what is a montessori storytime?

I have worked in public libraries for almost 12 years. However, prior to my current librarian position, I worked at a Montessori school in the toddler (18-36mo.) classroom. This experience with the Montessori method of education has completely changed the way I approach my work as a librarian, and in particular, how I approach storytime.

So, what does a Montessori Storytime look like? Here are some general guidelines I give myself to help make my storytimes more in line with the Montessori approach to educating the young child:

• Focus topics, stories, and songs that fit what the children seem to be interested in, following their lead.
• Observe children's reactions and engagement in storytime.
• Choose books that include a diverse representation of characters (my new rule for myself is that at least 1 of the books I read needs to a feature a non-white human character).
• Choose books that focus on real, concrete things. For example, I don't often choose to read about mythical creatures or "characters" -- but that's not to say I never do. I just turn my focus to "real" characters, as toddlers are not able to understand the abstract nature of mythical creatures, etc. and this can be confusing for them.
• Choose books with real photographs when possible.
• Choose songs and rhymes that are also based in real/concrete concepts and that are inclusive
• Give children real-life examples using props. For example, if we read/sing about mittens, show a real pair of mittens.
• Avoid phrases like "good job" or "great work" -- these phrases are often discouraged in Montessori approach because it puts adults in the position of rewarding children for their work, which could potentially lead to a child working only to please the adult. In Montessori philosophy, we encourage children to be proud of their work for themselves. Other phrases I try to use are: "you did it!" and "wow! I can tell you've been working hard on learning the words to that song!" 
• Encourage the adult caregivers of the children attending storytime to provide practical at-home applications of the concepts we talked about at storytime that help give the child new opportunities to be independent and build perseverance.