The Village School Kerala- Parent Tips

Marketing @ The Village School, Kerala

Choosing a Best School

Choosing a School

The parent of a Montessori student will have an opportunity to be involved in the Montessori program. Parents learn more about Montessori by: Attending orientation meetings to explain the program.

Attending meetings where the unique aspects of a particular classroom as well as the specifics of Montessori curriculum are presented.

Attending open houses where the children, as the host / hostess to their parents and siblings, present their favorite activities.

Attending parent discussions groups dealing with aspects of child rearing, home environment and child psychology.

Observing the class and discussing any observations with their child’s teacher. Receiving a regularly published newsletter which includes a calendar of events information on major developments at the school, books reviews and a list of needs and requests for help.

In addition to Parent Education, which is designed primarily to orient the new parent and keep the returning parent informed, parents may form Parent Associations which coordinate volunteer activities, plan and carry out fundraising programs and lend support to school staff.

Parent Education

Parent Education

The parent of a Montessori student will have an opportunity to be involved in the Montessori program. Parents learn more about Montessori by: Attending orientation meetings to explain the program.

Attending meetings where the unique aspects of a particular classroom as well as the specifics of Montessori curriculum are presented.

Attending open houses where the children, as the host / hostess to their parents and siblings, present their favorite activities.

Attending parent discussions groups dealing with aspects of child rearing, home environment and child psychology.

Observing the class and discussing any observations with their child’s teacher. Receiving a regularly published newsletter which includes a calendar of events information on major developments at the school, books reviews and a list of needs and requests for help.

In addition to Parent Education, which is designed primarily to orient the new parent and keep the returning parent informed, parents may form Parent Associations which coordinate volunteer activities, plan and carry out fundraising programs and lend support to school staff.

The Montessori Classroom

The Montessori Classroom

Montessori stated that children have a natural tendency to learning; that stages of learning exist for which there should be corresponding educational environments and appropriately trained teachers to “prepare the environment.” The child learns independently using the components of the environment: the teacher guides and observes the child who chooses his activities. The teacher is the link between the child and the environment. The learning environment cultivates individualization, freedom of choice, concentration, independence, problem solving abilities, social interaction, interdisciplinary breadth and competency in basic skills.

Infants Classroom (2 to 14 months)
The Nido is an Italian word meaning “nest.” The Nido protects and provides learning experiences for babies from two to fourteen months. A Montessori infant environment can be considered an adapting continuum between two basic needs of the developing infant. At one pole is the bonded relationship between adult and child, while at the other is support for a growing sense of self and independence. The prepared environment is characterized by order, simplicity and beauty which meet the needs of the child.

The Nido is divided into five areas: movement, eating, sleeping, physical care and outside. The focus of the infant environment is on fostering basic trust in the child. Foremost in the environment is the adult whose caring, respectful response to the infant’s needs, both physical and psychological, conveys the message of unconditional love and acceptance.

Toddler Classroom (14 to 36 months)
The toddler classroom offers very young children a unique year of self development in a tender atmosphere of special understanding, respect and support. They are unique in that they provide a very specific structure which fulfills the social, physical, emotional and psychological needs of each child.

In these environments, there is space for movement, space for individual work and space for group activities. The eating area and the sleeping area are separate from the other areas. Everything in the environment is proportionate to the child’s size and is designed to be safe and aesthetically pleasing for children. The toddler classroom is simpler an slower paced than the early childhood (three to six year old) classroom.

Toddlers are given opportunities to work in the development of language skill, art, music sensorial and practical life. The practical life area is particularly emphasized as the activities in this area give children the chance to develop skills to care for themselves and their environment in the following areas:  control of movement, grace and courtesy. Practical life activities are simple and can be accomplished by each child. They offer repetitive cycle, which helps the child establish patterns of order and sequencing. Due to the fact that these are very real activities, each child becomes grounded in reality, building the child’s self esteem is the ultimate goal and this is accomplished through repeated successes with these activities.

Through song and dance and freedom of choice, the toddlers have access to a variety of large muscle activities that offer them opportunities to jump, climb, balance, crawl or skip. These exercises as well as creative art activities, are offered for each child to choose. This freedom in a safe space is crucial to the toddler program. However, it is always tempered by two important limits that will be beneficial for a lifetime, respect for others and respect for the environment.

