HOW EDUCATIONISTS ARE CHANGING THE DEFINITION OF EDUCATION

"I remember the first that a grading rubric was attached to a piece of my writing….Suddenly all the joy was taken away.  I was writing for a grade -- I was no longer exploring for me.  I want to get that back.  Will I ever time get that back?"

                                                   -- Claire, a student (in Olson, 2006)

( this story was mentioned  by Alfie Kohn , a renowned education  reformer  in one of his articles)

Ask anyone what is education and he will clearly state that it is all about literacy and academics.

Most of the Schools across the world are working under the factory model of  nineteenth century Industrial revolution . Public schools supplied factories with a skilled labor force, and provided basic literacy to the masses. This was the education that the vast majority of the population receive everywhere around the globe.

If we look more deeply we can clearly see that Schools operate similarly to ‘assembly lines’. The school assembly line is divided  into years. Students are sorted by age. Every day students receive instruction on specific subject. Every subject is taught during a fixed time period in the day. Students are then tested on each subject to see if they meet the ‘standards’, so they can move along the line. Finally they receive their stamp of approval (diploma) at the end of the line.(a perfect factory model).
                Where is the Creativity by the way ?

Another blunder is the assessment itself; Psychologists Maehr and Midgley studied the effects of ‘assessments on student’s learning’, they concluded in these words, “an overemphasis on assessment can actually undermine the pursuit of excellence”.  For me the  joy of reading can easily be taken away by a teacher who always  judge a child by his ‘reading skills’.

The ugliest fact  which gives  school  a complete factory like model  is the fact that the  Term ‘Standardized ‘ is being attached with  assessments. Factories always rely on the standardization of their products, so is the school.  How can a ‘standardized test’ determine the vast differences of talents and imaginations of different children  ? It can’t, so they just ‘kill the creativity factor’ of each and every child on a way towards standardization.

Einstein ridiculed the modern education system with these words, ““Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” The question I have for you at this point of our journey together is, “What is your genius?” This simple statement is a challenge for our modern day educationists.

What I think personally that there is some value in ‘assessing the quality of learning’ but it doesn’t mean it should be quantified into numbers . Learning cannot be ‘measured in numbers’. How can I quantify a piece of writing which is above spelling mistakes?

 Its doesn’t ends here, ‘Grading’ is the next step to humiliate children. Researchers are proving  that grades kills the natural human  curiosity ,suppress intrinsic motivation ,  invoke a ‘preference for the easiest possible task’ in students and finally  they reduce the quality of children’s thinking from “How can we be sure that’s true?”  to  “Is this going to be on the test?

To kill the ‘creativity’ permanently, schools are praising certain subjects like Mathematics and Science which demand  precision and accuracy at the cost of others like different kinds of Arts which promotes ‘divergent thinking and creativity’. Now the world economy is thriving towards ‘creativity’ but the schools are busy suppressing it.

The book published last year “One Size Doesn’t Fit All; A Student’s  Assessment Of School” by Nikhil Goyal  took into account the ‘Prison –system of schools and how it is damaging the young brains. A 17- year old Goyal indicates bluntly, “we are forced to sit at desks, shut up, listen, and raise our hands to speak. By the time we make it out of high school, we have been taught to think just like everyone around us, and our ability to think critically or creatively has been squandered. What’s worse, we fail to ask questions and we fear risks, because all of our formidable years were spent spitting out “right answers” instead of being taught to inquire and think for ourselves to solve problems”.

Maria Montessori reveals it in these words,
"The basic error is to suppose that a person's Will must necessary be broken before it can obey, meaning before it can accept and follow another person's directions. Were this reasoning to be applied to Intellectual Education ,we should have to destroy a person's mind before we could give him any Knowledge".
(THE ABSORBENT MIND)

After a short survey of the schools in my local area, I came to the conclusion that Educationist needs to Re-define Education, they have to change the mindsets, they have to bring the ‘Paradigm shift’ and that’s what we need it desperately.

 The new definition of education will not be accepted until it caters the individuality and creativity of each child without Stamping him ‘passed’ or ‘failed’.

I love the TED TALK of Sir Ken Robinson released last year on You tube. He said boldly challenging the mainstream education ,“The fact is that given the challenges we face, education doesn't need to be reformed -- it needs to be transformed. The key to this transformation is not to standardize education, but to personalize it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each child, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions.”
― Ken Robinson, in his book, ‘The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything’.

 

 

 

 

More  can be said and written but I would love to end up with the brilliant words of one of the most amazing Educationist of the world, Maria Montessori.

"How can we speak of Democracy or Freedom when from the very beginning of life we mould the child to undergo tyranny, to obey a dictator? How can we expect democracy  when we have reared slaves?  Real freedom begins at the beginning of life , not at the adult stage. These people who have been diminished in their powers, made short- sighted, devitalized by mental fatigue, whose  bodies have become distorted,  whose wills have been broken by elders who says, “you will

 must disappear and mine prevail! How can we expect them when school life is finished – to accept and use the Rights of Freedom?"

 Maria Montessori -  Education for a New World.

