Written By: Shefun Jiwani-Ali
Bullying has become a subject of much discussion regarding schools in the modern age. While a few examples have made national headlines, it is unfortunately a far more common occurrence than many want to admit. It would be unjust to suggest that Montessori classrooms are bully free, yet the way that the Montessori classroom deals with bullying, is unique among all the school systems available to today’s children. (more…)
Written By: Shefun Jiwani-Ali
In many traditional classrooms, a teacher or assistant may take a disruptive or unruly child aside from the group and put them in a “time out.” Sometimes, that child is required to sit on a chair, or at a desk, facing away from the group, and is encouraged to “think about what you’ve done.” There are a thousand and one variations on the method, yet they all reduce to the same basic concept, that of being removed from participation for behaving badly. (more…)
Written By: Shefun Jiwani-Ali
As a parent, you want your child to feel good about themselves, and to grow and feel fulfilled throughout their young adult and adult years. Self-esteem is vital towards this goal, as it will allow for confidence and determination to be built upon a solid foundation. I am constantly amazed at the confidence and self-esteem of. In fact, it was what first attracted me to the philosophy. Children in a Montessori environment have many opportunities each day to continuously build their confidence. It is widely known that this confidence leads to academic, social as well as emotional success later in life. Self esteem is essential There are 5 ways to work with your child right now to nurture exactly such a sense of high self-esteem: (more…)
Written By: Shefun Jiwani-Ali
For parents, switching to public schooling for kindergarten after two years in the Montessori Early Childhood Program is an attractive option. The draw of cheaper tuition or, in some areas, no tuition, wider spread availability of public kindergarten options, possibly less travel time to and from the school, are all viable arguments to switching from Montessori. The third year of the Montessori Early Childhood Program, however, is the critical point of the entire program, when your child will enter a new stage of development and understanding. (more…)
Written By: Shefun Jiwani-Ali
Over the last few years, Montessori has become an extremely popular choice in Calgary for parents to get their child started on the path to learning. Based on the demand in Calgary, a large volume of Montessori schools have recently opened their doors. As a parent it is important to understand that “Montessori” is not franchised, trademarked or licensed in any way. For this reason, parents may see a number of variations in the way Montessori is being implemented when exploring potential schools for their child. Parents usually ask: “How do I know if this is an authentic Montessori school?” “What should I be looking for in a Montessori school?” and “What red flags should I be aware of?” (more…)
Written By: Shefun Jiwani-Ali
We, as humans, innately understand which hand to use for an action. Right handed people throw balls with their right hands, left handed people will cut onions with their left hand. It is part of us that is “hard wired” into the brain the moment we are born. So what happens if your child is left handed when you are right handed (or vice versa)? (more…)
Written By: Shefun Jiwani-Ali
One of the most important decisions for any parent comes when their child is of the age to begin school. Which school to choose? Which programs will challenge their child appropriately without overloading them? Public or private? Home schooled? These, and many other, questions quite literally keep parents up at night. But what if there was another option? One that embraces a different method of education that is so far ahead of the curve, that other schools are just now starting to implement parts of what has been the core of Montessori for nearly a century. (more…)