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Course Subjects

Sr. No. Topic Page number.

1. The Montessori school. Its children and teacher. 3

2. Montessori education for mentally handicapped. Page 5

3. Montessori Method. 6

4. Montessori significant and objective. 7

5. Equipment for the Montessori school. 8

6. School organisation and management. 9

7. Observation forms and cumulative record folders. 15

8. Five areas of development for young children. 27

9. How to start a school. 28

10. Events to be followed in a school. 31

11. First day of school. 33

12. Typical day in a preschool and kindergarten. 34

13. Circle time. 35

Finger play

14. .Dramatic Play. 37

Puppetry

15. Activities:- Their importance and use. 39

16. Observing child at play. 42

17. Phonics. 44

18. Reading readiness. 46

19. The Montessori school program.47

20. Curriculum planning. 48

21. Lesson plan. 51

22. Story telling. 54

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23. Health and nutrition program.55

24. Parent teacher conference. 56

25. Disaster management. 57

26. First aid. 58

27. Child Psychology. 59

28. Questions asked in the interview. 63

29. Class Demo. 64

30. Montessori apparatus (Material). 65

Examination 4 papers Page 85

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LESSON 1

THE MONTESSORI SCHOOL- ITS CHILDREN AND TEACHERS

The child for the first time is brought away from home when he enters the nursery school. This weaning from the mother is bound to arouse a great deal of anxiety in the child. It is up to the nursery school to minimize this anxiety by making the teaching & learning process pleasant and appealing to the child. The nursery school is actually a supplement to the home and not a substitute. In cooperation with the home, the nursery school gradually introduces child to a larger group and helps him to meet his demands. It is a process of vital importance as the child’s behaviour towards the society, outside the home in general and in school depends largely on the kind of experiences he gains at this stage.

Age to join the preschool and kindergarten

Now days, due to gender equality, nuclear families and other economic reasons, women have also started working. One year olds are being sent to a day care centre or a playgroup. That is why a number of playgroups have come up in the recent times.

Playgroup kids from 1 ½ - 2 ½

Nursery-from 2 ½ - 3 ½

Jr. K.G. 3 ½ - 4 ½

Sr. K.G.-4 ½ - 5 ½

A child is generally ready for more regular and systematic work by the age of five years. They develop reading, writing, and number work.

Duration: - Working days and Hours:-

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It is found that young children can actively participate in the school programme for about three hours only. More than three hours are exhausting for them. The duration of a Montessori/kindergarten maybe therefore not more than three hours and preferably in the morning. However, if it aims to cater to the needs of working mothers, then the children can be kept in the centre for the whole day and proper arrangements for their meals, rest, etc. should be made by the school. It is best to have a five day week for the children so that the teachers can be free on Saturday to repair equipment or evaluate the week’s programme.

Teacher – Pupil Ratio:-

Age group 1.5 to 3.5 can be one teacher for fifteen kids.

Age group 3.5 to 5.5 can one teacher for twenty kids

Playschool Space and Requirements:-

The main characteristic of the Montessori children is that they are tremendously active. They are always running, jumping, carrying things or building and thus, are always on the move. The Montessori school should therefore, have enough space, both indoor and outdoor, to give freedom of movement to the young children.

Teacher Training:-

To work with small children effectively and to fulfil the objectives of the Montessori school education, a teacher should have special training in this field. For example:-Montessori or early childhood training.

Although a range of practices exists under the name "Montessori” the below given elements are essential:

1. Mixed age classrooms, with classrooms for children ages 2½ or 3 to 6 years old by far the most common.

2. Student choice of activity from within a prescribed range of options.

3. Uninterrupted blocks of work time, ideally three hours.

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4. A constructivist or "discovery" model, where students learn concepts from working with materials, rather than by direct instruction.

5. Specialized educational materials developed by Montessori and her collaborators.

6. Freedom of movement within the classroom.

7. A trained Montessori teacher.

Use of Montessori terminology

In 1967, the US Patent Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled that "the term 'Montessori' has a generic and/or descriptive significance. Therefore, in the United States and elsewhere, the term can be used freely without giving any guarantee of how closely, if at all, a program applies Montessori's work. The ruling has led to "tremendous variation in schools claiming to use Maria Montessori’s methods."

Age’s birth to three

Infant and Toddler Programs:

Montessori classrooms for children under three fall into several categories, with a number of terms being used. A "Nido", Italian for "nest", serves a small number of children from around two months to around fourteen months, or when the child is confidently walking. A "Young Child Community" serves a larger number of children from around one year to two-and-a-half or three years old. Both environments emphasize materials and activities scaled to the children's size and abilities, opportunities to develop movement, and activities to develop independence. Development of independence in toileting is typically emphasized as well. Some schools also offer "Parent-Infant" classes, in which parents participate with their very young children.

Age’s three to seven

Preschool and kindergarten Montessori classrooms for children from two-and-a-half or three to six years old are often called Children’s Houses, after Montessori’s first school, the

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Casa dei Bambini in Rome in 1906. This level is also called "Primary". A typical classroom serves 20 to 30 children in mixed-age groups, staffed by one trained teacher and an assistant. Classrooms are usually outfitted with child-sized tables and chairs arranged singly or in small clusters, with classroom materials on child-height shelves throughout the room. Activities are for the most part initially presented by the teacher, after which they may be chosen more or less freely by the children as interest dictates. Classroom materials usually include activities for engaging in practical skills such as pouring and spooning, materials for the development of the senses, math materials, language materials, music and art materials, and more.

LESSON 2

PRESCHOOL EDUCATION FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED AND CONTRIBUTION OF THE MONTESSORI SYSTEM

Education Plays an Almost Exclusive Part in the Rehabilitation of the Mentally Handicapped:-

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Previously mentally handicapped was confused with mental illness. The psychological and psychiatric disciplines have been given undue importance especially in India.

In the English speaking countries they usually associate the word ‘Mental’ to ‘Educationally and Intellectually Handicapped’.

Preschool education is very important for a mentally handicapped child. If during the first five years of life the retarded child is helped to develop, he would be able to get along well in the family and community. Doctor Montessori took the idea of a scientific approach to education from Itard and Séguin, based on observation and experimentation. Dr. Montessori studied her mentally disabled patients, listening and carefully noting their response to her attempts to implement Seguin’s educational methods, as well as their progress in becoming increasingly independent and verbal.

Slowly the children learned to perform most of the everyday tasks involved in preparing the meals and maintaining the environment of the residential school. Her success with these mentally disabled children received international attention when, after two years, many of Montessori's such adolescents were able to pass the standard exams given by the Italian public schools.

Acclaimed for this miracle, Montessori responded by suggesting that new born human beings normally enter the world with an intellectual potential that was barely being developed by schools in the early years of the twentieth century. She challenged that if she could attain such results with children who were disabled, schools should be able to get dramatically better results with normal children.

Montessori's work reinforced her humanistic ideals, and she actively supported various social re-form movements. She was a highly regarded guest speaker throughout Europe on behalf of children's rights, the women's movement, peace education, and the importance of a league of nations.

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Montessori become well known and highly regarded throughout Europe, which contributed to the publicity that surrounded her schools.

The Children's House

Unfortunately, the Italian Ministry of Education did not welcome Montessori's ideas, and she was denied access to school-aged children. Frustrated in her efforts to conduct the experiment with public school students, in 1907 she welcomed the opportunity to serve as the medical director for a day-care centre that was being organized for working-class children who were too young to attend public school.

This first Casa dei Bambini (Children's House) was located in the worst slum district of Rome, and the conditions Montessori faced were appalling. Her first class consisted of fifty children, from two through five years of age, taught by one untrained caregiver. The children remained at the centre from dawn to dusk while their parents worked, and had to be fed two meals per day, bathed regularly, and given a program of medical care. The children themselves were typical of extreme inner-city poverty conditions. They entered the Children's House on the first day crying and pushing, exhibiting generally aggressive and impatient behaviour. Montessori, not knowing whether her experiment would work under such conditions, began by teaching the older children how to help out with the everyday tasks that needed to be done. She also introduced the manipulative perceptual discrimination and puzzles and eye-hand manipulative exercises that she had used with mentally disabled children.

The results surprised her, for unlike her mentally disabled children who had to be prodded to use her apparatus; these very small children were drawn to the work she introduced. Children who had wandered aimlessly the week before began to settle down to long periods of constructive activity. They were fascinated with the puzzles and perceptual training devices.

