ADVERTORIAL
The Character
The Child
Maketh
More Than a Decade in Character Building
Have you ever looked at a
child who minds his Ps and
Qs and who says please and
thank you at every turn,
and you wonder how that
was achieved? It’s all about
moulding the character
of the kid, and it isn’t as
complicated as you think it is.
What is the difference between the
traditional Montessori approach and
Character Montessori?
Grace: At Character Montessori, the
children will go through the complete
rigours of the traditional Montessori
curriculum; children work with the
materials, learn independently,
and practice character traits like
attentiveness and self-control.
However, research informs us that
moral values need to be taught, caught
and practiced to take root in the hearts of children. Thus, in Character Montessori,
we lay a moral foundation in our children through the direct teaching of values and
interactions with teachers and friends in group activities; children develop moral
reasoning when they learn why having a particular character trait like patience is
good and to apply it when they engage in co-operative
work or group learning activities which are not in
the Montessori curriculum. Children also engage
in discussions where they grasp the importance of
a character trait and apply it in life - “Benny did not
keep his toys after playing. Do you think it is a good or
bad thing to do? Why?” “How would you help Benny?”
Tell us a typical day in a Character
Montessori classroom.
Grace: In a Character Montessori classroom, there
are three key components, all of which are interlinked
with one another. These components are the
environment, the programme, and the community.
When we talk about the environment, we are referring
to both the physical and cultural environment in the
classroom. The physical space is set up in such a way
so that children can easily access the materials on
the shelves independently. Essentially, everything is
placed at the typical child’s height, who is trained to
not only retrieve the items but also to return them
after use. These materials are designed as part o