Why we stopped picking a “method” and started picking the child instead.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re deep in the middle of choosing a childcare centre — and if you’re anything like most parents I meet, it feels like a bigger decision than anyone warned you about. You want to get it right. You’re comparing websites, reading reviews, maybe feeling a bit guilty for not having a strong opinion yet on Montessori versus Reggio Emilia. I get it. So let me try to make this a little easier.
You’ve probably run into a wall of names — Montessori, Reggio Emilia, play-based, emergent curriculum, intentional teaching. Every centre seems to pick a flag and fly it.
And look, there’s good reason for that. Montessori is brilliant for building independence and focus. Reggio-inspired learning is wonderful for creativity and getting kids to really think together. Play-based learning lets children explore and work things out for themselves. Intentional teaching is about an educator knowing exactly when to step in and when to get out of the way.
Here’s the thing though — after years of doing this, I don’t think any one of these is “the answer.” They’re each brilliant at different things. A Montessori-style setup tends to build concentration and self-control. A Reggio-style setup tends to build social thinking and creativity. Different tools, different jobs.
And kids aren’t all the same job.
Some children light up when you leave them alone with something interesting — they’ll sit there for twenty minutes completely absorbed. Others need a friend next to them, or a conversation, or someone to say “come try this with me.” Some kids will dive straight into a new activity. Others need a bit of a nudge, or a familiar face beside them first. And honestly, the same child can need both of those things in the same day — sometimes the same hour.
So when people ask which “method” we use, my honest answer is: whichever one actually fits the kid in front of us.
That’s really the whole philosophy here. We work within the Early Years Learning Framework, which is the national standard every Australian service is built on — it’s about belonging, wellbeing, identity and learning. But inside that, a good educator doesn’t just run one script. They borrow what works. Not randomly, and not because something’s trendy — because it’s actually going to help that child.
To do that properly, you have to genuinely know the kids. Not just their names and allergies — their interests, what makes them tick, how they like to communicate, what they’re quietly working on getting better at. And then you have to actually do something with that — change up the environment, pull out the right resource at the right moment, sit down and ask the right question, or throw in a bit more challenge when someone’s ready for it.
Honestly, execution matters more than the philosophy on the wall
I’ll be blunt about this one, because I think it gets glossed over a lot: a gorgeous, Pinterest-worthy classroom means nothing if the educators in it aren’t switched on. “Child-led” can quietly turn into “no one’s really doing anything” if educators aren’t actively building on what kids are doing. And a tightly structured program can just as easily choke curiosity if staff follow the plan more closely than they follow the child.
It’s also worth knowing — and this genuinely surprises people — that “Montessori” isn’t a protected name. Any centre can slap it on the sign whether or not they’re actually running it properly. So the label on the door really doesn’t tell you much. What happens inside the room is the whole story.
The question I’d actually ask, if I were you
Forget asking which method a centre follows. Ask this instead:
“How will you get to know my child — and how will that actually change what their day looks like?”
That question tells you more than any brochure will. The best early education isn’t fully child-led, and it isn’t fully adult-led either. It’s kids bringing their curiosity and ideas, and educators bringing the judgement to know what to do with them.
Because at the end of the day, the best program was never really the one written down on paper. It’s the one that actually happens, every day, for the actual kid in the room.
And if you’re still not sure which centre that is for your family — that’s completely okay too. Take your time, ask the awkward questions, and trust what you feel when you walk in the door. You know your child better than any brochure ever could.
