Introduction
At Kynd, our learning curriculum incorporates both the Montessori Method and the Early Years Framework. Based on individual needs, each child has their own program which fosters development and positively challenges them.
The role of Montessori and EYLF in Kynd’s approach
Our centre has been created specifically to cater to the needs of parents and children seeking a quality educational experience in a nurturing environment. Our Early Works Program keeps you up to date with daily reports, as well as monthly observations of your child’s progress. We also believe it is important you and your child feel included and consulted through the process and planning of the curriculum design.
Our learning curriculum is a combination of the Montessori Method and the Early Years Framework. Each child receives their own program based on their individual needs, to foster development and positively challenge them.
Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)
Emphasising play-based learning
Early Years Learning Framework places a specific emphasis on play-based learning and recognises the importance of communication, language and social and emotional development.
The core values of EYLF – Belonging, Being, and Becoming
Fundamental values of the curriculum framework are that the earliest development takes place through relationships and that children’s life is characterised by Belonging, Being and Becoming connected by family, community, culture and place.
The five key outcomes of EYLF
- Children have a strong sense of identity.
- Children are connected with and contribute to their world.
- Children have a strong sense of well-being.
- Children are confident and involved learners.
- Children are effective communicators.
Montessori Childcare
What is Montessori?
The Montessori Method of education nurtures and accommodates complete academic foundations through interest-based learning. It is designed with multiple learning styles and educational materials in mind, which makes it both versatile and diverse.
What is the Montessori Method of Education?
The Montessori Method of education nurtures and accommodates complete academic foundations through interest-based learning. It is designed with multiple learning styles and educational materials in mind, which makes it both versatile and diverse.
How is Montessori Education Different?
Montessori is unique in its practice, education materials and prepared environment (also known as the Montessori Classroom) which are unlike any standard Childcare centre in Australia.
The Montessori classroom is a carefully considered space, filled with educational materials personalised to each child’s learning style, needs and specific stages of development. Children develop through child-led, self-paced, hands-on experiences using problem-solving skills and real-world applications.
The Montessori approach to education, inspires children towards a lifelong love of learning, by following their natural developmental trajectory of learning, language and social-emotional development. Children become confident, responsible, independent learners, who trust in their own abilities.
The Montessori Prepared Environment
What is the Montessori Prepared environment?
The Montessori prepared environment is a meaningfully structured space and learning materials where children can learn through curiosity, stability and freedom of choice, where everything has a purpose and a place. Examples include furniture that is light and child-sized, learning materials that are designed to fit in a child’s hand and a space that is open and accessible.
Features of the Prepared Environment
The Montessori prepared environment is a meticulously curated space where children can learn and grow independently. It is characterised by various features and principles that foster an atmosphere of structure, order, freedom, and harmony. Montessori Materials are uniquely crafted to create a comprehensive and immersive learning experience. They provide:
- Hands-on learning tools that teach one skill at a time.
- Designed with multiple learning styles in mind.
- Build knowledge and skills through repetition and practice.
- Made of natural materials and real-life objects.
- Develop independence, fine motor skills, and concentration.
- Learning outcomes discovered through problem-solving.
- Designed for children to teach themselves.
- Simplify abstract concepts.
Hands-on learning tools that teach one skill at a time.
Using hands-on learning tools, Montessori materials actively engage and guide children by breaking down one key concept into simple repetitive steps enabling them to grasp key concepts through practical experience and repetitive practice helping them develop a deeper understanding through doing than observing.
Control of Error
Montessori materials are designed with an inbuilt “control of error” that allows children to identify and correct their own mistakes, promoting independent discovery through repetition, practice and trial and error. For example, for a mathematics challenge children may find that there are too many or too few objects left at the end of a counting activity so will start again to complete the challenge.
Fine Motor Skills
Montessori materials encourage purposeful movement and exploration playing a vital role in the development of fine motor skills including dexterity, coordination, and concentration, preparing them for practical tasks in their daily lives.
Auto-Instructional
Specifically designed for independent use, Montessori materials are designed without the help of an adult. They empower children to explore, design and master the learning outcomes of each material autonomously, fostering a sense of self-reliance and self-directed learning through repetition and practice.
Structure and order
The prepared environment is organised and structured, with designated spaces for different activities where children build confidence by creating an organic flow for moving, learning and exploration. Examples of designated spaces include an area to eat and a space to work.
Left to Right Progression Order
In the prepared environment, Montessori materials are arranged left to right in a logical progression sequence (grouped by their curriculum area) from easier to more challenging and in accordance with their developmental needs and interests. This logical structure facilitates a clear learning pathway for children to understand, promoting the gradual layering of knowledge.
Emphasis on independence
The prepared environment supports children in exploring and developing independence through accessible materials and guidance from educators, encouraging them to think and act for themselves in a safe place.
