1.WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY LIKE IN THE PRIMARY CLASS?
Each and every day we live, laugh, learn, dance, sing, play, work, wonder, and create. The day flows with as few interruptions to your child as possible. The schedule is an independent work period in the morning, followed by a group circle, and play time. At 11am students have their snaks.and continuing their work.
2.WHAT IS THE DESIRED SIZE OF A PRIMARY MONTESSORI CLASSROOM?
A Montessori class for the Primary age is fairly large, typically around 30 - 40. Since it is a mixed-age class with ages between 3 and 6 years, a large classroom provides a better mix of different ages and sufficient numbers of the same age. This allows effective interactions between the children of the same age as well as different age groups. An older child helping a younger one is pivotal to the success of a Montessori classroom. This classroom size does not pose a challenge for the teacher since the carefully planned environment allows children to function independently with minimal help from the teacher.
3.WHAT IS THE STUDENT:TEACHER RATIO?
Ideal Student: teacher ratio is 20:1.Our primary classes are staffed with an AMI trained teacher, as well as an adult assistant. We follow all guidelines to ensure safety and supervision of your child.
4.HOW DOES THE TEACHER KEEP TRACK OF
THE PROGRESS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE WORKING INDEPENDENTLY?
The Montessori method of education is designed to support different learning styles, helping students learn to learn or study in a way that is effective for them. Students progress as they master new skills, building on their experiences and moving ahead as quickly as they are ready. The children move through a logical progression from the initial lesson to repetition with help or input from the teacher, to independence and mastery. The teacher keeps records of where the child is in this process, looking for signs of mastery and readiness to proceed. An inventory of the lessons and projects completed by each student is reviewed frequently.
5.IN A MULTI-AGE CLASS, WILL MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD SPEND
THE YEAR TAKING CARE OF YOUNGER CHILDREN INSTEAD OF DOING HIS OR HER OWN WORK?
The five year old children in a Montessori class often help the younger children with their work, actually teaching lessons, solidifying their understanding of the lesson. Anyone who has ever had to teach a skill to someone else knows that the process of explaining a new concept or helping someone practice a new skill leads the teacher to learn as much, if not more, than the pupil. This is supported by research. The act of teaching other children also develops leadership skills and confidence.
6.HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS?
Children Workshops will be held twice a year to show the work learned by the child.Conferences are scheduled twice a year with the parents for an in depth discussion of your child’s progression in the class. Parents can request a sit down conference at any other time throughout the year. For general questions, comments, or short discussions, Madhavi is always available for phone at 9490422220 email: medhamontessorihyd@gmail.com to respond to emails, or to meet her on afternoons as well, and you may schedule a meeting with her in advance.
7.HOW DO YOU HANDLE DISCIPLINE OR BEHAVIOR ISSUES?
Discipline is required when a child exhibits behavior which is unbecoming o the child or harmful to the people or objects around him. Prevention of misbehavior is our first goal. Lessons of grace and courtesy are given to teach the child how to behave and move about in their class and to interact with others. When misbehavior occurs, there are three ways that we correct it. First, we acknowledge natural consequences, the unavoidable results of undesirable actions or words. For example, a careless movement can cause something to break. Natural consequences are the ideal corrective tool because the child can make the decision to correct her behavior on her own accord.
The next direction we turn is to logical consequences. These are decided by the adult and have a logical relationship to the misdeed. Usually, these will limit the child in the freedom she has been abusing. For example, if a child is harming a material they must put it away, making it available for another child to use it correctly. Logical consequences give the child a choice to correct her behavior or have her freedoms restricted. She is immediately able to choose cooperative actions with her next choice of materials. On the rare occasion that natural and logical consequences are not effective, the child’s freedoms are forfeited and the child sits out, taking a few minutes to pull herself together.
8.WHY SHOULD MY CHILD STAY IN THE THIRD YEAR
OF THE MONTESSORI PRIMARY PROGRAM (KINDERGARTEN YEAR)?
The Primary program is based on Maria Montessori’s theories of psychological development which concluded that children needed to be grouped according to their three-year development stages. The three-year cycle is a basic tenet of the Primary Montessori program. Research indicates that things really begin to “come together” in the third year. Montessori is not about memorizing facts but being able to ask questions and find answers. Montessori materials are cyclical, they start out to be concrete and slowly move to the abstract. It is by the third year that facts begin to get internalized.
By going through a three-year cycle a child develops a high degree of self-confidence, independence, and enthusiasm for the learning process and can adapt to all sorts of new situations. There are compelling reasons to consider keeping a child in Montessori through the Elementary program and beyond, but even if he goes off to a traditional school by the time he is in the first grade he will be ready to make new friends and learn new things.
9.WHO PROVIDES FOOD?
Each child needs to bring his own snacks from home. preferably No junk food is allowed.