No. It is only a Toddler Program where the child enters the classroom independent of the parent. However the parent or guardian will accompany the child till the classroom and wait outside the class till the child is settled.
This would vary from child to child. It may take 1 week to even 2/3 month’s time.
A Montessori School is a school that uses the philosophy and method developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. More about it can be found on our “What is Montessori?” page.
Montessori emphasizes learning through all five senses. Children in Montessori classes learn at their own, individual pace and according to their own choice of activities from lots of possibilities. The are not required to sit and listen to a teacher, but are engaged in individual or group activities of their own, with materials that have been introduced to them 1:1 by the teacher who knows what each child is ready to do. Learning is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning.
When Dr. Montessori opened the first Children’s House it was full of pretend play things. The children never played with them as long as they were allowed to do real things – i.e. cooking instead of pretending to cook. It is still true and hence we do not encourage pretend play.
The materials teach specific things and then the creativity is inevitable. Like learning how to handle color pencils and color with them. It is not considered “creative” to use color pencils as drum sticks and hit them on any surface. We consider it “creative” to learn how to use the pencils properly and then create art. The same goes for the materials in a Montessori classroom.
Yes. The Montessori method has been used successfully for nearly 100 years with children of all socio-economic levels, of all academic abilities, and from all ethnic backgrounds. We support children in working at their own pace to reach their fullest potential. Because work is individualized, there is no limit to what the child can achieve.
Ans: Maria Montessori believed that each child has her own pace of learning, thus one child maybe more advanced in math whereas the other would be proficient in language. In a mixed age group, children share their knowledge with each other thus enabling faster and joyful learning and development. Younger children learn discipline and responsibility by copying older children and older children understand their development so far seeing younger children, and try to set good examples.
For behavioural management, we have decided not to use bribery, sad faces, names and public shame or blame. The first course of action is to have a private word with the child. This is usually enough and we find out the cause of the behaviour and acknowledge it. Any formal action taken is also private. We have the peace rose concept for resolving disputes. It allows each child to state their case by giving a rose to the opponent and negotiate a settlement. Though this sounds very idealistic, with support we make it a reality in our classroom.
The child benefits the most with a close partnership between the teacher and the parent. We regularly hold Parent-Teacher meetings and encourage parents to get involved in their child’s education. We routinely hold Montessori workshops where parents can work with the material themselves to be acquainted with their child’s learning.