|
At Headstart Montessori we follow the Montessori Curriculum, and ensure that all lessons are planned well in advance for each individual child. Over and above the individual planning for each child, careful planning and consideration is made regarding the classroom environment and how it is divided into several areas of study for:
The Montessori curriculum incorporates specially designed equipment that the children are naturally attracted to. Each piece of equipment is scientifically designed to suit each learning area. Through the equipment the child can learn through their own personal experiences, all Montessori equipment has a built in a “control of error”, whereby the child can correct themselves without the intervention of an adult. The intention of the materials is not to keep the children dependent on these learning aids forever; they are used as tools to help children work and learn at their own pace, to see abstract ideas presented in a very concrete, three-dimensional way, and to help them grasp and understand what they are working on.
"...the fundamental principle in education is correlation of all
subjects, and their centralisation in the cosmic plan" Practical Life Through the Practical Life curriculum, children are given the opportunity to work through exercises that relate to real life tasks that foster independence, coordination, order and concentration. Practical Life can be seen as the ‘doorway’ to the Montessori curriculum. The Practical Life area is the first area that the child is introduced to when he enters a Montessori school and it is the link between home and school. The child is drawn towards activities that he sees adults performing in the home. Some examples of Practical Life exercises include spooning, pouring, cleaning, sweeping, etc. There are four main areas to Practical Life:
The exercises of Practical Life lay the foundation for the child for every area in the school. Through these exercises the child builds up skills, abilities and concentration. These exercises assist the child on every plane of development – physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual. They help the child to perfect his movements.
The exercises of Practical Life are purposeful and real, they introduce the child to a complete cycle of activity, since all exercises have a beginning, middle and end. Overall the Practical Life area leads the child towards developing inner construction of discipline, organization skills, building self-esteem and ultimately assists them on their path towards independence. Sensorial Dr. Montessori spoke of the Sensorial work as being the “keys to the universe” and the "doorway to the mind." Through sensory learning not only does the child develop their sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin) but they develop the starting point for intellectual growth and assist the child in better understanding their environment. A child’s intelligence is built through their senses, and through the use of their hands they are able to explore their environment and learn from it.
The Sensorial area brings together the body and mind and this is a vitally important aspect of the child’s development since one cannot fully function without the other. The Sensorial area allows the child to order his impressions of his world and to classify and categorise each new experience.
Dr. Maria Montessori believed that by helping children to order,
compare and classify sensory stimulation, their intellectual
development would be greatly assisted and future learning would
be more meaningful and useful. The Sensorial exercises fascinate
children because they are difficult enough to represent a real
and meaningful challenge. Working through the Sensorial
Curriculum, children are better prepared for future learning in
mathematics, language, and cultural studies.
Mathematics Dr. Maria Montessori believed in working from the concrete to the abstract and from simple to more complex. She believed that children learnt by doing rather than by being told. In the Mathematics area we always present a concept or idea in the concrete form, ensuring that the child has a clear, hands-on understanding. The central purpose of the Math materials in the early years is to lay the foundation for later cognitive development and to prepare for the gradual transition to abstract thinking. Dr. Maria Montessori believed that a structural sequence is necessary because Mathematics is a sequential subject.
The Montessori mathematics equipment offer a variety of exercises that introduce children to mathematics in a manner that makes it a fun, logical, concrete learning experience for them. There is a correct time to introduce the child to a particular concept and it is through constant observation that the Montessori directress is able to determine when a child is ready to be introduced to the equipment and exercises. Once the child has been presented with a particular exercise they have the opportunity and freedom to work at their own pace and repeat an exercise as many times as they need to. Repetition of work helps the child to internalize the concepts.
Children who learn mathematics by rote method do not often have a real understanding or ability to put their skills to use in everyday life. Through the Montessori Mathematics Curriculum students use hands-on learning materials that make abstract concepts clear and concrete. The children are introduced to addition, multiplication, subtraction, division, fractions and various other mathematical concepts.
Language The entire Montessori classroom revolves around language development. The child passes through various sensitive periods for language during their pre-school years and it is vitally important that the child individual needs are met during these periods. In all the Montessori learning areas we promote vocabulary development, communication skills, reading and writing. In the Montessori Language curriculum we introduce the child to the phonetic alphabet, word attack skills and reading, as well as materials for the refinement of fine motor control necessary for writing.
Writing precedes reading in a Montessori environment, the children explore with drawing and forming letters. When the child starts the reading program they first begin by exploring the sounds that compile words and by relating them to the letters of the alphabet. Soon they are able to produces words and sentences with ease and in the meantime they train their hand to become precise and controlled for writing.
Children are also introduced to the parts of speech, grammar and
the mechanics of writing. The Language materials are attractive
and appeal to the child, therefore children enjoy the learning
process.
Dr. Montessori said that the child can “acquire culture at a much earlier age than is generally supposed, but his way of taking in knowledge is by certain kinds of activity which involve movement. Only by action can the child learn at this age.” The Montessori approach advocates active learning as the most effective way for the child to learn and develop. In order for the child to learn about the world around them, they need to make use of their senses and their hands. Therefore, when we present the child to the cultural studies we encourage active participation, we have group discussions, listen to and play musical instruments, go for nature walks, visit museums, participate in arts and crafts and where ever possible, bring in the real objects, plants or animals. We are fortunate at Headstart to have small farm animals that our children care for. The care and respect that the children display towards our animals brings about a greater understanding for responsibility and aids their cultural learning program.
There is an entire world awaiting the child and Dr. Montessori said that the adult should not be afraid to expose the child to nature in order to assist their development and expose them to the great lessons of life. Nature is a greatest teacher, as it teaches about cause and effect and ultimately, about respect.
“…a child needs to live naturally and not simply have a
knowledge of nature. The most important thing to do is to free
the child, if possible, from the ties which keep him isolated in
the artificial life of a city.” |
Practical Life 
