CURRICULUM
MONTESSORI
- The room or environment is furnished with shelves to contain and organize the materials, child size furniture, and a variety of interesting workspaces;
- The Montessori materials are a set of scientifically designed hands- on learning devices. The materials for young children are generally made of hard woods or metal;
- Children are to have the freedom to make choices regarding their seating spaces, work choices, work partners, and timing;
- The development of independence is seen as a core value in Montessori education. Beginning with the youngest children, a curriculum area called practical life exists, which has, as a main purpose, growth I independence.
REGGIO EMILIA
- Exploring their curiosities and interests can lead to a greater understanding and a greater desire to learn;
- Teachers introduce materials, concepts, and mediums that allow children to express their ideas and interests;
- The environment is viewed as the third teacher and should be considered a reflection of not just the children, teachers, or parents but a reflection of the image of the child;
- Parents are encouraged to participate in their children’s education and daily life at school, and to extend and reinforce learning opportunities at home;
- Documentation in Reggio-inspired schools may come in a variety of different forms, including photography, videos, conversation transcripts, painting, drawing or other visual mediums like clay and wire.
LEARNING APPROACHES
STUDENT-BASED
- Focuses on creating connections with students’ interests and the things they learn in school;
- Letting students determine the final results of a project or assignment;
- The approach relies on students working toward their own autonomy that would support learning at a pace they are comfortable with.
PLAY-BASED
- Instead of relying solely on traditional teaching methods, play- based learning embraces the innate curiosity and creativity of children to foster their development.
- By engaging in purposeful play, children not only acquire essential academic skills but also develop crucial social, emotional, and cognitive abilities.
- As children play, they engage their imagination, take risks, and learn problem-solving to support their development.
THEME-BASED
- A theme-based approach uses a specific topic or category to frame concepts and language.
- Themes allow you to provide context for students to understand the information and build background knowledge with books, toys, activities, articles, vocabulary, etc.
- It involves your child learning through one central topic. The theme could have strong links to one subject.