Montessori is one of the most sought-after teaching methods in India. It is a program where children learn through freedom of exploration to mastering the concept. Most of the international schools in Gurgaon follow the Montessori approach to encourage not just the academic development, but also the social and emotional well-being of a child. By now, you must be wondering what does Montessori education look like! Let’s start by understanding the philosophy of Montessori education.
Concept of Montessori Education
“Help me do it myself” – Motto of Montessori Education.
The foundation of Montessori education lies in the “hands-on learning” approach and collaborative play. It means children learn about the world around them through play and their experiences. At Excelsior American school, students are encouraged to take charge and excel. The aim of this type of education is to help the child become self-sufficient and maximize his/her potential.
Maria Montessori- Who is she?
The person behind the Montessori approach is Dr. Maria Montessori who studied children from various backgrounds for over 50 years. She strongly believed that children learn at their own pace through their own experiences. The main idea is to work towards the healthy psychological development of a child where the facilitator is just a guide.
How Montessori Schools are Making a Difference?
Montessori schools prioritise the use of materials, toys, activities and environment that works for the complete development of a child. Montessori schools like the Excelsior American school believe that each child is capable of learning on its own. Research shows that students who went to Montessori schools have greater social and behavioural skills. Another study found that Montessori students are more creative and choose positive responses for dealing with various situations.
However, determining the best place to send your kid, whether to one of the top Montessori schools in Gurgaon or other playschools can be a challenge for most parents. But it doesn’t have to be! Below are some of the differences between the traditional approach and Montessori education to help you make an informed decision.
1. Multi-Age Classrooms:
In Montessori classrooms, children of various age groups come together to gain experiences through mutual learning. The older children become the leaders whereas the younger ones follow them. Besides boosting confidence in the elder kids and providing comfortable learning environment for the little tots, Montessori program encourages learning through relationship-building and trust. Montessori-based international schools in Gurgaon have classrooms that are secular in nature so that each child’s strengths and interests are nurtured.
In traditional pre-schools, typically, children are of the same age group. They follow a predetermined classroom schedule to regulate behaviour and school decorum. Learning is usually based on repetition and reward, which lets experience take the back seat.
2. Discover, Explore and Learn:
In an AMI-accredited Montessori school like Excelsior American School, children are empowered to explore and discover. They follow the ‘hands-on learning’ approach where time is given to understand the concept and master it for lifetime. There are age-appropriate activities where children work in groups and individually, to learn and develop their utmost potential. The top Montessori schools in Gurgaon recognise that all kids do not learn in the same manner.
In a traditional kindergarten school, children learn the same thing at the same time. They too follow the hands-on learning to explore the concept, but the pace is determined as per the capabilities of the majority of children. With the unbalanced teacher-student ratio, students usually are the passive listeners and observers.
3. Specially Trained ‘Observers’:
For any school, teachers are the lifeline. But variation has been found in this principle between Montessori and traditional schools as well.
Montessorians believe that a child is capable of learning on his own irrespective of the age. A child is usually presented with a set of alternatives to find the solution from and not just open-ended questions. Montessori teachers are also hard to spot in the classroom. They act as guide or observers who assist children on one-on-one basis while pursuing activities.
Whereas, in traditional playschools, they have teacher-guided classes as students are of the same age group. This means it is the teacher who determines the play and plan of the day for the kids.
The Snippet While there is a difference between the international schools in Gurgaon who follow Montessori concept and traditional approach, there is no denying to the fact that the ultimate goal of education is ‘love for knowledge’.
