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www.thevillagenews.co.za
10 June 2020
MY SCHOOL
Writer Hedda Mittner
T
here is no doubt that the lives of families with young children have been turned upside down since the closure of schools almost three months ago. And now that most parents are able to return to work under the Level 3 regulations, ECD Centres countrywide remain closed until 6 July, leaving parents with the additional burden of arranging supervision for their little ones. “Young children, especially those between three and six years, not only need to be in a safe environment but also a stimulating one – and the lockdown has deprived many children of just that,” says Amber Daamen, head of the newly opened Walkerbay Montessori Schools (WMS) in Onrus, catering for children between the ages of three to six years. Governed by a board of volunteer directors, WMS is a non-profit organisation that offers a calm and nurturing,
home-based environment dedicated to the Montessori pedagogy. “The Montessori method is more than just an internationally renowned educational system – it is also a way of life,” says Amber, who was born in Suriname in South America and moved to West Africa with her family during childhood, living in remote countries such as Togo, Sao Tome and Mali. “Due to all the moving and lack of quality education available, I homeschooled myself between the ages of 12 and 17 and completed my A levels (Cambridge curriculum) in Botswana. Teaching is in my blood and while studying to qualify as a Montessori directress, I worked at a preschool in Gabarone and also volunteered at a centre for abandoned babies and toddlers.” Amber clearly has a passion for little people and says early childhood education is recognised as the most important phase of a child’s growth and development. The Montessori method, she says, is not just about
‘teaching’ a child, but more about creating a stimulating environment where the child takes centre stage and the educator is in the background, guiding, observing and assessing. “In a world dominated by adults, children discover their independence in a Montessori environment, because everything is child-sized and filled with a myriad of activities and self-learning materials.” At the heart of the Montessori method is the self-didactic material that allows the child to explore the concrete (the material itself ) and discover the abstract (concepts that require cognitive thinking) with the directress as the custodian of this prepared environment. The Montessori equipment is aesthetically pleasing and simple to use, guiding the child through the Montessori curriculum as it increases in complexity. This clear sequence provides the child with a logical pathway to learning that stimulates the gradual accumulation of knowledge to establish foundational learning.
PHOTO: Raphael da Silva
New Montessori preschool opens in Onrus Directress and head of Walkerbay Montessori Schools in Onrus, Amber Daamen, surrounded by some of the Montessori learning materials that stimulate self-teaching and foster the child’s innate need to be independent.
Children between the ages of three and six can enrol with WMS for half days (08:00 to 13:00, excluding lunch) or full days from 08:00 until 17:00, including lunch (regular or vegetarian). A home schooling programme is also offered, with prepared weekly class plans for parents, term and year assessment by WMS, and a Grade 1 readiness assessment. Home schoolers will also have access to the
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equipment library (up to 4 materials can be checked out per week). WMS has implemented stringent Health and Safety COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures to ensure your child’s safety. For more information, visit www.walkerbaymontessorischools.co.za or contact amber at 082 458 0833 or info@walkerbaymontessorischools.co.za
