The need and importance of early childhood education have always been greatly recognized all over the world, and especially in Singapore. It is believed that children acquire most of their personal and social habits before the age of 6.
Early environmental stimulation helps in the cognitive development of the children, and if they are provided with early formalized experiences through play then their creative ability is also enhanced. And this is where the Montessori curriculum plays an important role in the overall development of children during the early years.
The Montessori Method is a way of educating children that were created by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori. It is based on the idea that children are naturally curious, and if given the proper environment, will want to learn for themselves.
Montessori education is not just about teachers training their students; it’s about letting children educate themselves. Teachers are more like guides than lecturers. In other words, in a Montessori preschool, the teacher’s job is to introduce children to new concepts, and then step out of the way so they can explore those concepts on their own.
Montessori Preschool Education in Punggol, Singapore
Education is one of the most important things in a child’s life. It is an essential part of their young development. In addition to providing education to kids, a preschool should be able to provide a fun, comfortable environment for children to learn and explore things.
In Punggol, Singapore, there are many preschools available for parents to choose from. These preschools can be broadly categorized into two major types: Montessori preschools and non-Montessori preschools.
There are various benefits of choosing a Montessori preschool over a non-Montessori one. Montessori preschool education in Singapore is one of the best preschool programs. The success of Montessori schools in Singapore lies in their ability to help children develop independence, self-discipline, and a sense of responsibility towards their actions.
In Punggol, Singapore a Montessori preschool consists of the following features:
● Classrooms with a mix of ages encourage peer learning (younger kids learn from older kids, and the older children emphasize their own learning by teaching the younger kids).
● The children are free to pick their own activities (with supervision and guidance from teachers).
● The classroom is set up in a specific way.
● Specially created learning materials for the children.
● Teachers that have completed their training at approved Montessori training centres and have been certified by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI).
● There are no grades or tests.
● Emphasis is placed on four major areas: practical life, sensory, language, and mathematics.
Benefit of Montessori Preschool on the Overall Development Of Children
Montessori classrooms are carefully planned spaces that cater to the requirements of children of a given age group. Dr Maria Montessori observed that experiential learning led to a stronger grasp of language, mathematics, physics, music, social relationships, and much more in this sort of classroom.
Every item in a Montessori classroom contributes to a child’s development by matching the child’s natural interests to the activities provided. Children may learn at their own speed and via their own experiences. They may react to the innate interests that all humans have at any time and lay a solid basis for lifelong learning.
Here are 10 reasons how the Montessori method benefits little children:
Montessori Develops Mathematical Skills of Children
You’ll discover a variety of blocks, beads, and other learning items at a Montessori preschool to assist youngsters to learn the principles of arithmetic. Children utilise a number board to practise counting to one hundred, and they may quickly memorise the difference between numbers by utilising strings of beads from the decanomial box.
The emphasis, as with other Montessori preschool materials, is not just on rote memory, but rather on a self-directed approach to math that is both enjoyable and instructional. This makes it easier for children in Punggol, Singapore who study in a Montessori environment to make a smooth transition to a primary school in Punggol.
Enhanced Social Development
Children are grouped by age in a Montessori classroom and are encouraged to collaborate and aid one another. This learning environment’s structure enables children to share and collaborate in order to study different aspects of the Montessori curriculum.
Children learn to respect one another, acquire collaborative problem-solving abilities, and create a sense of community as a result of the nature of the classroom setting.
Children Learn to Become Self-Motivated and Independent
The Montessori atmosphere is designed to help children achieve. The Children’s House is built to promote independence, coordination, concentration, and order, all of which aid in the development of focus, attention span, and a desire to study.
A Montessori education assists a child in becoming self-sufficient, realising their full potential, gaining confidence, and becoming a lifelong learners. With Montessori’s emphasis on independence, it’s only natural that a child’s drive originates from the inside.
Also Read: How to Choose the Best Singapore International School Providing Montessori Education?
Children Develop Better Language Skills
Phonics, a reading approach that allows a child to acquire the sounds of letters by gaining a knowledge of how these sounds are employed singly, in groups, and in complete words, is the foundation of Montessori language instruction. Montessori preschools not only teach the alphabet but also use phonics to help children learn and recognise sounds, allowing them to succeed in using letters together.
The Montessori Method includes several novel methods to language skills to assist children to achieve better language fluency than their classmates in standard preschool environments.
Better Eye-Hand Coordination in Children
A Montessori preschool’s hands-on approach to manipulating blocks, solving puzzles, and other activities promotes good hand-eye coordination and lays the groundwork for strong spatial reasoning abilities.
For example, the geography puzzles are utilised not only to assist youngsters to learn about continents and landmasses but also how to fit them together into the globe’s shape.
Children Develop a Lifelong Love for Learning
The majority of the learning activities in a Montessori preschool are customised, which means that each kid participates in a learning task that he finds appealing since it is tailored to his requirements and degree of preparation.
As a result, he works at his own pace, repeating the task as much as he wishes, resulting in a string of successes. In this manner, a child develops a favourable attitude toward learning.
Children Learn Practical Life Skills
In a Montessori Preschool, children are taught a variety of Practical Life activities to help them develop coordination, enhance focus, and learn fundamental life skills. Learning how to tie shoes, wash hands and dishes, water plants, and participate in a range of arts and crafts activities are all examples of practical life activities that children take an active part in.
Children Learn to Become Self-Disciplined
Children clean up after themselves, put away their own learning materials, and put on their own jackets and shoes at a Montessori preschool. Montessori teaches children to take ownership and responsibility for themselves and their surroundings, resulting in more thoughtful, helpful, disciplined and responsible youngsters.
Children Develop a Love for Music
Music helps children develop linguistic abilities, problem-solving skills, movement coordination, and much more at an early age. Children, like adults, enjoy moving, dancing, and listening to music, and music plays an essential role in the Montessori preschool curriculum. The matching bells exercise is one example of this, which helps toddlers distinguish sounds and pitches.
Children Develop a Love for Art
In a Montessori Preschool, children are surrounded by art in the form of crafts, sketching, and other activities. Color, forms, and a variety of mediums are utilised to teach a variety of ideas and to emphasise the differences between various sizes, numbers, and letters.
Children are inherently creative, and in a Montessori preschool’s self-directed setting, they are given several opportunities to produce preschool artistic masterpieces.
Transitioning from a Montessori Preschool to a Primary School in Punggol
In Punggol, Singapore many parents worry that their children who are accustomed to the Montessori methodologies will find it difficult to transition to a normal primary school in Punggol. However, that is not the case. Many happy parents believe Montessori taught their children critical thinking abilities and independence, as well as a good foundation in reading, writing, and math.
After attending a Montessori school, some children may find it difficult to adjust to the rigidity of desks and homework, but children are remarkably flexible, and the strong foundation and educational curiosity frequently appear to win out.
As a matter of fact, many Montessori preschools have built an atmosphere that is designed to assist children to transfer more smoothly into Punggol’s primary school system while retaining the Montessori method’s flexible style and distinctive supplies.
Conclusion
Parents of young children want to feel safe and comfortable when they leave their children in a setting that meets their intellectual, social, and emotional requirements. All of the foregoing requirements are met in a Montessori setting, but it also develops in youngsters an “I can do it” mentality that will assure their future success in all parts of their lives.
