Curriculum

Montessori Philosophy

The Montessori Approach developed throughout the fascinating life of Maria Montessori. She spent many years observing and working with children. In the early years she observed children with learning disabilities and she came to the conclusion that if children are exposed to a correct of stimuli environment can naturally learn. In the process, she built on some of the ideas of others who had worked with children and she developed and refined her own ideas, materials and methods. She developed an encouraging, stimulating program where children could learn the skills they needed to eventually become responsible, productive, independent and loving citizens of the world. Montessori Schools and programs are found all over the world and her work has influenced early childhood education at every level.

Why Montessori

At Great Minds ECC, we follow the Montessori Approach because we strongly believe that children are inherently good and thrive when exposed to a stimulating and nurturing environment. Our aim is to have happy, independent and confident children who will easily adjust and succeed in any environment, later in life. Therefore we have created an environment that promotes all areas of learning:

We promote personal, social and emotional development through practical life skills, cultural activities and role modelling.

We target on communication, language and literacy through literacy activities and story telling in a language rich environment.

We improve problem solving, reasoning and numeracy through sensorial and counting.

We support understanding of the world through culture and sensorial activities and environmental exploration.

We focus on the physical development through indoor and outdoor activities.

We focus on physical development through indoor and outdoor physical enrichment programmes.

We enhance our creative environment through art, craft, music, movement, drama and spontaneous play.

Areas of Learning

Sensorial

The sensorial cabinet includes materials which help children develop, broaden and refine their five senses (Sight, Hearing, Taste, Touch and Smell). These materials are specifically designed to help the child develop discrimination and order in their environment

Practical Life

The purpose of Practical Life is to help children gain control in the coordination of their movement, gain experience and adjust to their society. The exercises in Practical Life provide purposeful activity and develop independence, concentration and responsibility.

Language

The Montessori classroom offers activities that actively develop skills for oral and written language, as well as reading. In the language area, teachers use precise names for all objects, and vocabulary classification and matching exercises expand children’s vocabulary.

Mathematics

Learning mathematical concepts in a Montessori classroom begins concretely and progresses towards the abstract. The materials develop from simple to complex. The child experiences order, coordination, concentration, and independence while using these materials.

Cultural

In the Montessori classroom, the Cultural Area covers a variety of subjects such as Geography, Science, Botany, Zoology and History. Maria Montessori believed that knowledge of such subjects is what makes a person cultured.