The Singapore education system is one of the best in the world. As a result, many parents work hard to ensure that their children are prepared for school. Here is a five and a half dilligent girl working on mental math book 1. She realises that multiplying 39 x 10 makes 39 tens or 390. (Similar concept is taught in Singapore Primary 2 math syllabus)

square roots . . . age is no barrier

I've found that the education systems in the Asian schools are rather limiting. There appears to be a tendency to group children in classes according to their respective age group. A key philosophy in our lesson is - 'age is no barrier to learning'. Learning sensorially through concrete objects . . Tim, our curious two and a half, stumbles upon the square root Montessori math activity. He discovers that each square root plate is different size. Furthermore, each square root plate will aligns perfectly on top of each other and forms a pyramid. The next step for him will be to compare each plate, notice their differences and similarities. Later, a teacher will introduce the mathematical concept of square roots to him.

Learning Environment

Airy, spacious and safe learning environment for young children to move independently around from activity to activity.

learning through discovery

Here's a curious 9-month old exploring the piano. Deep in concentration, she quickly discovers how sound is produced.

Two and a half year old boy enjoying his work with the Golden beads. He is lining up several Tens with a Hundred. Through hands-on concrete objects, he learns the Decimal System of units, tens, hundreds. The next step for him would be to learn through hands-on experience the value of a thousand and a million.

learning through discovery

Our 9 month old enjoying the piano. Here she is pounding on the middle register. She learns that she holds the key to the dynamics of sound. . . pounding with all her might the piano echoes her strength with loud blast !

A delightful achievement

Having just read a book of funny rhymes, Amy, our brilliant four (4) year old young lady decides to move to the Small Moveable Alphabets to spells them out. Here's "tree", "see", "fee" and "drag", "grab", "crab". She quickly highlights this to everyone in class as she beams with delight at her achievement.

learning through discovery

Babies naturally enjoy rhymes, rhythm and songs. Here's a curious 9-month old exploring the piano. She realises that different keys have different pitches. Stringing them together, she discovers her own unique tune . . .

Creative teaching in Montessori math. Here is another five year old working to solve a number crossword puzzle. Using the multiplication beads, his learning is enchanced through his sense of touch.

Montessori vs Conventional Education

Montessori Education vs. Conventional Education

Montessori Education
Emphasis on cognitive structures and social development
Child is an active participant in learning.
Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline
Mixed age grouping
Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration
Child chooses own work based on abilities, high-ability children work at faster pace.

Conventional Education:
Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development
Teacher has dominant, child is passive participant in learning.
Teacher acts as primary enforcer of external discipline.
Same age grouping
Curriculum structed with little regard for child's natural interest
Curriculum pace is usually set by the group norm or teacher, every child work at same pace irregardless of their cognitive ability.

phonics

A 2 1/2 year old boy, who has been learning the sounds of alphabets is now ready for blended words. Here he is working with the small moveable alphabets, spelling out the word of the objects, such as "dog".

Nurturing the Love of Learning

Experts who study the acquisition of language tell us that the basis for learning oneís mother tongue begins in the womb. In the study of the lives of great musicians it is often found that the exposure to good music also began in the womb.

Parents who learn songs to sing to their babies long before they are born find that these songs are very soothing to the infant after birth.

Just as with Montessori, the purpose of the Suzuki method is to create a loving relationship between child and adult, to give the child the joy of accomplishment and developed talents, and, by meeting the needs of children, to help create a more peaceful society. The best way to help children is to work with parents even before birth. Today Suzuki parent education classes, given to help parents prepare for their infants, are similar in many ways to Montessori parent education classes.

It is possible that the fetus absorbs the particular characteristic rhythms of the motherís language. In a sense the fetus is already at work, learning language! It is thus important to sing to the child even during pregnancy. The brain's growth during fetal life is astonishing, with 20,000 cells being added every minute. Dreaming begins at the end of the seventh month of pregnancy. —Silvana Montanaro, M.D., AMI Montessori teacher trainer

Kids at play

Children enjoying science through play. Here's two active young three year olds learning the properties of bubbles . . .

Learning an instrument is serious business. Here's a father demonstrating to his three and a half year old girl the intricacies of violin bowing.

A three and a half child concentrates as she matches letters together.

Natural desire of children

Children are guided to play so as to reach the goal
desired by nature, i.e., to serve their development.
~ Froebel (1782 – 1852)

Here is a four-year old student who has just started on the Montessori Math's "Short Bead stairs". A helpful 6 years old tells him where number nine is placed on the stairs.

Mother and child

Research has shown that the extent and quality of care the mother provides the child are strongly conditioned by the way they spend their time together during the first days after birth. The single most important element in an infant's environment is the loving wisdom of the caregiver. Nothing material can substitute for time and attention during these early months. We must provide, above all, a family who will develop a long-term relationship with the child. The earliest moments in life, the first minutes and hours, are the most impressionable for both child and caregiver. This is the time when the basic instincts of parenting are awakened, and the bonding and trust of the infant is developed.