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To Montessori's amazement, children three and four years old took the greatest delight in learning practical everyday living skills that reinforced their independence and self-respect. Each day they begged her to show them more, even applauding with delight when Montessori taught them the correct use of a handkerchief to blow one's own nose. Soon the older children were taking care of the school, assisting their teacher with the preparation and serving of meals and the maintenance of a spotless environment. Their behavior as a group changed dramatically from that of street urchins running wild to models of grace and courtesy. It was little wonder that the press found such a human-interest story appealing and promptly broadcast it to the world.

Montessori education is sometimes criticized for being too structured and academically demanding of young children. Montessori would have laughed at this suggestion. She often said, "I followed these children, studying them, studied them closely, and they taught me how to teach them."

Montessori made a practice of paying close attention to the children's spontaneous behaviour, arguing that only in this way could a teacher know how to teach. Traditionally schools at this time paid little attention to children as individuals, other than to demand that they adapt to external standards. Montessori argued that the educator's job is to serve the child, determining what each student needs to make the greatest progress. To her, a child who fails in school should not be blamed, any more than a doctor should blame a patient who does not get well fast enough. Just as it is the job of the physician to help people find the way to cure themselves, it is the educator's job to facilitate the natural process of learning.

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LESSON 3

MONTESSORI METHOD

DR. MARIA MONTESSORI

Madam Montessori‘s contribution to early childhood education is very much appreciated all over the world. In her book ‘The Secret of Childhood’ she wrote , “the amazingly rapid progress in the care and education of the children in recent years may be partly attributed to a generally higher standard of life but still more to an awakening of conscience.

The Montessori Method

The chief components of the Montessori Method are self-motivation and auto education. Followers of the Montessori method believe that a child will learn naturally if put in an environment containing the proper materials. These materials, consisting of "learning games" suited to a child's

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abilities and interests, are set up by a teacher-observer who intervenes only when individual help is needed.

Self-construction, liberty, and spontaneous activityMontessori education is fundamentally a model of human development, and an educational approach based on that model. The model has two basic principles. First, children and developing adults engage in psychological self-construction by means of interaction with their environments. Second, children, especially under the age of six, have an innate path of psychological development. Based on her observations, Montessori believed that children at liberty to choose and act freely within an environment prepared according to her model would act spontaneously for optimal development.

Human tendenciesMontessori saw universal, innate characteristics in human psychology which her son and collaborator Mario Montessori identified as "human tendencies" in 1957. There is some debate about the exact list, but the following are clearly identified:

1. Abstraction2. Activity3. Communication4. Exactness5. Exploration6. Manipulation (of the environment)7. Order8. Orientation9. Repetition10. Self-Perfection11. Work (also described as "purposeful activity")

In the Montessori approach, these human tendencies are seen as driving behaviour in every stage of development, and education should respond to and facilitate their expression.

Prepared environmentMontessori's education method called for free activity within a "prepared environment", meaning an educational environment tailored to basic human characteristics, to the specific characteristics of children at different ages, and to the individual personalities of each child. The function of the

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environment is to allow the child to develop independence in all areas according to his or her inner psychological directives. In addition to offering access to the Montessori materials appropriate to the age of the children, the environment should exhibit the following characteristics:

1. An arrangement that facilitates movement and activity2. Beauty and harmony, cleanliness of environment3. Construction in proportion to the child and his/her needs4. Limitation of materials, so that only material that

supports the child's development is included5. Order

Planes of developmentMontessori observed four distinct periods, or "planes", in human development, extending from birth to six years, from six to twelve, from twelve to eighteen, and from eighteen to twenty-four. She saw different characteristics, learning modes, and developmental imperatives active in each of these planes, and called for educational approaches specific to each period.

First planeThe first plane extends from birth to around six years of age. During this period, Montessori observed that the child undergoes striking physical and psychological development. The first plane child is seen as a concrete, sensorial explorer and learner engaged in the developmental work of psychological self-construction and building functional independence. Montessori introduced several concepts to explain this work, including the absorbent mind, sensitive periods, and normalization.

Absorbent mind: Montessori described the young child's behaviour of effortlessly assimilating the sensorial stimuli of his or her environment, including information from the senses, language, culture, and the development of concepts with the term "absorbent mind". She believed that this is a power unique to the first plane, and that it fades as the child approached age six.

Sensitive periods: Montessori also observed periods of special sensitivity to particular stimuli during this time which she

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called the "sensitive periods". In Montessori education, the classroom environment responds to these periods by making appropriate materials and activities available while the periods are active in the young child. She identified the following periods and their durations:

1. Acquisition of language—from birth to around six years old

2. Interest in small objects—from around 18 months to three years old

3. Order—from around one to three years old4. Sensory refinement—from birth to around four years old5. Social behaviour—from around two and a half to four

years old.6. Normalization: Finally, Montessori observed in children

from three to six years old a psychological state she termed "normalization". Normalization arises from concentration and focus on activity which serves the child’s developmental needs, and is characterized by the ability to concentrate as well as "spontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social sentiments of help and sympathy for others."

Second planeThe second plane of development extends from around six to twelve years old. During this period, Montessori observed physical and psychological changes in children, and developed a classroom environment, lessons, and materials, to respond to these new characteristics. Physically, she observed the loss of baby teeth and the lengthening of the legs and torso at the beginning of the plane, and a period of uniform growth following. Psychologically, she observed the "herd instinct", or the tendency to work and socialize in groups, as well as the powers of reason and imagination. Developmentally, she believed the work of the second plane child is the formation of intellectual independence, of moral sense, and of social organization

Third planeThe third plane of development extends from around twelve to around eighteen years of age, encompassing the period of adolescence. Montessori characterized the third plane by the

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physical changes of puberty and adolescence, but also psychological changes. She emphasized the psychological instability and difficulties in concentration of this age, as well as the creative tendencies and the development of "a sense of justice and a sense of personal dignity." She used the term "valorization" to describe the adolescents' drive for an externally derived evaluation of their worth. Developmentally, Montessori believed that the work of the third plane child is the construction of the adult self in society.

Fourth planeThe fourth plane of development extends from around eighteen years to around twenty-four years old. Montessori wrote comparatively little about this period and did not develop an educational program for the age. She envisioned young adults prepared by their experiences in Montessori education at the lower levels ready to fully embrace the study of culture and the sciences in order to influence and lead civilization. She believed that economic independence in the form of work for money was critical for this age, and felt that an arbitrary limit to the number of years in university level study was unnecessary, as the study of culture could go on throughout a person's life.

Education and peaceAs Montessori developed her theory and practice, she came to believe that education had a role to play in the development of world peace. She felt that children allowed to develop according to their inner laws of development would give rise to a more peaceful and enduring civilization. From the 1930s to the end of her life, she gave a number of lectures and addresses on the subject, saying in 1936

Preventing conflicts is the work of politics; establishing peace is the work of education. Doctor Maria Montessori, with her educational ideas brought a vital impulse in the field of education. She was a scientist interested in mathematics, biology and medicines and was a brilliant and determined personality with an independent mind, original ideas and

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unique courage. As a doctor she used to visit the asylums for the insane in Roman city. Her generous heart was touched by the piteous condition of the retarded unfortunate children. On studying their condition, she found its cause as mental deficiency due to pedagogical problem rather than mental one. She also studied the history of deficient children. She became convinced that methods applied to normal children would develop and set free the personality of the retarded children in a superior way. She therefore took up the course of improving poor abandoned children, who had grown up in dirty tumbled down cottages without anything to stimulate their minds, dejected and uncared for. These children on having received a proper stimulating environment revealed the real and so far hidden characteristics. She did such a great research work in child education that every school for child education is called ‘Montessori School’.

LESSON 4

MONTESSORI – SIGNIFICANCE – OBJECTIVE

Significance of Montessori School Education:-

The demand for Montessori /Nursery /Playgroup school is increasing day by day everywhere in India, particularly in urban areas. To cater to this need, a large number of Montessori schools are coming up. The pre – school age I.e. 3- 6 years is the most important age in one’s life. Moreover, the rate of development at this age is so rapid that the child is able to take almost anything given to him in a form in which he can understand it. It is also true that many of our homes are not able to provide an enriched and stimulating environment to the children, either because they live in deprived condition or because they do not know how to do so. The more experiences we give the child at this age, the richer the dividend.