Early Childhood Classroom (3 to 6 years)
The Montessori classroom is a “living room” for children. Children choose their activities from open shelves with self-correcting materials and work in distinct work areas – on tables or on rugs on the floor. Over a period of time, the children develop into a “normalized community” working with high concentration and few interruptions. The classroom includes the following components:

The practical life exercises enhance the development of task organization and cognitive order through care of self, care of the environment, exercises of grace and courtesy, and refinement of physical movement and coordination. The sensorial materials enable the child to order, classify, seriate and describe sensory impressions in relation, length, width, temperature, mass, color, etc. The Montessori math materials, through concrete manipulative materials, allows the child to internalize the concepts of number, symbol, sequence, operations and memorization of basic facts.

The language work includes oral language development, written expression, reading, the study of grammar, creative dramatics and children’s literature. Basic skills in writing and reading are developed through the use of sandpaper letters (loose alphabet letters) and various presentations allowing children to effortlessly link sounds and symbols and to express their thoughts in writing.

The child is also presented with geography, history, life sciences, music, art and movement education.

Virtually every environment will also have an elliptical line on the floor. This is generally used for “walking on the line” activities that help children develop gracefulness and for the “silence game” where children can practice sitting without making a sound. The line is also frequently used for a large group meeting area. It is here, or in some other designated area, where the class meets as a whole. Often a class will have one or two large group meetings each day. One will usually serve as an opening meeting and precede a more individualized work period and another will serve as a closing or transitional group time preceding the next activity (i.e., time out doors, lunch, dismissal, etc.) The group meetings may be used for large group presentations of materials, movement, music activities, group celebrations, snacks, games and discussions.

What Happens After Montessori?

What Happens After Montessori?

Montessori children are unusually adaptable. They have learned to work independently and in groups. Since they’ve been encouraged to make decisions at an early age, these children are problem solvers who can make choices and manage their time well. They have also been encouraged to exchange ideas and to discuss their work freely with others and good communication skills ease the way in new settings.

To facilitate the transfer, good communication between the Montessori school and the traditional schools in a community must be maintained. Montessori parents and teachers can visit the traditional schools and prepare the child for whatever will be different. Teachers from traditional schools can be encouraged to visit the Montessori classes to observe the level of academic work.

Any good teacher will meet a child at that child’s own level of development and make the necessary allowances for what has already been achieved. It is important for parents to monitor their child’s work in the new academic situation and to keep in close contact with their child’s teachers. Parent and teachers working together can ensure that the child will continue the love of learning acquired in Montessori.

The habits and skills which a child develops in a Montessori classroom are good for a lifetime. They will help him to work more efficiently, to observe more carefully and to concentrate more effectively, no matter where he goes If he is in a stimulating environment, whether at home or at school, his self-education – which is the only real education – will continue.

Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based on self-directed, non-competitive activities, help children develop good self images and the confidences to face challenges and change with optimism.

The Community of Children

The Community of Children

An essential part of the learning environment is the other children in it. The Montessori classroom provides ample opportunities for making friends, interacting with others, developing consideration for others, learning how to cooperate and fostering a sense of interdependence.

In the prepared environment, cooperation and a sense of community are stressed. individual differences are easily accepted and appreciated while each child is treated and taught as an individual. Children of different ages are together in the same group. This provides abundant opportunities for learning and helps to create a sense of family while everyone contributes and takes responsibility for the functioning and maintenance of the environment.

Because of the multi-aged group, the classroom has a heritage. The older children provide leadership, guidance and act as models for the younger children. The older children also benefit by helping younger children, reinforcing previous skills and knowledge and benefiting from the satisfaction of helping others. The mix of ages also provides opportunities for a variety of safe, lasting and meaningful friendships.

The social life of the children is a vital aspect of the Montessori classroom and curriculum. Assisting the social skills, development and abilities of children is vital to the implementation of an effective Montessori program. It is important that the complexities and ups I downs of relationships are supported and enhanced by adults sensitive to the needs and social development of children.