The Montessori Method

 

It is a complete educational system geared to the special needs of young children.  The Montessori classroom is a highly organized, enriched environment designed to stimulate a child’s interest and facilitate his/her understanding and learning.  While a child does learn at his/her own pace, he/she does so in a carefully structured manner, guided by a highly skilled directress, using specially developed materials and programmes designed for each stage of his/her mental, physical, social and emotional growth.  The curriculum includes maths, language, sensorial for the refinement of the senses, practical life, geography, science, botany, lessons in grace and courtesy.

 

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)

 

Practitioners who utilize developmentally appropriate practice make decisions about the well-being and education of young children based on 3 important kinds of knowledge (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997)

 

What they know about how children develop and learn.

What they know about the strengths, needs and interests of individual children.

What they know about the social and cultural contexts in which children live.

 

Using this knowledge to guide their thinking, early childhood educators ask themselves, Is this activity, interaction, or experience age appropriate?  Is it individually appropriate?  Is it socially and culturally appropriate?

 

 

Multiple Intelligence

 

According to Dr Howard Gardner in his book Frames of Mind- The theory of Multiple Intelligences(1983) , intelligences has 8 components.  To be truly intelligent means to score highly in most of the 8 multiple intelligences. 

 

1.      Verbal – Linguistic Intelligence

 

Refers to the ability to form thoughts clearly and being able to utilize these competently through words to express these thoughts in speech, reading and writing.

 

2.      Mathematical – Logical Intelligence

 

Refers to the ability to handle numbers and calculations, patterns and logical and scientific thinking.

 

3.      Visual  - Spatial Intelligence

 

Refers to the ability to accurately see the visual images around them and notice the minor details that many other people might have missed out.

 

4.      Bodily – Kinesthetic Intelligence

 

Refers to the link between the mind and the body, thereby allowing the body to manipulate objects and create movement.

 

5.      Interpersonal Intelligence

 

Refers to the ability to relate to the people around us.  It is the capacity to understand and predict the feelings, temperaments, moods, intentions and desires of others and to respond accordingly.

 

6.      Intrapersonal Intelligence

 

Refers to the intelligence of self.  It is the ability to understand oneself and to take responsibility for one’s own life.

 

    7.  Musical – Rhythmic Intelligence

Refers to the ability to hold tunes in one’s head, to remember rhythms and be emotionally affected by music.

 

   8.  Naturalist Intelligence

Refers to the understanding of flora and fauna.  The ability  to interprete the  patterns and habits of  the animal and plants  kingdom.