GEM+ - GEAR Montessori Plus

Early Enrichment & Acceleration - Reggio Way

Brain, and the person in the future, is what it does at the age of 2 to 8 years. During this period of tremendous and unlimited mental potential, a child's brain lays the foundation for learning which determines almost all the avenues of learning and achievement throughout life.

Montessori Method of learning coupled with Reggio approach, facilitates hands-on mode of forming concepts. Learning to form concepts is more important than the accuracy of the concepts formed. Maximum activation of brain takes place as the whole child is involved in the activities. Thus it is natural that leaned parents would encourage Montessori Method of learning and avoid the 'capacity limiting', rote method of learning, at least during this period of natural self-learning.

At GEM Plus learning is the results of objective observation and logical thought. Social and intellectual discipline comes through self-directed work. Spontaneous progress of the child is the greatest triumph of this Scientific Pedagogy.

Our program is designed to help children broaden their base of information, form concepts, acquire foundation skills and positive attitudes to learning, and begin to develop their abilities and talents in a wide range of areas. Promote the growth of students' reasoning, creative thinking, and inquiry skills.

Experiences that require problem solving and critical thinking are central to the development of these skills, as are hands-on experiences with concrete materials, which prepare children for learning abstract concepts. Planned activities should enable and encourage children to explore, create, question, predict, analyse, and reflect. Learning is designed as a pleasurable experience, so that they are naturally inclined and even eager to learn when they come to school.

These positive learning experiences help them acquire and understand oral language. Rich in language-oriented activities and resources that are relevant to the lives of young children and that provide opportunities for thinking, problem solving, and experimenting.

Drama, music, visual arts, and media play an important role in furthering children's development of communication and literacy skills. Young children learn best by doing. It enables them to connect their learning to their own lives and the world around them.

Young children are naturally curious. They have unrestricted opportunities to manipulate materials, to observe, listen, investigate, experiment, and ask questions. There is a strong link between organised and constructed play and learning for young children; especially in the areas of problem solving, literacy and social skills. Teachers continuously observe, document, and evaluate children's learning.

"The brain expands its capacity as a result of contact with environment. In other words, the more a child learns, the more capable he becomes of learning even more. A child's neurological make up may well be subject to expansion as a result of the kinds of interventions made by parents, peers, teachers and other segments of the child's world." - Thomas Armstrong

Our Montessori environment is prepared in such a way that children explore concepts and develop skills at each level of understanding that prepares them for more complex lessons at the next level.

Different areas of our curriculum are:

Exercises in PRACTICAL LIFE: This is the area where the foundations are laid for further learning. By using these materials, children develop concentration, co-ordination, independence sense of order; enhanced pincer grip, and sequencing.

SENSORIAL: The sensorial area introduces the child to abstract concepts through hands on material. The child explores size, length, volume, colour, sound and taste. and learns terms like bigger, lighter, softer and darker.

LANGUAGE: Language activities are designed to help prepare the child read and ultimately write by developing "hand-brain" connection.

MATH: Introduces abstract mathematical concepts in a concrete way. The child is introduced to the concept of Zero and concepts like ten times ten is hundred and ten times hundred is a thousand.

SCIENCE/GEOGRAPHY: We use a hands-on approach projects to introduce concepts in science and geography. HOS- Hands on Science is one of their favorite areas of work.

ART AND MUSIC; A child not only learns art and music but also learns to express himself through these media. They are also introduced to the world of shlokas and songs in various languages. Our culture and development of memory are addressed.

MINI-TENNIS, EXERCISES, and GAMES. are also part of our activities and they help the child pick up the required skills to learn organized games in the future.