Comparisons between High and Montessori Curriculum Approach - Coursework Example

?Comparisons between High/Score and Montessori Curriculum Approach High scope curriculum is used in childcare, kindergarten and preschool,and was developed in the 1960s in the US, but is now common in other countries. The philosophy behind this approach is centered on child development research and theory, based on john Dewey and Jean Piaglet ideas (Roopnarine & Johnson, 1993). Montessori curriculum is a children education approach that is based on experience and research of Mariah Montessori, an Italian physician. The two forms of curriculum aim at giving children the best in education, in preparation for future learning and education. However, they differ in some concepts but are similar in other areas. This report looks into these differences and similarities and how they can best be applied to help prepare children for future learning. The High/Scope Curriculum versus the Montessori Curriculum Introduction With respect to early childhood education, different individuals have their own varied educational approaches and philosophies to the teaching and learning process. This is based on knowledge acquired from either studies of theorists of early childhood, personal experience during interaction with children in various environments of learning or the understanding of the process of child development (Roopnarine & Johnson). This essay seeks to explore how the High/Scope curriculum versus the Montessori curriculum is different or similar. The paper will also suggest the best curriculum for children depending on its approach. Finally, the role of parents in ensuring that children get the best introduction to education and the environment will also be considered. The environment can provide a base on which new teaching and learning approaches can be adapted and assist in determining how our own educational philosophies relates or contrasts from others so as to enable an effective transmission and acquisition of knowledge in the teaching and learning process. High/scope approach emerged from work done on the project of Perry Preschool in 1970 by Connie Kamii and Dave Weikart and was initiated in 1962. They are ideas and practices of education of education based on child (3-4 years) development principles. High/Scope Curriculum This approach of education views the child as the main participant in the teaching-learning process. The adults are supposed to be passive as their main duty is the creation of a conducive learning environment by planning of teaching and learning activities considering each child’s individual difference, encourage the child through the guiding and counseling process as a way of facilitating learning and develop effective strategies of engaging the child in a positive interaction involving the adult (teacher) and the child (learner). The adults are more of facilitators than supervisors. This curriculum aims at developing a child’s cognitive at their current level of development and improve on it. The environment is set in such a way to that it represents a social setting with the child being left to select ideas, materials and individuals to interact with. It is different from the traditional setting in that the setting of a nursery school in the sense that rather than focusing on a child’s advances in social and emotional aspect, it mainly concerns itself with their intellectual maturation. This program aims at developing the talents of the child through the active learning process and also for it s success it relied on the adults. The main concepts of this program include: active learning process which is participatory, where the child has concrete first hand experience with the learning materials, events and ideas. Through interacting with their environment the child construct their own knowledge. The second concept is the environment of learning which is developed basing on the child’s needs and interest and the child is expected to develop a responsibility in the use of the learning areas in this environment. Also a daily routine is developed as a concept which specifies activities to be performed and their time allocation, these activities include resting time and a period of transition from one activity to the other. The plan-do-review involves a child planning activities that they want to do, materials to use and the people they want to work with, then thy carry on with the activity and later discuss the outcome whether it was according to the plan. The other concept which is the interaction between the adult and the child which sees the adults as partners in facilitating proper learning, assessment mainly deals with determining the development of the child by observing them comprehensively throughout the learning process. The last concept is the conflict resolution which includes 6 steps. The Montessori Curriculum The Montessori Curriculum is an approach based on the work of Maria Montessori (1870-1952) who was a physician and an educator. It was developed of observing the children experimentally after giving them freedom in an environment which was already prepared designed materials to enable individual motivated development. The child’s interest and inner motivation should guide them into developing their own potentials while the roles of the teacher is that of observing, guiding and assisting the child to learn through an interactive process called a lesson by providing for a group or a child putting into consideration their individual needs and interest. Individual child is expected to develop in certain areas in an attempt to meet their needs and extra time for development will be offered if a child requires it to fully learn a concept before being allowed to explore the new topics by advancement to the adjacent level. This method has various concepts which explain its development: the nature’s inner guidance concept which explains that the children have inner directives which