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Montessori School/ Nursery/ Kindergarten/Playgroup are a house of and for the children for Free play:- A child who goes to a nursery before joining the primary school adjusts himself better and fares well in primary classes because of his early preparation. He has had group experiences gained better emotional control, developed proper habits and attitudes and he has been encouraged to investigate, explore and draw his own conclusions. Establishment of Montessori schools is also a social necessity these days. Due to economic pressure, many mothers have to work to supplement the family budget. As a result of urbanization, joint families are breaking up and it is a problem for working mothers to leave their children at home and go out to work. Under the circumstances day care centres or nursery schools take sincere care of such children. Living space becomes limited leaving no space for free movements of children. School should provide space for free play, to help large muscles skill development

LESSON 5

EQUIPMENT FOR THE MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Equipment is most essential for running a Montessori school effectively. Variety of equipment is required to provide the children with challenging and interesting learning experiences. The equipment is jungle gyms, swing, balancing boards, etc. to climb, to hang on, and to swing to balance.

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They are the means by which the children develop physical sense and motor coordination. Indoor and outdoor equipment is needed. Other equipment such as costumes, puppets is needed for drama play. Musical instrument and CD players are needed for activities in music class. Books, pictures and flashcards are required for language development. Different types of blocks for constructing and building and so on. Such equipment helps the child in learning the required social skill and in developing his cognitive abilities. It is therefore necessary that the teacher takes utmost care in selecting the equipment for the nursery school. The following points maybe borne in mind by the teacher when she buys the equipment:-

1. Number and age level of the children: For instance the swing, merry go round, slide etc. should be sufficiently low as these are to be used by the 3 year old children otherwise these children will be scared to use them. Similarly the size of the beads, constructive material etc. should be large for the younger group and small for the older group of children. Moreover the number of time of each type of equipment should be in proportion to the number of children. For e.g. If the school has only one hammer for a group of 20 children it is bound to lead to quarrels and unhappiness among the children. At least 4-5 hammers are necessary to enable the children to use it freely.2. Durability of the Equipment: The equipment should

not break easily Because the children at this stage are very active and they tend to use it roughly.3. The equipment should be firmly fixed to avoid hazards. Before they are allowed to use the equipment the teacher should see that it does not involves and risks and has been safely installed.4. Proper placement and arrangement of equipment facilitates its use. It should be attractively arranged in the room and should be placed on low open shelves so that the

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children may take out the play material themselves and learn that there are fixed places for things to be kept, and that they should keep it back in place after play. This helps the children to take care of the material they play with.5. The teacher should be well informed and constantly in search of new equipment and material available and challenging to the children.6. Outdoor play equipment for the development of large muscles:

Swings (double seat) Slide and ladderJungle gym. Try-cyclesTier Swings Gardening equipmentSea-saw Pull and push toysScooters Rubber balls (medium and large)

Indoor play equipment for development of motor skills and other movement

Puppets Display Boards 60” x 40”

Height and weight measuring instrument

Picture books Display boards Child Size chairsModels (Plastic / wooden)

Wooden blocks (all sizes)

Decolom top tables(Rectangular)

Puzzles Doll house Carpet (big) and SmallShow cases (three side glasses)

Plastic buckets (small)

Wooden rack (for children bags)

Easel Boards Open steel cupboard

Construction Equipment: children like to construct roads and play with a variety of small vehicles.

Cars – big and small House building setsWooden construction toys

Threading beads equipment:

Colourful beads Wooden beads

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Plastic beads Thick threadBowls All beads should be medium and big sized

Carpentry Equipment tools

Plastic Hammers Plastic NailsPieces of soft wood Wooden planksSmall Saws

Colouring and paper work:

Drawing papers Colour pencils, Paint brushes, Water colours

White papers Wool piecesVelvet papers Scissors (blunt headed)Glazed papers Drawing materialsErasers, Gum LeavesFeathers Burnt match sticks

Musical instruments:

Flutes Mouth organsBells Drums for teachersSmall drums Small enclosed bells

Science equipment:

Powerful Magnifying Glasses Brass magnetsBalancing Weights

Cleaning activity tools:

Small brooms Dusting clothSmall buckets Vim powder

A Nursery teacher should be a good collector. She should collect plenty of waste material, good pictures of butterflies, nests, birds, insects, etc. to show the children. She should be interested in everything only then will the children be interested in their surroundings.

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LESSON 6

SCHOOL ORGINISATION

A. Relationship between Organization, Administration and Management

1. Organization

It refers to the form of the enterprise or institution and the arrangement of the human and material resources functioning in a manner to achieve the objectives of the enterprise. It represents two or more than two people respectively specializing in functions of each perform, working together towards a common goal as governed by formal rules of behaviour.

2. Administration

It is concerned with the determination of corporate policy and the overall coordination of production, distribution and finance.

3. Management

It refers to the execution of policy within the limits which are established by administration and the employment of the organization as required.

Relationship

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Sheldon states, “Organization is the formation of an effective machine; management, of an effective executive; administration, of an effective direction. Administration defines the goal; management strives towards it. Organization is the machine of management in its achievement of the ends determined by Administration.

B. Scope and Importance of School Organization

The scope of school organization is very vast. It includes; efficiency of the institution, securing benefits of the school through practical measures, clarification of the functions of the school, coordination of the educational programmes, sound educational planning, good direction, efficient and systematic execution. It provides close collaboration and sense of sharing responsibilities, organized purpose and dynamic approach.

Any organization plays a vital role in the life of human being. It plays different functions like; brings efficiency, guide pupil to receive right direction from the right teachers, enables the pupil to get profit from their learning, bring coordination of the student-teacher-parents-society. It provides well defined policies and programmes, favourable teaching learning situation, growth and development of human beings, make use of appropriate materials, effective development of human qualities, execution of the programmes, arrangement of the activities, efforts for attainment of the objectives etc.

In school organization, there is a great role of economy, men, and material to achieve the desired objectives. Following there is a great role of different subject which is called the scope in the school organization.

1. Role of School Plant

It is a comprehensive term which means, building, playground, furniture, equipment, library, laboratory etc. all those physical facilities which are required for achieving various objectives of the school organization constitutes the school plant. Optimum utilization of school plant helps in achieving fruitful results and desired objectives.

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2. Role of Curricular and Co-Curricular Activities

Kerr defined curriculum as, “all the learning which is planned and guided by the school whether it is carried on in a group or individually, inside the school or outside it”. He further states that it can be divided into four inter-related components i.e., curriculum objectives, knowledge, learning experiences and curriculum evaluation. Curricular activities involve games, sports, and seminars etc. which play their important role for comprehensive development of the personality of the child.

3. Role of Human Resources

Human resources of the school are students, teaching staff and non-teaching staff. There is no betterment without teacher in the school. Proper planning and organization of teaching learning activities can only be achieved through Cooperation, willingness, involvement, fellow feelings and devotion of teachers, students, librarians, assistants, peons, etc.

4. Role of Financial Resources

Utilization and development of financial resources have its great importance in school organization. School organization requires proper budgeting, accounting and audit system because these are beneficial for making transparent policies, plans, rules and regulation.

SCHOOL MANAGEMENT

The policies of the school have been developed according to educational principles, government policies and the goals of kindergarten school education.

1. Reinforce administrative organization, maintain job responsibilities and boost work efficiency.

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2. Follow a democratic approach, make personnel, funds, opinions, rewards and punishment public in an attempt to lead the school toward united and harmonious direction.

3. Strengthen personnel management, increase employees’ motivation. Look, listen and understand more. Promote a focus on mobile management.

4. Emphasize delicate campus planning, improve working environment, and inspire employees’ professional spirit.

5. Encourage in-service teacher education to improve teaching methods and counselling skills in order to more effectively implement educational functions.

6. To respect and serve rather than manage

7. Focus on teachers’ sense of honour and responsibility

8. Focus on research, experimentation, innovation and the teaching profession. Invigorate teachers’ spirit and stimulate educational renovation.

9. Enhance teaching equipment and make good use of social resources in order to create modern well-developed citizens.

10. Incorporate the five main themes of education, and teach students in accordance with their aptitudes to maximize their talents.

11. Focus on the planning and delivery of special education services.

12. Strengthen life education, moral education, and traffic safety education in order to develop a harmonious atmosphere.

13. Develop good relationships with communities, make use of social resources, and continue school development in order to make the school a centre of community development.

14. Management operates through various functions, often classified as planning, organizing, staffing,

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leading/directing, and controlling/ monitoring, Motivation .i.e.

15. Planning: Deciding what needs to happen in the future (today, next week, next month, next year, over the next 5 years, etc.) and generating plans for action.

