Anna Nagar, Chennai
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Our School & Community
Children learn best when the significant adults in their lives - parents, teachers, and other members - work together as a community to support their needs and natural development. Kalpavriksh, a Community school has always tried to bring to its parents the details of the Montessori method and way of life, as both school and home need to be aligned for the holistic development of the child. All the experiences children have, both in and out of school, help shape their feelings of self-worth and competency, their understanding of the world around them, and their beliefs about where they fit into the scheme of things.
The Montessori method for the 2 to 6 year olds is activity based, as young children need to work with their 'hands and senses' to internalise and comprehend anything. The Method supports children's efforts to work at their own development.
In the year that passed...
In the first year of the pandemic, 2020 to 2021, children worked at home with materials prepared by their family and some materials prepared and offered by school. Steady and open communication between parents and teachers was established to ensure that the home environment was responsive to the unique needs of children and could therefore support each child's self development.
Through this period, mothers have enjoyed the process of preparing materials for their children to manipulate and work with. Videos were made and shared by teachers to show parents how to demonstrate an activity to their child as well. When feasible, some activities were also demonstrated online to the child by the adult (teacher). This includes Oral activities in language.
Typically, lessons do not happen every day in a Montessori environment (classroom). Children spend a lot more time repeating an activity because they have liked what the adult has shown them. They very naturally repeat, to reach perfection. They choose the activity they wish to work with, from amongst what has been demonstrated to them.
Children in a Zoom Breakout Room working in each other's company
In the last academic year children worked every day in Zoom breakout rooms. This arrangement, although virtual, was more to the aid of the teachers to observe and guide children as they worked with the materials. Children came close to the screen only when they wanted to have a conversation with their friends or speak with their aunties (teachers). We found that children felt good meeting up with their friends as they worked in the Breakout rooms.
It was the intention of the school to create conditions close to normal school life. Mothers initially present when their children worked, were slowly encouraged to leave if their child was found concentrating in the activities. This, so that the child would work independently.
The way forward