are inherent from nature and they guide the child’s development which is considered normal; freedom for a learning that is self directed which enables a child to select their own activities based on their inner feelings and respects this choice. Although this freedom is granted is granted but it is limited depending on the environment’s functionality. Stages/levels of development as another concept considers four distinct planes first stage (0-6), second level (6-12) third level (12-18) and last plane (12-18) each with it own characteristic in physical, mental, emotional, language, biological and social development among others. The next concept is the environment which is prepared with apparatus organized according to subject being handled, its degree of hardness and level of complexity and they should be able to attract the child’s attention. Multi-age grouping is another concept which is based on putting the child into different groups based on their mental maturity considering their level of development. The concept of nurturing a child’s talent states that whatever activity a child takes part in should be meaningful in the process of enabling the child adapt to real life experiences. Similarities According to Kostelnik & Whiren (1999), the two approaches focus on the use of materials to facilitate learning. These materials are provided for in the environment and they are supposed to be able to fulfill the child’s individual need. Also in these approaches, the child is seen as the active participant in the learning process as they are the ones who interact directly with the environment, the roles of the teacher and other adult members is that of guiding the leaner’s through the leaning process and also providing an adequate environment that will facilitate proper learning. Anonymous observes that they mainly focus on developing the child’s potentiality through their own interactive process with the learning environment in an active learning process with adults being relied upon to make the learning process a success. The methods develop the child’s ability at the current stage putting into consideration the stages/level of development of the child and they emphasize on attaining the current knowledge fully before advancing to the next level. The methods were both developed for children in low developmental levels after studying them in a created environment and formulating better ways of improving their ability by focusing on their individual interest needs and interest (Anonymous). In the two types of curriculum, children are allowed to move from one center to another. Children are also free to meet in groups under the directions of an adult teacher designed activities, which are open ended. Further more, cooperation, imagination and creativity are highly similarly highly valued. Differences High /scope curriculum is based on the idea of Jean Piaglet that states that children should actively be involved on self learning. On the other hand, Montessori curriculum provides an attractive and pleasant atmosphere that provides children with an environment that allows them to interact and learn with others at their own pace in a peaceful and natural way. In this curriculum, children are to access outdoor activities but this has been made limited by space and high cost of living today. Montessori curriculum little emphasizes on dramatic play and creativity (Chattin,1992), which is highly encouraged in high/score curriculum, contrary to Kostelnik & Whiren (1999), that advocates for dramatic and creativity among growing children. High/scope curriculum begins on the assumption that children develop and learn best only if they are involved, actively, with their environment and have the freedom to choose how to interact with the many different activities and materials (Goffin & Wilson, 2001). Therefore, it is the responsibilities of the adults to provide these children with materials that will best expose them to key experiences. However, Montessori curriculum provides a more structured academic approach. Even though children are free to make their own choices on different activities and materials, these activities and materials are only used in a single way. Conclusion Just as children are different, families are also different in what they expect their children to learn from a preschool. According to Hohmann & Weikart, (1995), in order to give their children what is best for them, parents should learn the attitudes and characteristics of their children in order to enroll to a school that best suits them. This has however been hindered, today, by the fact that many parents rarely spend enough time with their children in order to learn and understand them. This has affected children appreciation of the curriculum, besides learning and their teachers, if children interests do not correspond to the type of curriculum they are exposed to. However, the two types of curriculum are very objective in giving children the best in education, especially if parents can learn their children and expose them to a curriculum that suits them. References American Montessori Society. Different Approaches to Teaching: Comparing Three Preschool Programs. Retrieved on 20th April, 2011 from www.americanmontessorisociety.org and www.highscope.org/ Chattin,M. J. (1992). The Montessori Controversy. New York: Delmar. D. Goffin, S., & Wilson, C. (2001). Curriculum Models and Early Childhood Education Appraising the Relationships. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Hohmann ,M & Weikart, D.P. (1995). Educating Young Children: Active Learning Practices for Preschool and Child Care Programs. New York; Paperback. Kostelnik, M. A., & Whiren, A. (1999). Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum Best Practices in Early Childhood Education. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Roopnarine, J. & Johnson, J. (1993). Approaches to Early Childhood Education. NY: Macmillan Publishing Company. Read More