Montessori Continuum

Research Scope: Montessori with Indian Roots

Work of Montessori connects us to Indian roots which has great cultural values out of refined ancient life. The research work in this domain involves exploring the possibilities of bringing this ancient Indian wisdom into Montessori environment.

Primary Curriculum

In the primary environment Montessori’s Grace and Courtesy lessons under EPL can be enhanced with the contents of an ancient text called “AACHARA KOVAI”. Many activities can be drawn from these ancient cultures to assist the child development in the formative ages from birth to 6 years like PAALADAI, SANGU, NADAIVANDI etc. Research on child development in ancient culture reveals the specialization of preparing an exclusive food for children which can be adapted to enhance the work of Montessori’s refection.

Elementary Curriculum

In the elementary school, higher level of thinking, attention can be achieved through incorporating Yoga techniques derived out of ancient Indian practices that developed concentration and thinking. The research findings of numerous techniques of basic medication and self-health promotion from our ancient culture can be incorporated as care of self lessons, a part of elementary EPL. Many of the Indian saints with great expertise in scientific knowledge can be included in the list of scientists that can be studied in Elementary. The research in this domain also finds that the existing Montessori curriculum can be incorporated with studies on varied subjects with an Indian background. Indian Physical Geography, Ancient Indian Economical geography rooting in ancient Indian trades through sea and land, Indian Geology studying about rock formations in India, Indian History, Botany comprising of Indian plants, Indian Botanists like Bohar, the world’s first Botanist, Zoology comprising of Indian Birds and Animals, and past and present Indian animals of Jurassic Era. Research in learning about ancient knowledge recommends children be taken for field trips to places depicting this ancient treasures namely temples like Ankorvat, caves like Ajantha, Ellora and other archaeological sites all over the world.

Secondary Curriculum

For Secondary, ancient Indian wisdom of child development following a natural path can be adapted in Montessori secondary education. The land-laboratory can be incorporated in an integrated farm which is evolved out of ancient agriculture knowledge and refined farming skills. Ancient Yoga techniques can also be used to raise adolescent age children’s conscious to super-conscious to build their moral equilibrium. These yoga techniques also helps in quelling the turbulences associated with this period of growth. Our Indian ancient knowledge on the psychic development of the adolescent period viz., “ACHAM”, “MADAM”, “NAANAM”, “PAYIRPPU”, can be researched and the outcome can help enhancing the work of Montessori in development of adolescents. Our ancient culture also describes about special food preparation for the adolescent children as suggested by Montessori.

Montessori University

The functioning of ancient Indian Universities like Nalanda, Dakshaseela, Kanthalloorshala, draws a parallel to the functions of the University what Montessori talked about in her lectures.

Research Scope: Operacy

More studies and researches can be done on the work of Edward D Bono on the thinking skills development and the possibilities of adapting those techniques in our Montessori environment are being explored. This can help build the reasoning skills and intellectual development, lateral thinking and creativity in elementary children.

Research Scope: Montessori’s Interconnectedness and Interdependencies in Indian Ancient Culture

Majority of the ancient Indian texts describe about Interconnectedness and Interdependencies that exists in this universe with celestial bodies, life forms and human. A research of these texts can help enhance the awareness of our Montessori children in this domain. Things like Lord Nataraja statue and its depiction of the Cosmic Dance of the Universe as narrated by Carl Segan, the astrophysicist, the reason for this statue to be put in front of CERN collider can be cited for the Montessori children to work upon. Indian ancient life harmonizing with nature can be researched further and many of its values can be adapted in this area of elementary study. Our ancient agriculture techniques and the integrated farm can be researched and adapted as part of both elementary and secondary education.

Research Scope: Montessori Flow Materials

In line with the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on “FLOW”, the whole set of Montessori materials can be assessed to give the optimum challenge for the children of respective ages in their engagement with these materials, in connection with their muscles development, hand eye coordination, thumb power taking into account also the opportunities for the Montessori’s human tendencies to apply to give them the “FLOW” experience of their work. Research can be undertaken on this which will result in enhancement of the existing activities and development of new activities for the constant “FLOW” experience.

Research Scope: Homes that Develop Children

A special research is being done in designing homes exclusive to children of different ages. This research on the designs will include skeletal and inner aspects of the home. These home will effectively assist children in fulfilling their developmental needs.

Research Scope: Development of Real Life Experiences for Montessori Teachers

Maria Montessori emphasized that the teacher must possess real life experiences on the subject domains of the respective Montessori environment. As pointed out by Lesley Mam, a Montessori practitioner and AMI’s adolescent trainer, research is being undertaken on providing real life experience to the Montessori Elementary teachers as part of their training on various subjects of Montessori Elementary curriculum.

Research Scope: Transcending Conscious to Superconscious for Montessori Elementary Children

A detailed research on Indian yogic system involving Kundaleni, Implosion aspect of life, awareness of breath can give us great knowledge which can be incorporated as part of elementary curriculum which can help build better attention, superior thinking skills and raise of consciousness to superconscious level finding inner peace, intrinsic happiness, enhancement of their abilities to discover the “connections”, what Montessori describes, achieve supreme self-realization. This also helps the Montessori adolescents’ in their psychic development and manage the turbulences that arises out of hormone secretions and physical changes.

Research Scope: Tamil Language Curriculum for Elementary

Tamil being recognized as world’s ancient language, we are into the development of a Montessori Tamil language curriculum, which begins at early childhood and spans over to secondary ages in parallel to the English language. In early ages, Tamil curriculum helps children to develop confidence in blending letters to make words and combining words to make sentences more easily. The complications of things like phonograms, magic “E”and silent letters are inherent problems existing in the English language that becomes trouble for the children in language development in the beginning stages. Comparatively, Tamil follows simple phonic rules and is easily learnt. Learning Tamil gives the children access to the greatly admired ancient wisdom evolved out of the Lemoria continent and more refined living skills.

Research Scope: Concrete Materials for Engineering curriculum for Upper Primary and Elementary

Research is being undertaken to develop materials to teach various engineering concepts like Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Electronics, Computer and Communication engineering, which is more appealing to their senses at the primary age and appealing to the reasoning at elementary ages.

Research Scope: Montessori’s Home Extensions

A great deal of research and development is happening in creating opportunities for Montessori children at home in line with their progressive learning at Montessori school. The first part includes development of things that prepares home for the children’s independent living and the second part includes preparing home as an academic platform for their learning.

Research Scope: Age advancement of developmental needs

As cited in many of the ancient texts and modern researches, the human life span is reducing over the years (not to be misunderstood with life expansion with advancement in medicine) which in turn results in advancement of developmental needs with respect to the ages. This becomes an area of interest for research and we believe the outcome will help the effective application of the Montessori method in child development.