Special Report LAST UPDATE June 10, 2010
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May 2, 2010 Montessori – Peace Starts with Children
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Tracing objects helps children to build dexterity in their wrists which is useful for developing better handwriting.
The first thing you notice in the Montessori classroom is that it is the children who are the center of activities and the adults are there to assist. Infants as young as one year old gently pull their teachers by the hand as they migrate from one activity to another in their sanctuary onboard the 69th Voyage. Instead of playing virtual games or watching television, the children practice hands-on skills such as spelling, maths and even household chores such as cleaning. They are not pressured into these tasks, but are given the time and an environment where they can educate themselves as they choose. And because children love to learn, the classroom becomes an eden of development, where they discover their interests and talents through activities they choose themselves. This is the Montessori method of education.
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Fukatsu Takako speaks to Peace Boat participants about the philosophy behind Montessori education.
The lead educator of the Montessori Programme onboard the 69th Voyage, Fukatsu Takako, says that this form of education has a huge impact on how children contribute to the society community when they become adults. The style of teaching was created more than 100 years ago by Maria Montessori, an Italian doctor who was working with disabled children. While carefully observing her patients, Dr Montessori realised that children are capable of rapid and independent development, but are sometimes stifled by adults. "If you become a hindrance to this development, children can become extremely shy or violent," Ms Fukatsu says. "But if you truly follow and encourage the child's independent development, then this will help them become a more balanced and peaceful person."
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Classroom objects have been specially designed to stimulate the senses of young children.
The children onboard the 69th Voyage are flourishing. "When they first came to class they were running about everywhere," Ms Fukatsu admits. But less than a week later, the children have learnt to walk instead of run and now treat their environment with a combination of pride and respect. The Montessori programme onboard Peace Boat is for children aged up to six years old and most of the objects in the room are specifically selected for the young participants.There are tiny tables and chairs, small musical instruments and even a miniaturised broom and dustpan. "Children really want to use their hands," Ms Fukatsu says as she hands one of the children a small xylophone. The four-year-old hits the keys merrily while she explains the theory of Montessori. "A toddler might be trying its hardest to crawl, but because there is thick carpet, the child can't make much progress," she says. "It is our responsibility as adults to change the carpet and remove any other obstacles preventing children from developing for themselves."
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Children learn how to clean up after themselves, the importance of conservation and even how to shred paper for recycling.
This is the second time that the programme has been run on Peace Boat. It is still in its infancy, with six children aged from one to four years old participating on the 69th Voyage. Ms Fukatsu says parents choose the Montessori Programme because they want their children to develop into a full, holistic human being. "Many leaders throughout the world were taught using the Montessori method," she says. Ms Fukatsu was first introduced to the Montessori method of education in 1981 while working for a humanitarian organisation in Thailand delivering aid to the stream of refugees fleeing Cambodia. She says her life changed when she spoke to a principal at a Montessori pre-school for refugees. "It is interesting to know that many phylosophical leaders went to Montessori Schools." She says."The principal simply said that peace starts with children." Ms Fukatsu has been working with the Montessori ever since. "All the children in my classes have become humanitarian workers, teachers or are doing something else to try to make the world a better place."
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The children become quite independent, often choosing to learn alone without the aid of their teachers.
There are five areas of teaching on the 69th voyage. Children learn about everyday life, including how to cook, clean and other responsibilities such as watering plants. "Children have been observing adults performing these tasks and they want to do them by themselves," Ms Fukatsu explains. The second area is sensorial, refining the children's five senses - vision, hearing, smell, touch and taste. Then, they are introduced to writing and reading in the third area, which is focused on developing language skills. The fourth area is maths. "It might be surprising to some but humans are very mathematical and children are very interested in volume, weight, size and numbers," Ms Fukatsu says. The fifth is self-expression where children sing, play musical instruments, paint, and make creative artworks.
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During recreational time the children play, swim and practice sport.
During the 101 days of the 69th Voyage, children in the Montessori Programme will be exposed to a wide range of cultures as they travel to more than 20 countries across the world. They will meet with street children in Viet Nam and learn about children's education in Copenhagen. Ms Fukatsu says the children will also learn from each other, with the older ones becoming more responsible for those younger than themselves and vice versa. "This is one of the best elements of humanity and it flourishes in this environment," she says. "They are such incredible creatures who are born with the seed of peace. The only thing we do is help the seed grow with timely assistance."