What is the Montessori Program?
The Montessori method of teaching was first introduced in the early 1900s by an Italian educator, physician and scientist called Dr.Maria Montessori.
She devised a curriculum that piqued the interest of young children and compelled them to explore the different puzzles, flash cards and hands-on learning tools that were a part of the Montessori learning environment.
She also made a deep observation that children learn best when they have the freedom to explore and engage in their surroundings rather than being fed information verbally that is typical to a traditional teaching environment.
The Montessori Program is specifically designed to cater to the needs of children and help them initiate their learning process independently and derive insights and understand concepts by self-experimentation.
The Montessori program is now a world renowned curriculum that is imparted in some of the best Singapore schools.
Montessori Schools in Singapore
The advantage one gets in a Montessori Singapore school apart from the curriculum itself is the high standard of education the city’s government compels the schools to follow and the best practices that most International schools adapt to, in terms of facilities, faculty, safety and the learning environment.
There are wonderful spaces for children to learn and engage inside the school campus and the teachers are warm and welcoming which enables children to reduce their anxiety levels to a large extent.
Some of the best Singapore schools are known to include a well rounded program based on Montessori curriculum that caters to a child’s developmental process in several areas like sports, community awareness, performing arts like singing and dancing and storytelling shows.
Montessori schools also include environmental awareness as an important aspect of learning to make young children aware of the importance of conserving and caring for our surroundings.
Benefits of the Montessori Approach
Dr. Maria Montessori also emphasized on how children become more calm and collected with increased concentration levels while inside a Montessori classroom.
Therefore, it is well acknowledged that there are many important benefits of the Montessori method of teaching as it helps students to channel their energies into something positive and engaging.
Let’s look at a few features of a Montessori school that can benefit young children to a large extent.
Montessori Approach to Hands-on learning
If you enter a typical Montessori classroom, you might understand the idea behind several learning stations that are easily accessible to young children.
A classroom that has so many interesting activities to offer will surely increase a child’s inquisitive mind and the fact that they have the freedom to choose and explore will ebb their confidence and their love for knowledge.
Montessori tools are built to imbibe different foundational concepts that help children understand the differences in shapes, sizes, space, height, weight, colours, and much more.
The students are never pressured to finish their activities in a hurry and this is an added advantage as different children have different paces while learning a new concept. This hands-on experience makes them independent, not just in academic pursuits but also in their daily chores and activities.
Better social interaction
This is another important benefit that is imbibed in students of a Montessori school. In a Montessori classroom, there are students who belong to three different age groups and this mixed age setup has a lot of benefits for young children.
The elder children act as role models to the younger ones , and very often, children observe their elder peers and learn new tricks and tips while handling new Montessori tools.
This positive impact is further enhanced during group activities and group plays where children pick new ways of communication and new skill-sets from each other.
A deep love for learning
Children tend to have an innate curiosity in them and a Montessori approach of learning feeds the curiosity by providing the right tools and materials. It is important to help a child discover new interests and passions that will open up new doors in terms of their cognitive learning outcomes.
A Montessori school knows how to make learning fun for children of these ages and provides an inspiring environment to help them flourish. The teachers inside a Montessori classroom are supportive and encouraging and this aspect helps children feel safe and secure and enables them to indulge in their activities.
This further develops into a deep love for learning new things and children are more enthusiastic to adapt to new changes as well.
Early childhood education in Private schools with a holistic approach
The focus of Montessori schools is to provide early childhood education that is child-centred and that aims to help children in emotional, physical, intellectual and social development. This holistic environment is very necessary to make sure children grow with a healthy mind and a positive attitude.
The Montessori method of teaching doesn’t just give children a strong academic foundation but also gives them the self-awareness and the confidence to take on new things and handle different situations with ease.
This attitude is a blessing, especially when children grow up into adults and pursue professional careers or choose to become successful entrepreneurs of the 21st century.
Conclusion
These were some wonderful features and benefits of the Montessori curriculum that is so well received in Singapore Schools.
Having understood the positive effects of such an environment, parents can make better decisions when it comes to picking the right kind of education for their young ones.
Early childhood education in Private schools with the robust Montessori curriculum can indeed be a boon to most parents!
