Located in a peaceful area at Lawsons Bay, Aditya Montessori House of Children encourages self-directed learning through a variety of specially designed materials that introduce mathematical and language concepts. Besides, the primary programme (three to six years age group) has no rows of tables and chairs like a typical classroom picture. The child is introduced to the alphabet through sandpaper letters, which uses the auditory, tactile, visual and kinaesthetic senses.
Montessori
Children working with materials at Aditya Montessori in VisakhapatnamChildren working with materials at Aditya Montessori in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: KR Deepak
The normalised Montessori environment at Aditya reflects a sense of calm with every child deeply engrossed in their independent work on their mats. There are no pencil and paper tests and the classroom has a mixed-age group. Says Gayathri Sreeramaneni, founder of Aditya Montessori: “The child is not drilled through a series of tests where performance on one day for one hour determines his intelligence; but rather based on his work throughout his time in the environment.” Gayathri rolled out the primary programme (till UKG) in June this year, after feeling the need to provide a learning space, which prioritises each child’s unique needs, interests and learning pace.
In the Montessori environment, the subjects are interconnected and have a flow. For instance, the binomial cube — a Montessori material — helps children develop advanced mathematical skills. It consists of eight wooden blocks that fit together through which different math concepts can be taught depending on the child’s age.
Waldorf
Kindergarten classrooms at Swechha, a school inspired by the Waldorf pedagogy, at the GITAM University campus in Visakhapatnam reflect the warmth of a home. The day has a repetitive rhythm alternating between focus and rest time, enabling the child to breathe in and out. The children are often seen enjoying fairy tales with rich vocabulary and music. In the early years, the classroom enables free movement and is filled with open- ended, natural materials for the child to work with.
A report card of Swechha is a qualitative assessment of the whole child. “The journey of the child through the term or year is described in all the aspects – physical, cognitive, verbal, conceptual, social and emotional changes. This is a result of daily observations and assessments by the teacher(s),” says Deepthi Vadlamudi, head of academics and co-founder of Swechha. Here, they have no exams and focus holistically on the child with exams only introduced in grade VII.
Children enjoying a reading session at Swechha, a Waldorf inspired school, in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
These alternative education models are changing the face of traditional schools. While in cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai, the preference for unconventional educational methodologies is quite pronounced, Visakhapatnam is witnessing a gradual change in the education space. The 2023 State of the Education Report for India by UNESCO highlights that urban parents increasingly prefer schools offering holistic education, which integrates emotional, social and creative development alongside traditional academics. Furthermore, a 2024 report published by the International Journal of Indian Psychology emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary and holistic education to achieve academic excellence. This report underscores the growing trend of integrating diverse educational philosophies and methodologies to cater to the overall development of students.
Interestingly, the concept of alternative schools isn’t new to Visakhapatnam. About seven years ago, Visakhapatnam had three schools that followed the Montessori pedagogy and one after-school Montessori programme called Oleander Montessori, which continues to grow. However, during the pandemic most of the schools could not sustain.
This year, the city saw two new schools which embraces alternative learning methodologies opening doors.
Reggio Emilia
Inspired by the Reggio Emilia pedagogy, Ekam opened its first branch in Visakhapatnam from this academic year for early childhood education programme (till UKG). The Reggio Emilia methodology emphasizes a spontaneous, collaborative and group-learning approach. At Ekam, the children are introduced to the human body parts through a large sketch on the floor. “The image intrigued them and they got together to solve the missing parts and seeking to know about the human anatomy,” says Kavya Reddy, director of Ekam Bright Beginnings. “Learning is not restricted to classrooms; there are many learning stations spread across the school environment where learning is done through the play-way method,” she adds. Music plays an important part of the system here which introduces the children to various instruments, fostering a sense of rhythm.
Children working with materials at Aditya Montessori in VisakhapatnamChildren working with materials at Aditya Montessori in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: KR Deepak
Nani Narendra, who has joined his four-year-old daughter in a Montessori school, says that he has seen her daughter draw parallels of the concepts of geography and math in practical life effortlessly. “Every concept is being learned in a practical way in the Montessori classroom. More importantly, I see her enjoying her time in school and not overburdened,” he adds.
Coping up
Children enjoying a music and rhyme session at Swechha, a Waldorf inspired school, in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
‘Will the child be able to cope with the mainstream world?’ is a common question many parents have regarding alternative education. According to Deepti, Waldorf education, with its focus on life skills from the early years, equips a child to adapt to the real world with ease. “A child habituated to explore solutions without constraints and experience learning through diverse approaches can be a natural problem-solver with creativity and initiative,” she adds.
Published - August 08, 2024 03:44 pm IST