16. Organizing: (Implementation) making optimum use of the resources required to enable the successful carrying out of plans.

17. Staffing: Job analysing, recruitment, and hiring individuals for appropriate jobs.

18. Leading/Directing: Determining what needs to be done in a situation and getting people to do it.

19. Controlling/Monitoring: Checking progress against plans.

20. Motivation: Motivation is also a kind of basic function of management, because without motivation, employees cannot work effectively. If motivation doesn't take place in an organization, then employees may not contribute to the other functions (which are usually set by top level management).

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LESSON 7OBSERVATION FORMS AND CUMULATIVE RECORD FOLDERObservation forms and cumulative record folders are developed fromExperience in working with young children aged 2 and ½ year to 5 years.These are the means by which the teacher gets to understand the child. The rest of the information is gathered through home visits, interviews with parents, medical check-ups, etc. all these details are entered in the cumulative record folder.

Observation Forms are of 7 types:-

1. Physical Chart – includes observation on items like general physical condition, facial expression, posture and gait, cleanliness and functional efficiency of sense organs and limbs, stamina, activity level etc.

2. Motor Chart- observes various hands and legs skills. It helps the teacher to assess the extent of muscular coordination the child has developed.

3. Emotional Chart- it studies emotional development of the child such as expressions of emotions, emotional outburst and emotional dependence.

4. Personal, Social Chart- observes aspects of behaviour as cooperation, friendliness, competition, independence, responsibility, social acceptance etc.

5. Language Chart – focuses on language development such as oral expression and fluency of - speech.

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6. Intellectual Chart- takes into account abilities such as attention, memory, imagination, reasoning and problem solving.

7. School Participation Chart- to determine how much the child participates in school programme. It lists the various activities of the school and the teachers are required to note the nature and participation of the child.

Cumulative Record Folder: - Consists of 6 forms:

1. Admission form – Is given at the time of registration. Parents are required to give full personal information of the child.

2. General information Form- the parents are given this form after the child has been admitted in the school. They are required to give factual details concerning the family.

3. Detail information form- this form is used by the teacher when she goes for home visits. She uses as an interview form asking questions as. What is the kind of disciplinary method the child is used to? How much supervision does the child get? What are his interests? This information is vital to understand a child.

4. Health Form- gives details of the height weight body proportions of a child. It also gives information regarding any physical, sensory defects or any other serious illness. The health form is to be filled by a school doctor with the help of relevant information given by the teacher.

5. Teachers estimate Form-It is from this form that the teacher sums up the information collected from various sources and arrives at an estimate of the child. It is divided into 7 parts.

Physical development. Motor development. Emotional development. Personal Social development.

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Language development. Intellectual development. School participation.

The teacher rates the children in these aspects of development.

6. Report Card-The report card is a link between school and home. It is through the report the parents come to know, how far the child has developed how he has adjusted to the school and how well he participates in the school programme.

EVALUATION OF MENTAL, SOCIAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

ATTRIBUTES AUG

OCT

JAN

APRIL

SIGNATURE OF GUARDIAN

1. MIXES FREELY

2. SPEAKS FREELY

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3. COOPERATION

4.NON- COOPERATION

5. CHEERFUL

6. RESTLESS

7. CONFIDENT

8. GENEROUS

9. OBSERVATION

10. ATTENTION

11. CURIOSITYGRADES

A- GOOD

B- SATISFACTORY

C- FAIR

D- AVERAGE

E- POOR

THESE GRADES ARE TO BE ENTERED BY THE TEACH

EVALUATION OF PUPIL’S PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

PERIODS HT In Inches

WTIn Kgs

CHEST GENERAL HEALTH

PERSONAL CLEANLINESS

HABITS

SIGN

JULY

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NOVEMBER

MARCH

EXAMINATION PROGRESS REPORT

SUBJECTSMARKSOUT OF

AUG1ST UNIT TEST

OCTTERMINALEXAM

JAN 2ND

UNIT TEST

APRILANNUAL EXAM

ENGLISH

RECOGNITION

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READING

SPELLING

WRITING

CONVERSATIONNUMBER- WORKRECOGNITION

COUNTING

SPELLING

WRITING

ADDITION

SUBTRACTION

GENERALKNOWLEDGEDRAWING

CRAFT

TOTALMARKSREMARKS

Teacher’s SignaturePrincipal’s SignatureParent’s Signature

KIDOOLANDPLAYSCHOOL AND NURSURY ADMISSION FORM PHOTO

a) NAME___________________________________________________

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b) GENDER: BOY / GIRL D.O.B___________________________

c) FULL ADDRESS: ______________________________________

d) CONTACT NO: RES _______________________________

e) MOB___________________________________

f) PREVIOUS SCHOOL_________________________

g) VACCINATION DATES: - SMALLPOX ____________ ;

h) TRIPLE VACCINATION__________________________________

i) BCG__________; POLIO ________________________;

j) MEDICAL HISTORY:-ALLERGIES, ETC__________

k) FAMILY DOCTOR’S NAME & TEL NO. _______

FOR OFFICE USE

a) NAME OF THE STUDENT_______________________

b) FEE PAID (IN WORDS) ___________________________________

c) CLASS ______________________

d) DATE OF ADMISSION___________________

e) DATE OF WITHDRAWAL_____________________________

f) SIGNATURE OF GUARDIAN: _______

g) SIGNATURE OF THE PRINCIPAL_________________________

LESSON 8

FIVE AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

There are five kids’ development areas which include Physical (Motor Skills), Social Development and Emotional, Approaches

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to Learning, Thinking (Cognitive Development), and Speech and Language Development.

Five Kids Development Areas:

1. Motor Skills (Physical Health, Well-Being, and Movement Skills)These activities are designed to help develop your child’s large and small muscle control, his/her coordination, and his/her overall physical fitness.

2. Social and Emotional DevelopmentActivities in this area target your child’s ability to make and keep social relationships, both with adults and with other children. He/she will learn to recognize and express his/her own feelings more effectively. He/she will gain experience understanding and responding to the emotions of others.

3. Approaches to LearningChildren differ in how they approach new tasks, difficult problems, or challenges. These activities will spark your child’s curiosity, interest, and attention and the ability to stay on task. Research suggests strong links between positive approaches to learning and success in school.

4. Cognitive (Thinking Abilities)The suggestions in this area help your child figure out how the world works and how things are organized. Your child will experience “how to learn skill” improving problem-solving ability and abstract thinking.

5. Speech and Language Development (Communication, Language and Literacy)These activities will help children learn to express themselves and to understand what others say. Early reading and writing skills are also targeted.

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LESSON 9

HOW TO START A PRESCHOOL

ADVERTISEMENT:

The very first thing is to do is advertise vigorously.

Display board outdoors, ads on the internet, newspaper and pamphlets.

Online advertising is free and extremely effective.

Publicity: Notices posted in libraries, churches, and stores.

Telephone Listing: A telephone listing in white and yellow pages.

Letterhead: Prepare a school letterhead with logo, address, and telephone number.

Brochure: Typical items in a school brochure name, address, phone number, brief description of program characteristics for each age level, admission procedure, tuition fee, faculty and administrative staff list map showing location and good clear photos.

CLASSROOM:

A classroom should have good amount of lighting, a tile or wood floor.

Cupboards for toys and stationary, books, papers etc. hangers for bags and water bottles, dustbins.

Walls and curtains should be in cool pastel colours. The charts should be colourful and attractive. Toys and story books should be ample.

Keep CD/DVD and TV.

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For play group and nursery the walls can be painted with cartoon characters, the small kids identify them as their house members as they watch these character in the safety of their homes, therefore they will feel comfortable if they see them life size on the walls.

Kindergarten I & II must not be painted with cartoon characters, as it can be distracting for the children.

FURNITURE

Playgroup and nursery children cannot sit in one place, therefore a big mat is more than sufficient for them. For kindergarten tables can be of different shapes, like rectangles, squares, ovals etc. Children’s shelves should be child-sized, and not in excess of eight inches wide for easy access.

WASHROOMS:

Washrooms should be child-sized. The washrooms must have bright light, an exhaust fan. There should be tissues, tissue roll, soap pump and a dustbin. A colourful chart with pictures of washing hands, flushing the toilet, using the dustbin etc. must be hung on the washroom walls.

PANTRY / KITCHEN:-

A small refrigerator is necessary to keep icepack for first aid, drinking water etc.

