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Which approach fits your child?

By on December 27, 2010

Understanding the principles of Early Childhood Education available  is critical to matching the needs of your child.  

 

Three of the approaches in Early Childhood Education that have enjoyed international recognition over the years originated from Europe: the Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf.

 

Montessori

Named after its founder and Italy’s first female physician in 1870, (Maria) Montessori’s brand of philosophy, founded in 1929, empowers a child to explore his interest, be a problem-solver and in control of his behaviour, through the help of a suitable environment and learning materials.

 

Maria Montessori said, “The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six, for that is when man’s intelligence itself at his greatest implement is being formed.  But not only his intelligence; the full totality of his psychic powers. At no other age has the child greater need of an intelligent help, and any obstacle that impedes his creative work will lessen the chance he has of achieving perfection.”  Today, Montessori pre-schools are continuously growing with over 5,000 schools in he US alone.

 

Reggio Emilia

It was founded in 1920 by Lori Malaguzzi from Italy.  Its key approach is in teaching preschool and primary-level pupils, the core principles of respect, responsibility and community in a suppor-tive learning environment with an interest-matched self-guided curriculum. Because of its community-focused principles, the approach requires an engaged role by parents of kids.  

 

Under a Reggio Emilia curriculum, teachers, in addition to being an instructor, also take a co-learner and partner role during the learning phase with the child.  Programs in Reggio are family-centered and serve children at infant-toddler and preschool levels.  Next to Europe, Reggio Emilia approach is increasingly gaining popularity in Asia, Australia, and North America.

 

Waldorf 

Waldorf approach is based on the principles founded in 1861 by Austrian educator, scientist, and philosopher Rudolf Steiner about understanding the stages of a developing child and how he/she can be educated to create a fair and peaceful society. The Waldorf philosophy of Education understands that children have distinct age-related educational and emotional needs based on the occurring stages of development.  Its curriculum emphasizes balance in academic, arts, and practical activities necessary to prepare the child for intellectual flexibility, independent judgement and moral courage.  Waldorf today is being taught in about 140 schools in forty countries, mostly Scandinavian.

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