Montessori, when spelt in Italian, means “little teacher”. Many international schools follow the Montessori Preschool curriculum, which was founded by Dr Maria Montessori, an Italian Physicist.
Dr Maria believed that observing children’s real-life situations would best teach them what to study. Following this belief, her method uses hands-on learning activities, often without the use of textbooks.
The method is meant to foster creativity and independent thought while developing motor skills and concentration. This methodology has been taken up across the world by different schools and is considered a revolutionary method of teaching young children.
The curriculum is also intended to provide children with experiences that provide intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development. The Montessori program also ensures that children get a strong academic foundation to pursue top education boards like CBSE, IB and the Cambridge IGCSE in their later years.
What Happens Inside a Montessori Preschool?
Conventionally, we associate preschool education with a bunch of toys and games. The children play and learn – that is it – right? Well – no – that’s not it.
The Montessori education theory is one that has been used for generations in the past. It only makes sense that when one looks for Montessori schools in Kuala Lumpur, they would be looking for something different to International schools in Malaysia.
That is because the Montessori schools name their techniques differently, but essentially vouches to provide ‘authentic learning’ to their learners in Kuala Lumpur.
A Child-Centered Approach to Teaching
A Montessori method is a child-centered approach to preschool teaching. Hence, in the Montessori classrooms, the children are given the freedom to choose what they want to learn from many tools and materials provided which help them to gain confidence and help them learn better.
The Montessori classroom is a child-centered planned environment where children engage in meaningful activities for a long period of time. These activities are carefully designed with a view to developing a certain quality of the child.
Tools that are used in Montessori Classroom
Maths
There are many different materials used in Montessori math. They are all valuable learning tools that are part of the Montessori math curriculum. Elementary math lessons can include practical life materials, books, number beads, counting sticks, cards, blocks, board games and manipulatives.
These tools help children develop muscle memory and improve their sense of touch in relation to numbers. They help the mind to see why math is important and how using these tools can prepare children for future math concepts.
English
Montessori English learning materials help children in learning English as it is used worldwide. It is because all children follow the same pattern of education and usually follow the same path to learn the language. This helps them learn faster as all children use similar techniques to learn a language.
They also make use of visual learning aids like Phonics, sandpaper letters, vocabulary cards, movable alphabets, rhyme cards, sentence building cards that aid in providing your kid with the best environment to learn English in a fun way.
The Montessori Plus Programme
GIIS’ (GMP) Global Montessori Program is a Montessori preschool curriculum for young children, integrated with the principles of Maria Montessori education and modern technologies.
The Plus in the curriculum adds that extra value and provides a highly engaging teaching curriculum targeting key areas of child development. The program is a very specialised approach to education. They believe in the dignity of all people, and so they work towards providing value for each individual. Their programmes are designed with the students’ best interest at heart, believing that each child is capable of learning anything they desire.
The programme of five strong pillars provides high-quality education that develops the language, literacy, numeracy, emotional, universal values and creative skills of children. Students are given exceptional opportunities to develop their learning skills through Multiple Intelligences and Futuristic pedagogy.
The Five Pillars of the GMP Programme
The Montessori program is rooted in five basic principles that are essential to the formation of a child’s mind. These foundational pillars are based on independent and critical thinking, responsibility, social awareness, and preparedness.
Excelerate Program
This approach is well-designed to enhance language fluency with outstanding activities like reading, writing, speaking, listening, and numeracy skills and math-based activities. Our qualified teachers create a fun and happy environment that fosters confidence and love for learning among children and give them the necessary tools to be well prepared for the future.
Multi-Faceted Learning
This kind of learning creates an environment in which the students are working on multiple areas of development simultaneously. This includes physical skills, social skills, and cognitive development that helps them stand out in a highly competitive world.
Through the method, the teachers create interesting activities tailored to match a child’s personal interests and strengths. Furthermore, the refreshing learning environment helps foster positive attitudes in a relaxed and safe platform.
iPlay Programme
Here the students are given superlative opportunities to interact and learn to play with peers making their own choices of play. This program plays an integral part in students’ learning and promotes their extraordinary skills like independence, cooperation, and management.
iCare Program
In the present scenario, inculcating values like love and care towards community and environment plays a vital role in shaping a child’s future. This pillar believes that children learn by doing and this belief has been incorporated in GMP’s curriculum.
Future Ready Programme
The Future Ready Programme aims to prepare students for life in a globally interconnected world through a holistic, cutting-edge approach to learning. Students acquire the 21st Century skills and attitudes needed to successfully navigate a rapidly changing economy and a highly interconnected society.
Students are exposed to education approaches like Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM).
How is Montessori Beneficial for Children who Wish to Pursue Cambridge’s IGCSE, IB and CBSE
Montessori is an evidence-based learning method that has proven its efficiency and effectiveness to the world and the same has been largely accepted by all leading countries and its curricula of the world. National and International curricula like the CBSE, IB and the Cambridge IGCSE need children to adapt to innovative pedagogies to excel in intellect, insightful, tuned abilities to enable them to head towards a finer future.
Conclusion
The Montessori method is loved by parents and preferred by many preschools, especially in Kuala Lumpur. The Montessori preschool method follows a pre-defined sequence of learning activities. It focuses on child development through practical life exercises, prepared environments and global awareness.