OUTDOORS:-

Playground should be covered with a rug, carpet or a green plastic carpet to make it a safe play area. Thorny shrubs should not be planted. Toys, such as big doll houses, jungle gyms, supermarket, see saw, swings, slides, swinging horse, pool and sand and water tub should be put in the playground.

SAFETY: Keep fire and health regulations charts, exit lights, fire alarm exits and extinguisher and safety plugs.

FIRST AID KIT:-

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First aid kit should ideally contains scissors, all sizes of splints, tweezers, safety pins, bandages, antiseptic creams, cotton, hydrogen peroxide solution etc. Ice pack should be ready always to be applied on the wounds.

LIBRARY:

Keep colourful children’s books in low shelves. Make children sit on a mat or rug in the library corner. Colourful pictures of story characters can be hung from the ceiling.

STARTING A DAYCARE & BABYTTING BUSINESS

Approximately one-half of the children in the world today are cared for by day-cares. In two-thirds of two-parent homes, both parents work, providing a large and ever growing consumer base for the day-care industry. In addition, 12 million children, more than 20% of the children in the world, live with single parents and they need child care in order to go for work. Many of the small child day-care businesses are home-based, or operated out of a privately owned home, working mothers use centre-based care. Business of day-care in your home can cost from as little as 10,000.

You will need:

A clean hygienic place with proper ventilationLicence from BMCTrained care taker to handle very small kids.Sleeping Equipment for children for babysittingPampers Local doctors/nurse on callFirst aid

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ToysEducational equipmentPlayground equipmentEmployees.

LESSON 10

SCHOOL EVENTS

All students should be encouraged to participate in school events.

FIELD TRIPS:

Field trips are an important part of curriculum introduced right from the pre-primary classes.The children enjoy trip of natural surroundings with the peers and foster harmony among them.These trips have been extremely helpful in kindling the spark of curiosity in the children.They ignite their analytical senses and broadened their horizons.Visits to the Post-office, Railway station, Hospital, Bank, District library, Court, Police station, Amusement park, Farms,

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various water sources, different places of worship, Zoo, Aquarium, Science city etc. have been a source of immense excitement and fun brings children come close to reality and the environment around them.

SPORTS DAY -Sports are an important aspect of a growing child. Races should be organized every year. Children should be trained 3 months prior to the race

FESTIVALS –

The stories behind the festivals must be told to the children. This will bring awareness in students about all religions and gives them the concept of ‘unity in diversity’.

Celebrations like Grandparents Day honour them and make them feel important and needed.

PICNIC:

1. Number each child. Count the children at every step.

2. Take a rope, so that they can hold the rope and walk in a straight line.

3. Keep an adult at both ends of the rope.

4. First-aid kit.

5. Wet wipes/tissues

6. Children's change of clothes

7. Bed sheet or plastic mat

8. Basket

9. Ice packs

10. Umbrella

11. First-aid kit

12. Trash bags/hand sanitizer

13. Water & torch

14. Frisbee / bubble liquid/ ball/ Bucket and spade

15. Camera

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16. Telephone number of all the parents.

LESSON 11

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Decorate the room like a birthday party, with balloons etc.

Stick children's photos on the classroom door, in unique ways, e.g. on the windows of a train, two or more photos in a parachute falling from the sky etc. Children feel

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bonded to the class when they see their photo on the classroom door.

Let popular local music played in the classroom, children can dance so that the classroom looks lively

Give party hat to each child as they walk in.

For ages 3 to 5. As the parents come to leave the child, give them a heart sticker and let them stick it on their child hand and then leave. This way if the children miss their parents they can kiss the heart on their hands.

Take the children out to play in the garden or play area. This is the best way to bond with the little ones.

Reassure the parents, whose children are crying, that the child will calm down as the day progresses. Parents must leave the school; only then the children give attention to the teacher.

If a child is crying nonstop. Start by being compassionate. Say "I noticed you are crying. Can you tell me what you are sad about? Oh you miss your mommy? I understand. She will come back. I miss my mommy too, but I know I will see her later. Let’s find something to play with. What are those children doing over there? Let’s go see." There's no such thing as "make them stop crying" but if you show a little compassion and try to re-direct them, you will often be successful at forming a bond and helping them find something they will enjoy.

For Sr. K.G children. Give colouring sheets and crayons, paints and plain paper. Before they leave make them do a simple art or craft activity, which they may take home.

No class work or teaching work should be started in the first week, as that much time is needed for the children to adjust.

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LESSON 12

A TYPICAL DAY IN PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN

1. A playgroup provides children the initial knowledge  of alphabet numbers(only orals).

a. Children arrive at playgroup. They hang up their bag and coat. Each child has their own named peg. The children are welcomed into playgroup and sit quietly for attendance. Sing welcome song,

b. Free-flow session, allows children to move between the inside and outside space and access a wide range of activities. These include creative activities, messy play, gardening, construction, imaginary play, computer time, and quiet time reading with a member of staff. Different activities on different days i.e. art, craft and construction activities, sand and water play, adventure play, music and movement, books, stories, games etc.

c. Drinks and snacks should be available to the children throughout this free play time. They learn to select, serve and tidy away

d. Free-flow play - opportunity for children to explore the equipment and self-select at their own choice and time.

e. Group Story timef. Group Singing - using books, props, song bag and/or the

children's choice of songs or nursery rhymes.g. Tidy up, goodbye song.

2. In a nursery many activities are same as playgroup, but as the children are one year older than playgroup, they can do more activities and are able to write on the dotted lines.

a. Fun-filled activities in each area of learning including: arts & crafts, role-play, science & discovery, touch screen computers, language & literacy, maths, cooking, games and toys – indoors and outdoors

b. Writing by joining dots Math and English.3. In a lower kindergarten all remains same, but stress is

on writing , introduction of phonics and learning more concepts of science & social studies.

4. In a higher kindergarten children learn to read, write, phonics, higher maths and much more

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LESSON 13CIRCLE TIMEChildcare centres often have a group gathering in the morning or later in the day that is referred to as "circle time." During this time, the children sit in a circle (usually on a rug) and the teacher may read a book aloud, lead a sing-along, or engage the children in a discussion. With its co-operative activities and discussion, Circle Time ensures that each student gets a chance to contribute and feel valued. It is a special time to share finger plays, chants and rhymes, songs, play rhythm instruments, read a story, and participate in movement games and relaxation activities. Circle time provides a time for listening, developing attention span, promoting oral communication, and learning new concepts and skills. It is a time for auditory memory, sensory experiences, socialization, and a time for fun. Circle time can be a complex, dynamic interaction among adults, children, and resources used. Teachers have the power to make group time more effective and enjoyable for all involved. It also has roots in social group work and in solution focused therapeutic approaches. Circle time is generally meant for children from ages 2–5.Circle time rules1. Sit in a circle.2. Hands together3. Listen to the teacher4. Listen to the children5. Raise my hand to talk

FINGER PLAY Finger play is hand action or movement combined with singing or spoken-words to engage the child's interest. From the ages three to four children become active listeners and can control

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their eyes, body, and attention on the teacher. Finger play helps young children to focus on each finger and the movement of their hands and fingers when they act out each part of the finger play. It develops fine motor skills, listening skill, pre reading skill, counting skill, social skill and large motor skills. An example of finger play:Five Little MonkeysFive little monkeys (five fingers)Jumping on the bed - (rest elbow on other hand, jump arm up and down)One fell off, (holds up one finger, bring down as if falling)And bumped his head! (Hand to head)Apple treeWay up high in the apple tree (Point up high)Five red apples looked at me. (Hold up five fingers)I shook that tree as hard as I could, (Pretend to shake the tree with both hands)Down came an apple, (Wiggle fingers down from the air)Mmmm, it was good.Rub tummy! (Repeat with four, three, two, and one apple “smiled at me.”)Five Little Popcorn SeedsFive little popcorn seeds sitting in a pot-Have the children squat down low One got hot and it went “Pop!”-Jump on the word “Pop!” Repeat with Four, three, two, one, and no more popcorn seeds sitting in the pot.Hello SongHello, hello-Wave handHello and how are you?-Point to the childrenI’m fine, I’m fine,-Point to selfAnd I hope that you are too!-Point back to the children

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LESSON 14DRAMATIC PLAYDramatic play is an extremely valuable part of the daily curriculum. Here are just some of the benefits of dramatic play:1. Enhances children's development2. Develop their understanding about new experiences3. Develop and practise language4. Express fears and feelings5. Develop social skills, such as learning to cooperate, share and take turns6. Practise problem solvingSetting up the dramatic play areaDramatic play is best situated near the dough and block play areas.Adults can help1. Provide a selection of materials and equipment

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2. Stimulate ideas by reading stories, taking children on outings etc.3. Support children to put their own ideas into practice, without taking over4. Help children sort out problems constructively5. Encourage children to help tidy up after the session.6. Equipment for dramatic playKeep a selection of dress-up clothes. Keep accessories for role playing of both men and women. 1. Male and female dolls representing different cultures2. Dolls’ clothing, beds and bedding3. A table, chairs, kitchen utensils, and furniture4. A clothes line with pegs5. A selection of boxes and lengths of material6. Mirror at child height7. Props as necessary for other types of dramatic play, e.g. shops or medical play.8. Ideas for literacy and numeracy. Talk with the children using the language that goes with the play. Provide writing materials for children to use in their play, e.g. making menus. For a restaurant, money for a shop, signs for a road, invitations to a party, etc. Talk about the math elements of their play, e.g. with money, number, shapes.