Freedom and choice within limits
Children are given the freedom to choose their activities, freedom of movement, and freedom of time to follow their own interests at their own pace. They are allowed to explore these interests and activities for as long as they choose and where they like, within the boundaries of reasonable and acceptable behaviour. This helps children build a sense of autonomy and self-direction.
Child-Sized
In a prepared environment, furniture and materials are proportioned to the children’s size, allowing them to navigate and engage with the environment comfortably and independently. This purposefully designed space with child-size furniture, accessible low open shelves and learning material that fits removes the frustration children experience in an ‘adult-sized world’ allowing them to gain self-esteem, self-discovery and self-mastery without limitations.
Beauty
The Montessori environment is designed with a neutral colour palette, and natural materials, art, displays and materials are beautifully and orderly organised with care and thought to create a visually appealing and calm atmosphere that promotes concentration and focus.
Real
Real-life objects and materials are used to provide children with real-life learning experiences that help them build confidence and competence for real-world situations which include photographs of animals and objects rather than cartoons and ceramic bowls than plastic.
Stability
A Montessori environment remains consistent and stable with minimal changes to the layout and materials, providing children with a sense of security and familiarity that supports their overall development. Furniture and learning materials rarely move so that children can get familiar with their surroundings. However, new activities are introduced that reflect children’s interests or as part or as part of building practical life skills and milestones.
Harmony
Children are encouraged to work in a peaceful and respectful manner, working together to create a harmonious classroom community and cooperation within the classroom.
Montessori Materials
What are Montessori Materials?
Montessori materials are enticing, simple, hands-on learning tools designed to inspire independent learning and stimulate a child’s mind. They provide a tangible and relatable learning experience that encourages exploration and enables them to develop independence, fine motor skills, and concentration.
Montessori materials come together to form the Montessori Curriculum and are taught only one skill at a time. Through problem-solving and the gradual progression of learning outcomes, they provide children with the opportunity to explore, grasp and master complex ideas at their own pace.
Children are introduced to the Montessori materials by a trained educator in a sequence from easiest to hard, they are then invited to work with the material independently. After they have finished working with the materials they then return each material to its allocated place in the prepared environment.
Montessori Curriculum
The Montessori Curriculum is a comprehensive and child-centred framework that fosters holistic development across cognitive, physical, social, and emotional aspects of a child’s development.
The curriculum consists of five key curriculum areas Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, and Cultural Studies, each tailored to cultivate specific aspects of a child’s growth and understanding.
How Does the Montessori Curriculum Work?
During a key lesson, Montessori educators introduce learning outcomes and materials for each of these five key curriculum areas that focus on one learning outcome (or skill) grouped by their curriculum and in order of developmental needs.
After the key lesson, children work with and explore the Montessori materials independently learning through hands-on practical experience helping them retain new skills and information. As they progress through each area they develop a gradual layer of knowledge through repetition and practice. Through this approach children develop an understanding of each subject area, helping them make connections to the key learning outcomes, master the progression of the Montessori materials and develop a fundamental understanding of each curriculum area.
Montessori educators stand back and observe how the children are learning, documenting their progress. They will only intervene if needed.
When the child is ready to progress to the next step in their curriculum and learning, new lessons are provided.
Key Curriculum Areas
The Montessori Curriculum includes Practical Life, Sensorial development, Mathematics, Arts and Crafts, Language, Culture and Geography and much more.
The Montessori Practical Life Curriculum, materials and activities develop independence, concentration and fine motor skills by incorporating activities and exercises that children observe in their daily lives. Typical practical life activities and material include:
- Food preparation.
- Spooning.
- Threading.
- Cleaning and sweeping
- Lessons in grace and courtesy.
Through Montessori sensorial activities and materials children refine their senses of sight, touch, sound, smell and taste helping them learn about similarities and differences, dimensions, colours, shapes, smells, tastes and sounds. This also prepares children for other areas of the curriculum such as mathematics, language and geometry by developing an understanding of the world around them and teaching children how to classify and sort.
Sensorial development materials and activities include:
- Pink towers
- Colour boxes
- Geometric solids
- Trinomial cubes.
The Mathematics Curriculum teaches children to understand abstract mathematical concepts and relationships through hands-on learning experiences.
Learning outcomes include:
- Learning to count
- Identifying and matching numerals to their quantity
- Be able to relate decimal quantities and symbols,
- Become aware of the functions of addition,
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division.
Learning materials Include:
- Numerals and counters
- Hanging bead stairs
- Teen boards
- Hundred boards.
The Montessori environment provides open-ended art activities where children can develop their fine motor skills and learn to explore self-expression, colour theory and use their creativity.
Children are encouraged to speak about their arts and crafts work helping with self-esteem, mental growth, communication skills and social skills. The Montessori approach is about the process with an end goal in mind, not the end product itself.
Some Montessori arts and crafts materials include:
- Coloured pencils.
- Crayons and oil pastels
- Watercolour and art paper.
- Modelling and earth clay.
