where was I? and Indian Montessori Congress

Firstly, I would like to apologize to theSchoolBlog readers for not being able to write about our activities for a week or so. Actually, I was gone on a very important mission and the mission was to find out what’s wrong with the Indian education system at the primary and elementary level. Why do we produce only engineers, doctors and CA’s from our schools and not leaders; why do we produce people who can remember the whole history text book by heart, however, they feel inadequate when it comes to solving a tricky analytical problem; why do the youngsters of today are so impatient and rowdies; why are the school going children of today getting fat and are depressed – Well, the list of grim realities is long, however, as an eternal optimist let me say that as a questioner I was not only satisfied with the answers but I also found some good answers on how to completely eliminate these problems.



So, the thing that kept me busy, for last four-five days, was the Indian Montessori Congress 2007. And everyday I would post about the learning and knowledge that I gained from the congress.

Indian Montessori Congress 2007

Anyone who has any stake in the education of the child education should definitely attend this Indian Montessory Congress 2007. I think it's a must for the educationists and NTT course holders. If you are planning to be in Bangalore during this time and have interest in knowing more about buildingblocks, please let me know through the comments section.

First plane of children's development

Montessori observed that children less than six years old are clearly self centric and ego centric in action and attitude. Although, these qualities could have been interpreted as negative, but Montessori realized that this natural drive of young children can possible provide the focus and energy for their self development.

She envisioned of a program whereby a child could develop, with proper aide by the adult, into a strong individual capable of independent action, language, self discipline, and basic academic skills of writing, reading and mathematics.

Additionally, she noted that children less than six years old could go through specific and well defined periods of interest in certain areas of development. For example, there is a period of intense absorption with order, another for language, and another for learning to walk. During each of these time frames, varying in duration from months to years, the child is so focused on the particular development that he will ignore other phenomena previously of great interest to him. His energy level and dedication to his single minded task are extra ordinary but terminate just as abruptly as they began. Montessori called these intervals Sensitive Periods and the children in this plane of development as "Sensorial Explorers".

We, at buildingBlocks, plan to use these "sensory explorer" qualities of kids to really develop them into individuals capable of independent action, language and self discipline.

Montessori Approach revisited

The travel allowed me to read a very interesting book on the Montessori approach. I will use the medium of this blog to write summary about this book.

As per Dr. Montessori, a child goes through four planes of development that span through the age 0 to 24. At the conclusion of age 24, the adult is fully formed. If all has gone well, he/she is a mature being, ready to live wisely and responsibly and to fulfill his/her part in serving humanity.

The four different planes of development identified by Dr. Montessori are as:
1. First plane of development: 0 to 6 years old.
2. Second plane of development: 6 to 12 years old.
3. Third plane of development: 12 to 18 years old.
4. Fourth and final plane of development: 18 to 24 years old.

Each plane of development is associated with certain characterstics and associated challenges, I would go into these planes individually in a separate blog entry.

Montessori Association of India

On some further investigation of Montessori philosophy of pre-schooling and its presence in India, I was able to find some useful information about the Montessori centers in India.

The center offers both online and offline diplomas in Montessori training. It was very fascinating to find that Maria Montessori spent some part of her adulthood in India (precisely in 1939). Dr. Montessori was ousted from Italy because of her liberal views in general and opposition to Fascism in particular.

The Indian Montessori Association has predominantly taken inspiration from the works of Dr. Montessori in India, Mr. Joosten and Mr. Swamy. The center is currently headed by Mrs. Meenakshi Sivaramakrishnan.

The center plans to expand its base all over India. has it's headquarters in the IT city of Bangalore, Karnataka. They mostly promote themselves as a policy making body with an intention to have satellite centers in the different parts of the country (they have successfully achieved that in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Various Preschooling philosophies

With proliferation of preschools in the Indian society, I thought this entry may help parents and preschool providers to understand the various philosophies that different pre schools are following. Since, there are several philosophies on preschooling, I will be using multiple blog entries to explain each of those philosophies. I have used extensive information from this source.

Preschools subscribe to many different theories and philosophies of education. You may hear some of the following terms used to describe schools you're considering. Familiarize yourself with the various styles to help determine which one is the best fit for your child.

The different categories of philosophies are as:
1. Montessori
2. Waldorf
3. Projects
4. Community/Religious
5. Cooperative
6. Reggio Emilia


Montessori:
Montessori is centered on establishing independence, self-esteem, and confidence while fostering learning at a child's own pace.

This self-paced education is accomplished by changing the role of adults in the classroom from teachers of a whole class into that of "guides," as they are often called, for the students as individuals. According to the American Montessori Society, guides have four principle goals, which encompass what the Montessori method hopes to achieve. The guide strives to

* awaken your child's spirit and imagination
* to encourage his normal desire for independence and high sense of self-esteem
* help him develop the kindness, courtesy, and self-discipline that will allow him to become a full member of society
* help him learn how to observe, question, and explore ideas independently

The guide may introduce a lesson to the class as a whole, but will then focus on working with students in small groups as they investigate topics on their own in a carefully prepared classroom environment. This individualized attention means children with special needs — whether they are gifted or delayed — often do well in a Montessori environment.

This environment is another trademark of a Montessori program. With so much emphasis on individual and small-group exploration, the room itself is kept bright, warm, and inviting. It will often contain many learning centers that allow a child to focus on what they are most interested in, while being shown through gentle encouragement that they should not be afraid of trying new things either. These centers are filled with objects that cater to what preschoolers are most responsive to — highly tactile, very hands-on learning materials that teach through manipulation.

The sense that they are in charge of this environment also fosters feelings of responsibility and accountability in the children, another focus of the Montessori approach. Studies have shown that a feeling of ownership contributes to better care of belongings. Visitors to Montessori classrooms are often amazed to see children working together to clean up centers after they are done experimenting and learning in them, feeding the animals they are helping raise, even watering plants and tending to small gardens in some instances.

This in turn helps create a mentality of cooperation, instead of competition, among the children. To further this cooperative spirit, Montessori classrooms are divided into three-year sections, which allow children to get to know their teachers and one another better. Older children are encouraged to help the younger children in their explorations, teaching compassion and instilling the lesson that there is no shame in needing help in life all at once.

Finally, to end this entry a quote by Maria Montessori (the thought behind Montessori programs).

"Our goal is not so much the imparting of knowledge as the unveiling and developing of spiritual energy."
- The Child in the Family :: The Clio Montessori Series, 1996 :: p. 63