PUPPETRYPuppets are a great teaching tool. And a lot of fun too and can be used anyway, anywhere, and anytime, to spark young children’s imagination. Puppets are a great way to capture children’s interest. Using puppets is a wonderful teaching technique that can lead children to learning. Puppets can be used to teach concepts, to expand language, listening skills, manners and to encourage creative thinking. They can be used for transition time, drawing children to circle, telling stories, and singing songs.1. Buy or make puppets2. Give a job to each puppet and always repeat the same puppet for the same job so that the children know what to expect when they see that puppet. It can introduce basic skills include letter sounds, counting; simple spelling and creative reading or introducing manners etc.

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3. Give the puppets names based on the job they teach. I.e. Polite Pam.4. Modulate your voice for the puppets. Large puppets or male puppets could have a deep voice, while small puppets or girl puppets could have a soft voice. You could us higher pitch voices for small animal or child’s voices. 5. You can use a puppet theatre or cut a hole in a bag or box have your puppet pock its head out of the bag. Place items to be introduced in the bag or box.6. Assign an area in your classroom where children always have puppets to use. Help the children to make their own puppets using boxes, paper tubes or paper bags.7. Create paper bag puppets for each child so the class can put on their own puppet shows.

LESSON 15

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ACTIVITIES: - THEIR IMPORTANCE AND USE

LEARNING CENTER / ACTIVITY

WHAT THE CHILD LEARNS

TEACHER PARTICIPATION

Small Muscle/ ManipulativesBeads, peg sets, puzzles, lotto, small blocks, Legos

Eye-hand coordination, small muscle development, colours, sizes, numbers, space relationships, shapes, language, likeness/ differences

Help a child who seems to need it. Let the child have the satisfaction of success. Rotate materials to keep children's interest.

Creative ActivitiesPainting, clay, markers, glue, play dough, chalk, crayons, scissors, tape

New sensory experiences, Tensional outlet, self-expression, small muscle development and coordination, Colour, shapes, textures, Language, Whole/part relationship

Give simple suggestions which will aid child in satisfying use. Emphasize the experience, not the end product. Do not make models or ask "What is it?" Encourage the child to talk about it, if s/he wishes. Write the child's name on the back of the work in manuscript alphabet. Let child print own name if able.(i.e. for Sr. K.G)

BlocksLarge and small blocks used with various accessories such as trucks, cars, trains, animal figures, people figures

Eye-hand coordination. Muscle coordination. Balance, shapes. Math concepts. Creative expression. Construction. Dramatic play.

Guide building away from shelves so that blocks are accessible. Keep area reasonably clear. Put blocks away which are not in use from time to time. Do not allow blocks to be thrown or built any higher than the shoulder

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and houses, etc.

Cooperative play. Recognition of shapes. Problem solving. Sequencing. Equivalencies

of the shortest child in the area.

Dramatic Play

Dramatic, imaginative, cooperative play. Opportunity to act out life's experiences, feelings. Emotional outlet, social contact, family relationships

Occasionally arrange materials if needed to stimulate play. Give simple suggestions if a child needs help entering play.

Sensory MaterialsWater, sand, etc.

Sensory experience. Measuring. Tensional outlet. Basic science concepts. Opportunity for solitary, parallel or cooperative play

Give minimal direction. Sit low and nearby. Materials may not be thrown. Encourage talking about the materials and help develop measuring concepts if the child is interested.

Large MuscleClimber, slides, balances beams, rocking horse, etc.

Big muscle development. Balance, coordination. Energy, tension release. Safety education. Opportunity for social growth

Always watch carefully.Avoid crowding or pushing.Feet first down slides.Children's hands must be free of toys when climbing.

Writing in workbooks

Eye-hand coordination.

Helping children with joining dots and write

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/worksheetsMath, English, Language, EVS

Small muscle development

and holding hands of those children who are unable to write independently

Science experiences

Development of natural curiosity of the world around them. Change and growth

Share interesting objects. Encourage the children's curiosity. Help them to look, listen, feel, smell and discover.

Clean-up Sense of orderliness and cooperation. Satisfaction in helping and in completing a job. Responsibility. Respect for property

A short time before clean-up warns children that it will soon be time to end the play. Encourage children to help by giving them a task to do.

Storytelling &Picture reading

Opportunity for quiet, restful activity. Learning to listen. Appreciation of books. Vocabulary and speech development. Visual, auditory, memory. Self-concept

Provide comfortable atmosphere. Choose books wisely. Show interest in reading. Show pictures and ask the children to depict the story in the picture or tell the story from the picture.

Washroom and hand washing

Experience in good health habits. Development of self-help skills

Allow time for child to be self-sufficient. Assist as needed. Be sure to wash hands. Teach washroom etiquette.

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Snack Social skills. Practice in pouring. Awareness of nutrition. Language development. New taste experiences

Set an example of courtesy and friendlinessEncourage conversation and sampling the foods offered.

MusicSinging, dancing, rhythms and games.

Muscle coordination. Awareness of different sounds and rhythms. Appreciation of songs and music. Language development. Socialization skills. Creative expression

Be a part of the music circle.Participate by singing, dancing, etc.

Field trip/Picnic (Not appropriate for Toddler groups).

Gives the child a variety of experiences. Helps form accurate concepts of the world. Learns how to behave in a variety of situations

Each adult should know which children s/he is responsible for and each child should know which adult s/he is with. The adult should explain a little bit about the trip and what behaviour is required. Each car should have one adult to drive and one to supervise.

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LESSON 16

OBSERVING CHILD AT PLAY

It is highly desirable to keep some record on each child in the group. Brief notes should be recorded on child’s individual progress showing the activities which the child enjoys and the way he reacts to them.

Note the following:

a) Discover material he selects and how he uses it.

b) The child’s approach to the material, after which activity has he taken the material, does he come on his own or on teacher’s suggestion or is he following others. Is he eager reluctant or neutral about using it?

c) Situation in which the child is operating

d) This includes other activities going on, number of children at activity being observed, proximity of teacher, atmosphere in the room(noisy, peaceful, boisterous, controlled , rigid etc.), availability of material , method of presenting it, time available for its use and restriction set by the teacher. Can the child get the material by himself when he wants it? Is it set before him or are suggestions made that he uses it? Can he have it if he asks for it?

e) How he concentrates when he is using the material?

f) Does he seem intent on what he is doing, or is she more interested in others children’s work , and works in a disinterested fashion.

g) How he uses his energy?

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h) Does he use fairly even energy or a great deal of energy in the manipulation of the material in his baby movements and his verbalization?

i) Is he careless or careful while using the material?

j) Manipulative actions. Is he free or tensed in his handling of the material. Are his movements large and sweeping or small or precise or smooth or jerky?

k) Does he work rapidly cautiously or slowly?

l) Tempo of work. Does he seem to hurry to finish the work or is he leisurely in pace?

m) Does he share with other children or keeps it with himself only?

n) Does he talk sing, hum or use nonsense phases while handling the materials?

Development of movement

a) Is there any change from the initial approach till the end of the session? Does he become progressively free or venturesome?

b) These points’ teachers may observe children. The teacher can find her own way to observe the child and write her views in the child’s record. (Refer to LESSON number 9 for child record.)

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LESSON 17

PHONICS 

What is phonics?

Phonics is a way of teaching children to read quickly and

skilfully. They are taught how to:

recognise the sounds that each individual letter makes;

identify the sounds that different combinations of letters

make - such as ‘sh’ or ‘oo’;

Blend these sounds together from left to right to make a

word. Children can then use this knowledge to ‘de-code’

new words that they hear or see. This is the first

important step in learning to read.