- Graphite pencils
- Erasers, Sharpeners, Rulers
- Compasses and Magnifying glass
- Stencils
- Acrylic, watercolour and liquid finger paint
- Canvas
- Carving tools
- Rolling pins
- Cookie cutters
- Stamps
- Wood shapes.
The Montessori Language Curriculum and materials provide children with the knowledge to build their vocabulary, reading, writing, oral language skills and understanding of language. These language skills are developed through activities, daily social interactions and group time experiences.
These activities and materials include:
- Learning letter sounds (phonics)
- letter identification and formation
- Learning how to combine sounds to make words
- Learning how to build simple sentences
- Learning how to properly hold a pencil
- Lessons in grace and courtesy.
Examples of Montessori language materials include:
- Sandpaper Letters
- Moveable Alphabet
- Metal Insets
- Three Part Cards
The Montessori Curriculum incorporates a wide range of subjects that help children explore culture, and diversity and develop their understanding of their community, the world and their social responsibilities.
Children learn to respond and develop an understanding and respect for their surroundings through materials, activities and subjects such as:
- Geography, continent boxes and map cabinets
- Science
- History,
- Music
- Art
- Botany
- Zoology
- Cultural studies.
- Responding to diversity with respect
- Awareness of sustainability.
- Land and Water Forms
- Life cycle puzzle and activities.
Montessori and EYLF: Bridging Two Approaches
What’s the Difference Between Montessori and EYLF?
There is no difference between the Montessori Curriculum and the Early Years Learning Framework. The Montessori curriculum instead enhances the EYLF by providing children with an optimal learning environment by covering the main key learning areas children need to grow, explore and discover their full potential nurturing strong academic and wellbeing foundations.
Montessori and EYLF at Kynd
At Kynd we pride ourselves on our Montessori Curriculum and Montessori childcare. Our programs are backed by the Montessori learning approach and honour the founder of the Montessori philosophy and Montessori education – Dr Maria Montessori. Our programs encourage each child’s strengths and interests as we look to offer an education for independence, preparing not just for school but for life.
All our classrooms are carefully considered, versatile and diverse spaces filled with educational materials designed for multiple learning styles. Children develop through child-led, self-paced, hands-on experiences using problem-solving skills and real-world applications.
Individualised Learning by Kynd Montessori
Each child receives their own individualised program that challenges and encourages them to build self-esteem and the confidence to explore, challenge, connect and contribute to the world around them.
Not just for school but for life.
Our education materials, curriculum and individualised programs combine active, explorative and inquisitive learning with a quality educational experience in a nurturing environment.
Through active, explorative, and inquisitive learning experiences in a nurturing environment, we aim to help children develop the following key qualities:
- Confidence
We empower children to believe in themselves and their abilities, enabling them to tackle challenges with self-assurance.
- Responsibility
Our programs instil a sense of responsibility, teaching children the importance of taking ownership of their actions and choices.
- Independence
We nurture independence by encouraging children to make decisions, solve problems, and take initiative, fostering self-reliance.
- Value
Every child is an integral part of our educational community, ensuring they feel valued, appreciated, and recognized for their unique contributions.
- Security
We create a safe and supportive environment where children can freely express themselves, fostering a sense of emotional and physical security.
- Respect
Through mutual respect and understanding, we teach children to treat themselves and others with kindness and consideration, promoting positive relationships and empathy.
Our Mission
The Kynd mission is to embrace differences and inclusivity, with respect and care. We foster a lifelong love of learning, encouraging children to explore their strengths and their immediate world. We advance the uniqueness of each child through a healthy, safe and fun space.
Our Philosophy
The Kynd philosophy centres around a sustainable learning environment with natural materials. We believe early childhood education should centre the child’s innate desire to explore and learn. Children thrive emotionally, socially and creatively when their uniqueness is celebrated.
- Foster a lifelong love of learning
- Encourage children to explore their strengths and world
At Kynd Montessori, a love of learning will not only guide your child through their transition into and during their school years but into their adult life.
We value and are committed to supporting our families and children.
Our staff prepare daily reports for each child on eating, sleeping and toileting. Monthly observations of your child’s progress are also recorded, so if there are any unexpected learning roadblocks they are addressed quickly.
Skilled Observation
One of our most vital teaching tools comes from observation without judgment. Skilled observation involves “following the child”: we study the habits of the child, define their needs and assist them in finding their strengths and capabilities
Respecting the Child
The child is assured of their own abilities by the Montessori teacher. By the teacher entrusting the child with appropriate decision-making challenges, they grow to learn from their own mistakes and develop a sense of judgement whilst respecting others.
The Individual
Montessori learning programs are personalised to each child, based on their individual stage of development, interests and needs. Montessori learning materials guide lesson plans and are presented one-on-one based on each child’s academic progress.
We teach children to become independent learners who trust in their own abilities.
Get in touch
For information on the programs we provide, and any information within our article, reach out to us by email or phone.
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