Photo Credit: Monica Sedra, Unsplash
In "ECDA vs Montessori - common goals, different approaches" published on 23rd March, we provided an overview of the two educational approaches in early childhood. Both approaches recognize the importance of hands-on, experiential learning and that children learn best through exploration and discovery. In this article, we will look deeper into curriculum development for a better understanding of what and how our little ones are learning in the two different settings.
The ECDA Framework identifies six areas of learning and development that are essential for children's growth and well-being:
Aesthetics and Creative Expression
Discovery of the World
Language and Literacy
Motor Skills Development
Numeracy
Social and Emotional Development
Aesthetics and Creative Expression focus on children's creativity, imagination, and artistic expression. Activities span from art, music, drama, storytelling, and more. Children will be exposed to mediums such as paint, clay, paper, musical instruments, and costumes.
Discovery of the World includes various sub-areas of learning such as Science, Social Studies, and Geography. Children may explore basic scientific concepts and topics like plants, animals, weather, and the human body. They will learn about their families, communities, and different cultures through topics on history, geography, and economics. They may learn about the earth, including its landforms, bodies of water, and climate, in different countries.
Language and Literacy focus on the children's language skills and their ability to use language for communication, comprehension, and expression. They will develop skills in four key areas, namely, listening and speaking, reading, writing, and language and communication.
Motor Skills Development refers to children's physical skills and coordination, including both fine motor skills (such as using their fingers to manipulate small objects), and gross motor skills (such as running, jumping, and throwing).
Numeracy focuses on children's understanding of mathematical concepts and their ability to use numbers in practical and meaningful ways. It covers number sense, patterns and relationships, measurement, and problem-solving abilities.
In Social and Emotional Development, the focus is to develop children's skills in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills. These skills include empathy, communication, self-regulation, and responsible decision-making so that children are able to form positive relationships, manage their emotions, and communicate effectively with others.
Teachers in Singapore will design their lesson plans around these six domains with the goal to fulfil key learning outcomes in each area of development. Some schools adopt monthly thematic units around these domains while others may leave it to the creativity and resourcefulness of individual teachers placed in charge of their respective classes. The approach is teacher-directed where the entire class of children of the same age learns in a group setting. Every child will acquire the same set of skills and knowledge during the lesson. Each child is expected to have attained certain developmental milestones in order to work independently or with his/her peers. For example, in a thematic study introducing "Our Neighbourhood - Living Together in Harmony", the lesson and activity may go like this:
The Montessori classroom will look significantly different from the above. The class comprises children aged 3 to 6. Teachers, often known as guides, prepare the classroom environment spanning five primary areas:
Practical Life skills
Sensorial
Mathematics
Language
Cosmic education
The Practical Life curriculum is a key component of the Montessori approach, designed to promote the development of concentration, coordination, order, and independence in young children. The curriculum comprises a variety of activities in five areas: care of self, care of the environment, grace and courtesy, fundamental skills, and food preparation. The care of self activities focuses on developing practical life skills that enable children to take care of their own personal needs, such as washing their hands, getting dressed, and using the toilet. Children learn to take care of the environment such as sweeping the floor, dusting the shelves, watering plants, and caring for their classroom pets. In Grace and Courtesy area, children learn social skills and good manners, such as greeting others, saying please and thank you, taking turns, and good table manners. The Fundamental Skills activities focus on developing both fine and gross motor skills and coordination such as walking on a line, carrying a tray, pouring water, and using scissors safely. These activities lay a strong foundation of practical life skills that children can apply in their daily lives and throughout their educational journey.
The Peace Table is a designated area where children learn to resolve conflicts peacefully. They are taught to use "I" statements and active listening skills to express their feelings and work towards finding a mutually beneficial solution. This is further supported by activities that promote self-awareness, self-regulation, and mindfulness. Through lessons in the Cosmic curriculum, children are exposed to different cultures and traditions through stories, music, and the arts, hence promoting cultural understanding and respect for diversity.
The Sensorial curriculum helps children develop their sensorial perception and discrimination skills. A variety of materials are specifically designed to stimulate each of the senses, including touch, sight, hearing, taste, and smell. Materials are aesthetically pleasing and inviting, with a focus on natural materials. Each material is designed with precision, with an isolation of difficulty based on a specific concept, such as size, shape, texture, weight, sound, and colour. The curriculum is divided into visual discrimination (shapes, sizes, and colours), tactile discrimination (textures and surfaces), auditory discrimination (gradation and matching of sounds), olfactory discrimination (sense of smell), and gustatory discriminatory (taste and flavours).
The Mathematics curriculum is divided into number sense (number concepts and relationships, including counting, quantity, and place value), mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), geometry (shapes and their properties), measurements (length, volume, weight), fractions and decimals, and more abstract concepts such as graphing, time, and money.
The Language Arts curriculum is divided into Oral Language (vocabulary, grammar, and syntax), phonics and word study (phonetic skills, letter recognition, phoneme segmentation, and blending), reading (fluency, comprehension, and critical thinking), and writing (penmanship, spelling, and composition).
The Montessori Cosmic curriculum, sometimes known as cultural subjects, is a comprehensive program designed to help children develop a deep understanding of their place in the world, and the inter-connectedness of all things. The curriculum is centered around the idea that everything in the universe is connected and that we have a responsibility to take care of our planet and each other. It is sub-divided into lessons in Geography (cultures, physical and human geography, and the inter-connectedness of different regions), History (timeline of human history and the impact of different civilizations and events on the world), Science (the natural world and the scientific principles that govern it), and Arts and Music (appreciation of the arts and music and the role they play in different cultures). Activities aim to foster a sense of global citizenship, promote social justice, and empower children to make positive contributions to their communities and the world.
Activities are designed to be self-directed, where children enjoy the freedom to choose and complete activities at their own pace. Repetitive practice leads to mastery of skills. The materials are designed to be self-correcting, allowing children to discover and correct their own mistakes. There is only one set of each material that compels the young child to exercise his/her will to share and care. Materials start with concrete, tangible objects and move towards more abstract concepts as children progress in their learning. In an effort to inculcate in children to be active participants in their own learning, the materials are designed to be hands-on, allowing them to manipulate, explore and discover through doing.
Although the classroom is filled with specially-designed Montessori materials, however, teacher guides often create and design new materials as add-ons. Using the same thematic unit of study, activities may include:
Here, children are given a wide range of activities to choose from. For example, one 3-year-old may be learning to count from 1-10 using the number rods, while another child of the same age may be exploring a nomenclature lesson on common flowers of Singapore. This is made possible because the materials have a built-in control of error allowing the child to explore and discover on his own.
Share your thoughts:
What happens when children of the same age are taught the same content at the same time?
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