As per a latest study, led by a University of Virginia researcher, there is more evidence that shows Montessori education may be superior to traditional teaching methods, particularly when it comes to long-term well-being of the students. Montessori education, developed by Italian physician and educator Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s, uses hands-on methods to engage students in activities, designed to match their developmental needs.
The Montessori approach says, children are natural learners who can be well educated in an environment that allows them to learn at their own pace as individuals. The students are taught to believe in their own capabilities and the classroom environment is designed to foster the required skills to guide them through various life stages.
Montessori education in Singapore
In Singapore, if you are looking for a preschool, you can choose from private international schools, private kindergartens or those that fall under the Ministry of Education, Singapore.
The Montessori method is more of an educational philosophy than a rigid curriculum. While some schools strictly follow the teaching method, there are other international schools that have adapted this approach, to provide a customised preschool education.
Many parents in Singapore have opened up to this non-traditional teaching method that is child-centric, and is popular for encouraging ‘outside the box’ thinking among young learners. The curriculum focusses on self-directed work, individual and group work. In Montessori classrooms, students are mostly allowed to choose their own work and participate in meaningful activities along with the peer group. The students are encouraged to explore as they are guided by the teachers. This helps in promoting self-determination and social cohesion.
Traits of Montessori education
● Student-directed instruction, hands-on learning, and discovery methods
● Encourages students to learn by using sensorial materials and activities
● Mixed-age classrooms to promote peer learning
● Thoughtfully arranged classrooms
● Trained Montessori teachers
● Focus on language, math, sensorial and practical life skills
● No grades/ tests
To create a perfect learning environment where students can blossom and thrive, these schools provide:
Hands-on learning materials
In Montessori classrooms, you will find learning materials such as blocks and puzzles for younger children to more abstract materials like string, paper clips, or feathers for older kids. The purpose of these materials is to help the child develop an understanding of the world around them through exploration and experimentation.
Self-directed work
Montessori schools focus on ‘independent activity’. The students are taught a wide variety of skills and abilities in order to help them become successful in their future careers. The teachers encourage the students to take initiative, explore, and create.
Engaging lessons
Montessori schools are known for their engaging lessons that help the students learn on their own. These include language, math and practical life skills such as cleaning, gardening, and so on. The lesson plans are based on the child’s current developmental and learning needs. This makes the learning experience fun, and personalised for the student.
Trained & caring Early Years teachers
Montessori teachers are trained to create a safe, supportive and positive environment for their students. They use age-appropriate materials to make learning fun. The teachers follow a set of guidelines that includes giving children the freedom to explore, independence, and respect.
Impact on child’s development
One of the reasons why this approach is popular among the parents is that it fosters creativity. The classroom environment provides ample opportunities for children to explore their imagination to develop an in-depth understanding of different areas of education.
It stands out because it is based on your child’s developmental needs where they are in control of their learning instead of being structured in a way that assumes the child will learn the chosen subject at a certain age.
They are encouraged to take risks, try new things, and mistakes are allowed too!
International schools with customised programmes
International schools in Singapore that provide a customised Montessori aim to develop students, intellectually, socially, and emotionally. As the most widely implemented alternative pedagogy across the world, the key advantages of this approach are nurturing of students as individuals and fostering independence. And this is what the schools encourage!
Customised Montessori programme at GIIS
At GIIS, our award-winning preschool curriculum, Global Montessori Plus (GMP) programme, combines the Montessori method with new age curricula. The pedagogy, supported by caring and trained Early Years teachers, encourages independence, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility in the student, with a belief that these attributes will eventually help them to become well-accepted global citizens.
The curriculum structure is based on five pillars that foster all-round development of young children. GIIS also offers extended preschool hours with various enrichment activities.
Also read: Top Preschool Teaching Methods for Quality Early Childhood Education
Self-determination and collaborative learning, two significant aspects of Montessori education, are said to be connected to higher adult well-being. As parents and adults, we surely understand this could be a good head start for future success.
To learn more about the preschool programme at GIIS, come visit our campus today.
Odaia B Ranido
Ms. Ranido is the IB Early Years and PYP coordinator for GIIS Singapore. She has over 20 years of teaching experience in different international and bilingual schools in Southeast Asia. She spent the last 11 years leading the implementation of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) as a coordinator and teacher. She completed her Masters of Arts in Education from Sheffield Hallam University, UK in 2015. Ms. Ranido joined the Global Indian International School, EC Campus in July, 2019.