Last but not the least are the words of the Vice president of Google, Marissa Mayer, “You can’t understand Google, unless you know that both Larry and Sergey were Montessori  kids.” She’s referring to schools based on the  philosophy of Maria Montessori, an Italian physician who believed that children should be allowed the freedom to pursue their interests. “In a Montessori school, you go paint because you have something to express or you just want to do it that afternoon, not because the teacher said so,” she says. “This is baked into how Larry and Sergey approach problems. They’re always asking, why should it be like that? It’s the way their brains were programmed early on.”

 

     

                                     

                                           Written by Erum

                                           Montessori Directress

                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOOLS SHOULD BE REAL IN THE HANDS OF A CHILD ,TRUST THEM , THEY CAN HANDLE IT

 

 

 

CONTRUCTION SITE DISCOVERED

 

                                      
It was a wonderful afternoon when Nermeen decided to go to the woods area inside their Residential compound. when we were heading towards that area, she shouted, "what's that ? looks like an amazing place".


                                     
Soon we entered the Construction site where some new construction has started. Nermeen and her friends were delighted to see many tools lying here and there. So they grabbed a Wheelbarrow

 

Playing with it in many ways till they discovered that it need to be handled in a specific way .

 

After some initial conversation, they decided  who was going to start moving it around. (They handled it in a beautiful manner without an adult intervention).

.

 

 

 

The best part was to get control of the wheel and have a perfect balance, so she did it quite nicely.

 

 

 

After applying  'trial and error strategy' , she got the right kind of control all by herself.

 

 

                                               

Now it's time for her Spanish friend Giamo to take over the wheelbarrow, and he learned something different focusing on how to hold it in a manner when applying speed.  (the boy's way of learning).


                                  

Her friend was little reluctant to try, but Nermeen convinced her to give a quick try.



                                  

                             And then she was just enjoying the moves and the excitement of handling such a big stuff.


                               
Children are always curious to know why things happen? what's the cause and effect relationship? how it can be done? and when they are through, they feel the sense of achievement which inspires their souls ,brighten their neural connections and finally leads them towards more Exploration.



 
While they were exploring the environment, this boy found a Spade ,I just showed him the way to hold it in a correct manner, then he was doing things on his own, discovering the use of this specific tool and enjoying every bit of

 

 

 

 

 

 

After watching him , Nermeen and her friend decided to try the showel too.

 

 

 

 

They actually saw him handling it perfectly so they imitate it but adding their own way of connecting with  the showel and sand.

 

 

 

 

 

Soon they were using two different showels.

 

 

 

While the girls were there on the sandy area ,this boy started exploring other areas and tools.

He asked me whether he could jumped into that circle area where he saw some Tubs of Paint. He discovered the mixture of paint and  realized that it contained water and that's how its looked like a 'liquid'.

Inside there was a water reservoir, he sat there  messing with the sandy water and ran away to tell his friends about his new discovery.

 

 

 

She found a Trowel and ready to work with.

 

 

 Everyone was using it for their own discoveries, he was trying to level down the soil.

 

 

He brought a bucket of water ,poured it down and then tried his trowel again only to discover some more facts about soil, water, spade and their relation with human 'hands'.

 

 

 

Nermeen found a steel rod ,fascinated by it's shape, she started inserting it in the soil.

 

                                            
Because, she couldn't see  holes clearly which started appearing on the soil, she brought the spade ,leveled the soil and then tried the rod again only to discover the amazing 'holes'.
A child feel curious and excited at the same time when he discovers the relationship between what is being done and what is coming out of that process of 'doing'.

 

A perfect hole.

 

                                   


They decided that one child would be  leveling  the soil with the hand while the other would make the holes.
(Repetition  matters in these Early years)
In the words of Montessori ,“Since the child now learns to move rather than to sit still, .... it is
the repetition of the activity that the child will gain mastery and learn the concept".

 

 To make it more obvious, they decided to pour the water on the soil before leveling it.

 

  

                                                                And it goes on.

 

 

with many many holes.

              

 

 

 

                                        Oh what a big piece of soil or is it a rock? lets discover

 

 

 

 

After exploring many tools and areas it's natural for children to search for some cleaning stuff. This boy found a broom and started cleaning the place full of dust.

 

 

 

 

 

Nermeen and her friend found some broken brushes . Children are always creative problem solvers ,what they need is a fertile land to grow.

 

 "Education is not something which a teacher does, but [is] a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being. It is not acquired by listening to words, but in virtue of experiences in which the child acts on his environment. The teacher’s task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child".
Maria Montessori

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning for Life: Outdoor Play Link up - Bottle Babies

Learning for Life: Outdoor Play Link up - Bottle Babies

HOW TO DEVELOPE DEEP CONCENTRATION

                          
           DEEP CONCENTRATION DEVELOPED BY SIMPLE PRACTICAL LIFE ACTIVITIES

If teaching is to be effective with young children, it must assist them to advance on the way to independence. It must initiate them into those kinds of activities, which they can perform themselves. We must help them to learn how to walk without assistance, to run, to go up and down the stairs, to pick up fallen objects, to dress and undress, to wash themselves, to express their needs, and to attempt to satisfy their desires through their own efforts. All this is part of an education for independence." - Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child.