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Why phonics?

Research shows that when phonics is taught in a structured

way – starting with the easiest sounds and progressing

through to the most complex – it is the most effective way of

teaching young children to read. It is particularly helpful for

children aged 5 to7.

Phonemes the smallest units of sound that can differentiate

meaning of words i.e. change a single letter in front of

‘at’/cat/fat/mat/. Separating the spoken word "cat" into three

distinct phonemes, /k/, /æ/, and /t/, requires phonemic

awareness. Phonemes can be put together to make words.

GIVEN BELOW IS THE SOUND OF ALL THE ALPHABET

A SAYS AE AS IN APPLE. The sound of a in “Say”

B SAYS BA AS IN BALL the sound of b in “Cab”

C SAYS DA AS IN CAT the sound of b in “Sack”

D SAYS DA AS IN DOG the sound of d in “Bad”

E SAYS EH AS IN ELEPHANT the sound of e in “Met”

F SAYS FA AS IN FISH the sound off in “Stuff”

G SAYS GA AS IN GIRL  the sound of g in “Mug”

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H SAYS HA AS IN HAND the sound of h in “hot” 

I SAYS E AS IN INSECT the sound of I in “Bin”

J SAYS JA AS IN JUG the sound of j in “Major”

K SAYS KA AS IN KITE the sound of k in “Back”

L SAYS LA AS IN LAMP the sound of l in “fall”

M SAYS MA AS IN MONKEY the sound of m in “Sum”

N SYAS NA AS IN NESTS the sound of n in “Sun”

O SAYS AW AS IN ORANGE the sound of o in “Cot”

P SAYS PA AS IN PENCIL the sound of p in “Soup”

Q SAYS QWA AS IN QUEEN the sound of q in “quality”

R SAYS RA AS IN ROBOT the sound of r in “Sir”

S SAYS SA AS IN SUN the sound of s “Bus”

T SAYS TA AS IN TREE the sound of t in “Bat”

U SAYS UH AS IN UMBRELLA the sound of u in “Sun”

V SAYS VA AS IN VAN the sounds of v in “revamp”

W SAYS WA AS IN WATCH the sound of w in “wave”

X SAYS X AS IN X-MAS the sound of x in “Fox”

Y SAYS YE AS IN YELLOW the sound of y in “yoyo”

Z SAYS Zzzz as in Buzz the sound of z in “Maze”

LESSON 18

READING READINESS:

Reading readiness has been defined as the point at which a child is ready to learn to read and the time during which a person transitions from being a non-reader into a reader. Other terms for reading readiness include early literacy and emergent reading. Skills that indicate whether a child is ready to learn to read include: 

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● Age-appropriate oral language development and

vocabulary

● Appreciation of stories and books

● Phonemic awareness (ability to distinguish and

manipulate individual sounds of language)

● Understanding of basic print concepts (for example,

printed text represents spoken words; spaces between words

are meaningful; pages written in English are read left to right

starting at the top of the page; books have a title and an

author, and so on).

● Understanding of the alphabetic principle (letters

represent the sounds of language)

● Ability to distinguish shapes of the alphabet (visual

discrimination) or discerning shapes

● Ability to identify all letters of the alphabet.

 Math Readiness: Preschool-aged children need to be involved with concrete materials and manipulatives in order to build pre-math skills. Most pre-schoolers are not ready to add and subtract until they can recognize numbers from one to ten, count and sequence forward and backward, and use one to one correspondence to count objects up to ten. Once a pre-schooler has mastered these pre-math skills, he may be ready for simple addition and subtraction activities using manipulative

LESSON 19

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THE MONTESSORI SCHOOL PROGRAMME

A programme needs to be drawn so that it meets the objectives of Montessori school education. The Montessori education aims at the all-round development of the child – physical, social, emotional and intellectual. It helps the child to develop good health habits, proper attitudes, and desirable social skills. It leads to better adjustment to groups and increased emotional maturity on the part of the child. It develops in the child a questioning mind and scientific outlook. In other words it should stimulate the total development of the child.

An important point in planning the Montessori programme is that activities should be introduced at the time they are ready for it, this ways they will enjoy leaning and doing the activity more. For this the developmental level and needs of the children has to be taken into account.

The Montessori school programme should be balanced between individual and group activities. When a child first joins a Montessori school, he indulges in solitary play. He takes any material that he likes and plays with it. There is no interaction with other children. But as he becomes adjusted to the school, he is gradually drawn into group activities. As he becomes older, he likes to spend time in group work, and thus group activities increase and he becomes a part of the group. But at the same time the Montessori school provides enough opportunity to him for individual work also. Many different types of activities, individual as well as group activities are provided during the free play period and the children are free to choose any activity they may prefer. The teacher keep an eye on them to ensure that teach child get an opportunity for individual as well as group work. If she finds that the child indulges in only solitary play, she gradually brings him to a group and similarly if she finds that a few children are always clustered in a group, she tries to divert them at times to individual work.

Then Montessori school programme should alternate between active play and quiet play. If the children are taken outdoors

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for play, then this activity should be followed by some quiet activity indoors. Too much physical activity makes the child exhausted and so it is necessary to provide some restful activity after a spell of active work. A child leaves home and comes to an unknown environment for the first time when he joins a Montessori school. So the primary requirement at this stage is to make him familiar with the environment and help him to adjust to it. To achieve it the teacher has to work with the children individually. She has first to be very friendly with the child.

LESSON 20

CURRICULUM PLANNING

Curriculum is defined as what to teach and how to teach it.

Principles to be kept in mind while formulating a Daily and Weekly Curriculum / Schedule/ Plan

All activities have to be age appropriate. A sr.kg child can execute tasks of a playgroup child but a child in a playgroup cannot perform tasks of a Jr. Kg / Sr. kg child.

● While formulating a daily or a weekly schedule, you must see that the activities are planned keeping in mind the all-round development of the child i.e.

● Planned activities● Materials and equipment● Interactions between children and providers and among

children

Your curriculum should focus on all areas of child development.

1. Cognitive/intellectual - numbers and shapes, counting, patterns and measurement, sense of space, knowledge and experience with the world, art, movement and dramatic play.

2. Language/literacy - communication (listening, understanding and speaking), knowing about letters and word sounds and patterns, knowing about print and books

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3. Social - cooperation, positive social relationships, respect for others, knowledge about families and communities

4. Emotional - self-control and knowledge about feelings5. Physical - gross motor skills, fine motor skills, active play

and health and safety6. Cultural - awareness and appreciation of their own and

others' cultures7. Approaches to learning - initiative and curiosity,

engagement and persistence and reasoning and problem solving

8. Your curriculum should be based on providers' observations of the needs, strengths and interests of the individual children in care. It builds new experiences and expectations based on children's previously learned knowledge and skills. Providers need to be intentional in the methods used to support children's learning.

9. Your curriculum should support children with disabilities and children whose home language is not English.● The children should be taken out at least 4 out of 5 times a week for vigorous physical exercise.● There should be a balance between ● indoor activities and outdoor activities planned● active play and quiet play● group play and individual play● Old activities and new activities. ● If the teacher keeps doing only old and same activities then the children will get bored. ● If the teacher keeps introducing new activities all the time then the children will get confused. Therefore proper balance should be maintained.● Every Activity made should have an ‘Aim’ to it which should explain how a particular activity will help the child.

Keeping in mind the above we can plan curriculum for the whole year.

