The Science and Art of Montessori

  • Barnali Dutta / FG
  • India
  • Oct 10, 2014


Photo: Prakhar Pandey

 

One of the hallmarks of any city is the importance it gives to an all-encompassing education. Our Millennium City certainly boasts of good schools – though more by default? The American Montessori Public School (AMPS) is one such institution. The School, located in a picturesque locality close to the Delhi - Jaipur highway, is easily accessible to students from South Delhi, DLF and many other Gurgaon areas. Established in 1995 as one of Gurgaon's pioneer schools, and imbibing the American Montessori philosophy and method, AMPS was ranked as one of the top 8 schools of Gurgaon by a leading print publication. It is a co-educational English-medium school affiliated to C.B.S.E. The School building is very impressive. AMPS strikes you as an institution that both the students and parents are proud of.  It is a spacious modern facility, and yet offers a  warm intimate environment. The Montessori Wing is situated at Cassia Marg, DLF City Phase-II, and the Senior Wing is located at L-Block of the same colony. The distinctive feature of the School’s educational philosophy is ‘Discover the Child’ – emphasising that each child is unique and deserves to realise his or her own potential. “The stress here is on a holistic approach to education. We provide a learning environment that stimulates challenges and satisfies our learners,” says Anita Sharma, Principal of AMPS. “Our well-planned academic curriculum and co-curricular activities help the students develop a well-rounded personality, which will stand them in good stead as they embark on their individual journeys through life,” she adds. 

The School was founded by Lalita Trehan, a renowned Montessorian, teacher and teacher-  trainer in the U.S.A. She has been an educator for over 28 years. She graduated with a B.Sc. in Home Economics from Lady Irwin College, New Delhi. In 1978 she received her pre-primary Montessori Certification from Chicago and in 1989 a Lower and Upper Elementary certification from Houston, Texas. In 19999, As testament to her expertise, Mr. Untermeyer, the Chief of Staff under President George Bush Sr. and Chairman of  Texas State Board of Education, personally requested her to serve as trustee on the board of the Texas Centre for Educational Research (T.C.E.R). In the past nearly twenty years, AMPS has served the best interests of tiny tots, and developed as a platform for higher education. While building strengths in academic knowledge is the cornerstone education, no less important is creating an environment where the child learns to become more  wholesome - knowledgeable, inquisitive, kind and humble. There is emphasis on treating each student as an individual, with his/her own learning style. Each child is assisted to realise his/her potential for physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual growth. The emphasis is therefore on a low teacher-child ratio, to enable teachers to observe and work at their children's levels of readiness. The teacher acts as a catalyst and facilitator. She is trained to be a keen observer, to better direct and guide the child. Montessori-educated children are generally characterised by their self-discipline, knowledge, independence and an enthusiasm for learning. “The child's age as well as emotional maturity is taken into consideration for placement into our programme(s), and for promotion to the next level,” the Principal says.  

At the Senior school the emphasis is on academic excellence along with involvement in cultural and co-curricular activities. The curriculum also features life skills, such as creative thinking, problem solving and stress management. The teachers are kept well updated. “Our in-house teacher training workshops keep teachers abreast of the latest techniques for imparting knowledge,”, says Anita Sharma. At the Senior level too, the ratio of teachers to students is kept at the optimum Level, to ensure greater interactive participation. “We follow a systematic method of evaluation of our students. Projects and activity based worksheets and internal assessments are some of the methods that have been cultivated to assess the student's progress in class. The emphasis here is on helping students to develop enquiring minds – through activities, observations and discussions,” says the Principal. Developing curiosity in a student is crucial to his/her future growth. Environmental studies also form an integral part of the curriculum. The School takes special care of the disabled students. Scholarships are also offered to those who perform well academically. The School provides specially trained personnel or ‘aayas’ for the junior section. Security and hygiene are one of the highest concerns of the School management. On dress, Mrs. Sharma says, "May be we are conservative, but we follow a ‘proper’ dress code for the students." She is also a strong advocate for periodic examinations. "Students should face sets of exams throughout their academic life, for these prepare them well for the different challenges they will face in life," she says. The School is very particular about its workers. It follows stringent criteria for the selection and hiring of drivers and cleaning staff – including police verification. The School is also conscious about the children's attitude towards society. While moral science and holistic education forms an important part of the curriculum, the students are made specially aware of their responsibility towards fellow human beings and all sections of society.  The Principal concludes, "We have adopted a few novel initiatives, like presenting a book to a student on his/her birthday. This present will be treasured, and constantly remind of their good times in a good school."

 

 

 

 

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