I belong to a family of teachers, my maternal side – mother and three aunts, so education has always been a part of me even after it was over. What I loved most about how they taught was a practical approach rather than just doing what the book says. Always making sure they involved the children in projects, events, etc.
I somehow was inclined to working with children in someway or the other and did do things in bits and pieces. However, once I began my career, I got completely involved in the corporate world. I was a part of the Travel and Hospitality industry and loved my work. But there was a void – a longing to work with children. Eventually, after a decade and good amount of success, I planned to leave the industry and taking up after the passion I had and decided to do a teacher training.
The big challenge was what training to do. I did a lot of research and finally concluded on learning the Montessori Method and signed up for the Associate Montessori Internationale training program in July 2013. This is where my Montessori journey began and I do not regret the decision one bit. The more I learn and work with children, the more I love the Montessori Method.
The core of Montessori is to CARE for the child in different ways, some of them are:
·Child-centered – The approach is to progress with the child and let them learn and move at their own pace. The curriculum is designed for each child based on their abilities rather than for a full class.
·Aid the child – The regular norm is that teachers are there to teach the child. In Montessori, we aid the child. We are only there to help the child when they need it. No unnecessary help is given to them.
·Respect – Giving each child their due respect. Understanding that they are individuals, who have their own mind, can decide for themselves and respect them.
·Encourage Independence – Montessori is about fostering independence in the child. Every material, every lesson is to help the child become more independent.
Once you begin to understand the above and the basic fundamentals, you notice a change in yourself and the way you are with children.