William Wordsworth has rightly said, “The child is the father of the man”. The learning capability and inquisitiveness that a child has within is far more limitless compared to a grown up adult. While grown-ups get tied down with the crowd mentality most of the times, children spend most of their time exploring the thrills of their out-of-the-box mind.
Now, this aspect of childhood is very crucial for a child’s development- mentally, emotionally and physically. Children have to be nurtured in such a way that they are able to express their thoughts and actions freely so that they can align them towards achieving greater horizons.
“Any child who is self-sufficient, who can tie his shoes, dress or undress himself, reflects in his joy and sense of achievement the image of human dignity, which is derived from a sense of independence.” – Maria Montessori
The foundation to develop this thought process in them is laid by increasing the attention span in a young student, using practical-life exercises. These exercises in the practical labs satisfy the innate need of the child to be independent. Though these activities may seem insignificant, they are the cornerstone for academic activity. They help in developing motor skills, coordination, independence, concentration and above all, a sense of responsibility.
Even in Excelsior American School, we have Montessori in Pre-primary and Primary grades wherein they are exposed to various life-skills. The tasks are meant to be engaging, hence the child spends a considerable amount of time on activities and sometimes repeats the task until he or she masters it independently. This entire ordeal is to facilitate them to enjoy and learn from this beautiful journey of self-inspired learning. Because without inculcating the fundamental learning the attitude in a child, it becomes very difficult to build a strong foundation upon which the child can prosper.
Self-inspired learning is an attitude which helps the child to become a lifelong learner. Textbooks may or may not be there, technology might change rapidly, but that self-motivated and self-driven attitude to learn will really keep them ahead on their learning curve.
