Page 30 - waterfall Issue 12 2021

Waterfall news

A nEW schooL

oF ThoughT

Following the success of LittleHill Montessori child fulfil their unique potential,
and discover and develop their
Kikuyu Preschool, we are excited to announce personal contributions to the world.

the opening of LittleHill The Polofields on The history of Montessori
Maria Montessori, the founder of the
12 January 2022 Montessori philosophy, was born in
L ittleHill kikuyu, which launched Montessori has fast become a medical doctor in 1896. She opened
1870 and became Italy’s first female
household name in South Africa as
1 July this year, is the first of
the first Montessori school, the Casa Dei
three Montessori preschools
opening in the three Balwin an alternative form of education Bambini in Rome on 6 January 1907, to
for children. However, there is still
educate children of low-income parents.
developments on Waterfall over the some mystery around what the Instead of using traditional teaching
next few years. They offer a warm, Montessori philosophy entails methods, Dr Montessori began testing
nurturing environment, full- and and how it differs from a more her own child-centred educational
half-day options, freshly prepared traditional way of schooling. theories. As a result, she designed a
meals and an authentic Montessori revolutionary educational philosophy
preschool experience for children so what is Montessori? that builds on the way children learn
aged 18 months to six years old. In a nutshell, Montessori is a holistic naturally rather than fighting against
approach, which values all areas of it. Today, these schools are known as
The team feel blessed by the support the child’s development: physical, Montessori schools and are based
and success of their LittleHill kikuyu social, emotional and cognitive. This on several foundational principles.
school despite the turbulent times child-centred method of education
we have been living in. “When we involves child-led activities (referred Mixed age Classrooms
opened in the middle of a COvID- to as ‘work’) in classrooms with Montessori classrooms have mixed
ridden year, we didn’t expect the children of different ages, guided ages and skill levels, usually divided
wonderful uptake that we had. We by a Directress (teacher) who into three-year groups, to encourage
are proud to say that we now have encourages independence among the peer learning. These mixed age
over 60 children attending our students. Above all, the Montessori groups allow children to learn from
beautiful kikuyu school with lots philosophy is meant to be an ‘aid one another, teach one another and
more to join us from January 2022.” to life’, a methodology to help each develop life skills such as inclusion.

28 Waterfall Issue 12 2021