In todays world, Teachers and parents feel helpless dealing with hyper active children with low Span of Attention, very low concentration level, fidgeting, and many more problems related with concentration. Pre - school children coming to schools are sometimes nightmares for the staff. If we carefully analyse the children in their Free-play in their natural environments we can feel how much they are deeply immersed in activities which is related to Practical life.
 
Maria Montessori discovered  a century ago that Simple Practical life activities creates Long Span of Attention and deep concentration and here how it develops in a Pure Montessori classroom.
 
In my class my students just loves the Practical life area and here I discovered my most hyperactive ones immersed deeply .

 

When this child  came to my class, he found it really difficult to concentrate even for a  minute but soon he started concentrating at a level which is just amazing .Simple Shoe polishing with many small steps which a child does  repeatedly, not only develops a daily life skill but takes his Concentration to its maximum. 

 

 Spooning activity not only develops his Fine-motor skills and makes him an  independent eater but also elevates his Span of Attention.

 

 

Whipping soapy water not only makes bubbles but makes a child deeply involved and thus creates remarkable levels of Concentration.

This child is busy in Grating, he is not only enjoying the process, but developing a practical life skill, and in the long run it makes him realize the Importance of deep concentration needed to learn a skill.

 

In our (3-6) Montessori classrooms , we have Dressing Frames which allows a child to learn, how to Button, zip, hook, tie a lace, and a ribbon ,it develops beautiful concentration levels in children.

 

This child is learning to Buckle on a Dressing frame.

 

 

Simple Pouring and then Crushing activity teaches  a child the skill of patience.

Pouring in different glasses not only gives a child the "Sense of Estimation" but satisfies his instinct of playing with tiny  objects as it spreads out of the glass.

 

This child is Threading a Pearl bead and  will continue it till the necklace is ready for use.

 

A small child finds it wonderful to discover the "Fullness of a jug"  and then feels excited when he finds the other one Empty, the whole process might be a Reflex action for adults, but for a child, it is a process which needs to be practiced till the NEURONS get the perfection in their Neural paths.

 

Pouring of Liquid is the best way of making a child Independent and then it makes him realize the simple Scientific facts related to liquid.

 

 

Planting teaches a child to care for his environment and makes him discover the science behind Botany.

Simple cooking makes a child feels independent , makes him Sense the different steps through direct participating and thus created a High Span of Attention in his inner psyche.

 

This child is learning to tie a lace.

 

 

 

 

Crushing needs deep concentration.

 

This child is deeply involved in this activity of Caring Plants. Skills like Cutting using scissors, picking up the dirt, watering ,cleaning and dusting the leaves are developing him into a more attentive person.

 

 

 Rug Rolling develops his Fine-motor skills as well as keeps his concentration till the end of  the activity with accuracy.

 

 

Locking and Unlocking the Keys are again making a child independent and serves the opportunity  to develop deep concentration level.

 

 

When the child learns the basic elementary excercises of Practical life , he soon will apply to his work.

 

Watering Plants satisfies a child's need to play in Nature.

 

This child is picking tiny crystals using the Tongs ,beautiful concentration !

 

This child is cleaning a Silver box.

Children feels intensely satisfied when they perform daily life activities, folding and unfolding of Napkins is a beautiful way to learn little steps, and makes them highly organized and attentive.

 

Sewing activity using the needle makes the child sense the Unique skills required to do certain jobs perfectly.

 

 

 

Cleaning the Silver box. Amazing concentration.

 

 

Making bubbles ...wow

                          This 3 years old is cleaning a Glass using Newspaper strips....

 

Mixing many stuff together needs accuracy and judgment which requires Deep concentration.

 

In a Montessori classroom, children are given lessons and activities which cannot be described as "Finished" until it is cleaned and  kept back in its original place, so a Montessori child have a Unique sense of "Completion of work" from day one, he knows that a work finishes only when it comes to its original place, ready for another child to explore.

Cleaning, Dusting and Wiping a table ,mopping , brooming and  washing floors, cleaning windows and doors, wiping spills  are just few activities in which a child feels Independent and satisfied. 

 

Cleaning often requires collecting tiny objects from the floor or table which satisfies the child's need of playing with the small objects.

 

Washing floor is just another way of keeping a child engaged in a meaningful activity and develops his concentration level to it's

maximum.
Practical Life activities never ends, its up to the Directress or a Montessori mom to initiate more activities according to the culture and needs of the time. Children loves to use Everyday Tools and thus attain  skills to be used in their daily life.

Children at this age enjoy, and even prefer, spending their time helping adults with their activities. When allowed to do so, the child learns that his contributions are of value, thus boosting his self-esteem and independence. He should be encouraged to use child-size replicas of adult tools. In short, the direct aim of 'Montessori Practical Life' activities is to help develop social skills and independence. Indirectly, Practical Life activities develop fine motor skills, as well as strengthening intellect, concentration, and personal will.

Above all, the need to develop Concentration can never be attained to its max. without the use of these simple Practical life activities at the  Pre-school age in different environments.