On Saturday 18th April Montessori Academy hosted an introductory training session to the Prepared Environment and the Practical Life Curriculum at our Croydon centre.
The training session was facilitated by Montessori Trainer, Danielle Binny, and was attended by more than 60 Educators from across the company.
The first part of the training session focused on the Prepared Environment, also known as the Montessori Classroom, which is a learning space specifically designed to meet the emotional, physical and developmental needs of children.
The Prepared Environment consists of the children, the teacher, and the physical environment. Key aspects of the Prepared Environment include: freedom, structure and order, beauty, nature and reality, social environment, and the intellectual.
Montessori Trainer, Danielle Binny, said: “A Montessori Prepared Environment will lead a child to Normalisation by encouraging love of work, concentration, self-disciple and sociability.”
The second part of the training session covered an introduction to the Practical Life Curriculum, which encompasses skills that are useful in everyday life.
The Normalisation process, which involves children learning to develop inner discipline and peace, begins with Practical Life. The four key areas of the Practical Life Curriculum include: preliminary exercises, applied exercises, grace and courtesy, and control of movement.
General Manager Centre Operations, Meray Parsons, said: “The Prepared Environment and the Practical Life Curriculum are an integral part of Montessori Academy’s Educational Program.
“It‘s fantastic to see such a great turnout from our staff as they learn new ways to implement the Montessori method of education in our classrooms,” said Meray.