.
Montessori schools are doing great. However, it would help if you read through this guide before you invest your hard-earned money.
Investment
Just like any other business, you need to invest some money in the Montessori school. You can apply for bank loans if you do not have the capital. There are various types of Montessori schools. Some are funded publicly, some are private, and others are philanthropic. You can also partner with someone to start yours. You have to spend money upfront either on the purchase or rent of a property. Moreover, you have to buy special equipment and create the interiors in tandem with Montessori guidelines. These are a few initial costs that you have to bear, in addition to licensing and permits.
Location and Refurbishment
Finding a suitable location for your Montessori school is important. So, it would be best if you looked out for advertisements in the local dailies or online to find a location. You might need to search for a residential area where there are lots of children. That will give you a ready market to get the business going. You can also source a place close to the markets to make your school visible to people, and you can benefit from word-of-mouth advertising. Apart from such areas, you can also concentrate on areas like business zones. Today, both parents work. So, it is important to keep the child in a safe place. Your Montessori school can be one. This way, you can also convert it into daycare.
Now, considering that you have a suitable place, you have to refurbish it per Montessori guidelines. Get customized closet systems for your classrooms. It would be best if you stored games, toys, books, and Montessori apparatus as well. Moreover, the ones that you get in the market may not suit your school. So, it is imperatives that you get them made according to your decor requirements. You might need to keep valuables at times, so the security of the cupboard is of utmost importance. Also, don’t forget to install proper fire alarms and CCTV cameras.
Recruitment
It would help if you recruited the right teachers for your school, too. You can approach the American Montessori Society for the same. Other training colleges are a good option, as well. The chosen ones should have completed 200-600 training hours. They should also know about child development and teaching pedagogy. You can induct them temporarily initially. If you find that they are good with children and handling things well, recruit them full-time.
Besides, the teachers should also be able to work with Montessori materials. Get personal references from known acquaintances. They will help you to get the best ones with the right reviews. Apart from teachers, it would help if you also had non-teaching staff for your school. They include guards, nurses, and sweepers. The administrative staff is also required if you have scaled up considerably. So, you can also contact recruitment firms for such employees.
Curriculum
The Montessori curriculum is already set. However, it is not mandatory to follow the same flow. You can create your own specialty with the Montessori system of education in your mind. You can get approval from the necessary boards after you are done with developing a syllabus or guidelines for education. Since children of age 2-5 can come to Montessori schools, there will be 3-4 different variations of the basic curriculum. You also need to keep all the apparatus and suitable play materials handy. Montessori mode of education is more about playing and learning. So, you have to keep all this in mind while creating the program structure.
Marketing and Promotion
After you are done with all the above, you need to put up hoardings. You can also circulate information about the school online. Today, most parents go by online reviews. So, this is a good way to promote and engage. In the beginning, you can also organize drawing and dance competition-like activities for your prospective students. Once the parents come and see your infrastructure, they might take a positive decision in your favor. Create brochures online. These online resources can help parents understand you better.
You can also try to visit some neighborhood Montessori schools. Then you can gain the idea and confidence to deliver the best education from your school. And this will reflect in your interactions. Be successful as a Montessori school owner today.