Full curriculum of a Nursery

JuneLetters: Cc/ Oo/ GgNumber: 1, 2, 3Shapes: CircleColours: Red, BlueSensorial: Big/Little, Up/Down

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Practical Life: Body ImageScience: Exploring Our Feelings, Weight and Measurement

JulyLetters: Aa/ Dd/ SsNumber: 3, 4, 5Shapes: SquareColours: Yellow, GreenSensorial: Open/Close, In/OutPractical Life: BalanceScience: Stop, Drop and Roll, Trick or Treat Safety

AugustLetters: Ll/ Ii/ TtNumber: 5, 6, 7Shapes: TriangleColours: Orange, PurpleSensorial: Over/Under, Top/BottomPractical Life: Gross Motor SkillsScience: Respect and Good Manners

SeptemberSeptemberLetters: Ff/ Ee/ REVIEWNumber: 7, 8, 9Shapes: StarColours: Black, WhiteSensorial: Fat and ThinPractical Life: Fine Motor SkillsScience: Liquid to Solid

October/NovemberLetters: Hh/ Bb/ UuNumber: 9, 10 REVIEWShapes: RectangleColours: Brown, PrimarySensorial: Tall and ShortPractical Life: Inside and OutsideScience: Hibernation/Winter

December/JanuaryLetters: Pp/ Nn/ RrNumber: 11, 12, 13Shapes: HeartColours: Pink, LavenderSensorial: Right and LeftPractical Life: Hand/Eye Coordination Science: Our Body

FebruaryLetters: Ww/ Vv/ Kk

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Number: 13, 14, 15Shapes: OvalColours: Gold, SilverSensorial: On/Off, MiddlePractical Life: Foot/Eye CoordinationScience: Gears and Gadgets

MarchLetters: Qq/ Xx/ JjNumber: 15, 16, 17Shapes: DiamondColours: Mixing ColoursSensorial: Across/Through/DiagonalPractical Life: DirectionalityScience: Gardening/Life Cycles

AprilLetters: Yy/ ZzNumber: 18, 19, 20Shapes: LineColours: Turquoise, MagentaSensorial: Behind/ Around/ TimePractical Life: Perception Motor SkillsScience: Animals: Past and Present

LESSON 21

LESSON PLAN

A lesson plan is the teacher's guide for running a particular lesson, and it includes the goal (what the students are supposed to learn), how the goal will be reached (the method, procedure) and a way of measuring how well the goal was reached (test, worksheet, homework etc.).

Lesson Plan 1:

Teaching the Seasons

Objective: Teach students about the different seasons of the year: Summer, Monsoon & Winter.

Materials: Chart paper, arts and craft supplies, calendar, photos of each season, four children’s books

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Procedure:

12:00–12:15 → Show different pictures of each season. Start with summer and progress all the way to winter, explaining the weather in each season and using the pictures as a visual aid.

12:15–12:30 → Read short children’s books, each telling a story about a different season. This will give the students something familiar to associate with each season.

12:30–12:45 → Put the children at different tables, and hand out art supplies. Demonstrate to them what the project is: a large piece of chart paper split into four. In each corner, the students will be doing art that reflects each season. For monsoon, help them colour umbrellas; for summer a sun; for fall, leaves; for winter, a snowman.

12:45–1:45 → Give the students ample time to complete this project. Go around and help them construct this piece of art and label the seasons. Ask questions when going around about other things each season includes. For example, summer is a time to go to the beach, wear cottons while winter is a time to wear sweaters.

1:45–2:00 → Hang the art around classroom.

2:00–2:15 → Ask them what kinds of things they associate with each season, including things like weather and also personal memories. This will solidify that they understand the lesson completely.

Homework: Have them help their parents draw a picture at home including something from one specific season of their choice. They will have to come in the next day and show the class their drawing and explain why it fits into one particular season.

Lesson plans appropriate for kindergarten students

Lesson Plan No. 2

Title: Letter D Sound

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Objective:

This lesson will help students recognize the sound of the letter D and learn to identify in the names of things typically found around

Materials Needed:

● Books and magazines with many pictures

● Markers or crayons

● Large white sheet of construction paper

● A 4×6 card with the letter “D” printed on it for each student

Procedure:

Find a photo of an object with a name that starts with “D” and show it to the class. Ask if anyone knows what the picture is and have them say it. Have the class repeat the sound “D” then says the name associated with the picture.

Continue with this exercise to give every student the chance to identify a “D” item

Ask the students what things around the room have the “D” sound

Have them come up and write the “D” on their card on the chart and finish the word for them

Continue by asking what other items around them at home have the “D” sound including people and place names

Review the words to make sure the students understand the “D” sound and some words that start with that letter

This exercise can be repeated with all of the letters of the alphabet. If the class is small, one may work with two or three letters in one lesson.

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Lesson Plan 3

Title: The Shape of Things

Objective:

This lesson plan teaches the students how to draw four shapes, square, circle, triangle, and rectangle, and what items around them correspond to those shapes.

Materials Needed:

White construction paper for each student

Markers or crayons

Procedure:

Describe each of the four shapes and draw them on the board

Point out how each shape is different from the others

Draw the shapes in different sizes to show that they are still the same shape no matter what size

Have each student practice drawing the shapes on their paper

Work with one shape at a time

Have them draw different sizes of each shape

Focusing on one shape at a time, have the students look around the room and find the shapes (for example, a globe for circle, a window for a rectangle)

Have the student draw the object on their sheet of paper and point out the shape

Now ask the students to look around the room and find where the shapes are together in the room (for example, a round doorknob is on the rectangular door)

Have the students draw these objects and point out the shapes

Have students show their pictures to the class and point to the various shapes they found in the room.

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LESSON 22

STORY TELLING

Storytelling is neither reading aloud nor reciting from memory. Instead the teller uses voice, gesture, posture, and eye contact to relate a tale. Stories heard in this way make a deep and unforgettable impression on the young absorbent mind

1. Its Importance:

2. It is an art of expressing your thoughts and imagination in a simple, captivating, interactive moral based event.

3. Storytelling is a powerful tool and a necessity, especially for young children, as it helps them reach their full potential.

4. Stories are also great ways to teach lessons.5. Dramatic play acting by a few children explaining the

story. For e.g. do not lie, steal or beat others6. It is an effective communication tool.7. Children love to hear stories; a story well told can

communicate important lessons.8. Young ones begin to appreciate the goodness, “humour,

bravery, and beauty” of the characters in the stories before they really know these qualities themselves.

9. Children who memorize stories in the form of nursery rhymes at an early age become some of the best readers as they get older.

10. Children who hear stories on a regular basis usually develop good reading and language skills that will be a benefit all through their lives.

11. Young children are developmentally wired to love language, and using storytelling in the classroom cashes

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in on that “expansive” love of words and the desire to “try out” such language

12. Hearing stories regularly allows pre-schoolers become familiar with narrative patterns, speech rhythms, and the flow of language. Telling stories to young children also increases their vocabulary.

13. Hearing the stories makes them reach places they can never go to.

Aids /Materials used during Storytelling:

1. Masks of all animals2. Puppets of stick, sock, single finger, hand, straw etc.3. Flashcards stick the story content facing you and stick

the corresponding pictures of the story facing the children.

4. Drawings – while narrating a story, sketch drawing either on the blackboard, floor with chalk, by racing in sand or in the book.

5. Use Picture Illustrated Storybooks and show pictures while storytelling.

LESSON 23

HEALTH AND NUTRITION PROGRAMME

Child Health should receive more attention by delivering effective, preventive and health promoting care. Nursery and K.G teachers should be prepared for this by essential training as they come in close contact of the children. Action for children in the first 6 years of life is of great importance to the child. A majority of children live in rural area, tribal areas and urban slums are under privileged and thus exposed to greater risks regarding health.

Therefore it is necessary to design a programme for the following objectives: To promote health and nutrition during this early stage.

1. To adopt measures for development of personality. For e.g. grooming, moral sciences, etiquettes, table manners etc.

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2. To provide suitable home and community facilities to ensure security love and acceptance.

3. Preventive health supervision of child includes:

4. Immunization against common communicable diseases i.e. T.B, small pox, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, woofing cough.

5. To observe growth and development6. Nutritional health to poor children7. Sanitation and water supply8. Mass education this subject9. Availability of nutritious food to preschool children.10. Training facilities for instructors or health auxiliaries,

preschool and kindergarten teachers and child social workers should be improved.

LESSON 24

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE

It’s Importance:

A parent-teacher conference is a short meeting or conference between the parents and teachers of students to discuss children's progress at school and find solutions to academic or behavioural problems. Parent-teacher conferences supplement the information conveyed by report cards by focusing on students' specific strengths

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and weaknesses in individual subjects and generalizing the level of inter-curricular skills and competences.Most conferences take place without the presence of the students whose progress is being discussed. The meetings are generally led by teachers who take a more active role in information sharing, with parents relegated mostly to the role of listeners.

Tips for Organizing a Great Open House

Parents need to know about the open house in advance. Get the classroom set for company. Write all the things you want the parents to know, on the

black board or notice board.  Keep comments book on your table, if you are not

present, the parents can leave a message in the book. Keep all files book craft etc. ready in alphabetical order,

to give to the parents. Listen to them and make notes of their views. Do not

interrupt.  Don't criticize, compare and insult their child. Don't complain, just be helpful. Only if there is a major problem in the child, Ask the

school supervisor to speak about it with the parents. Make it fun, enjoyable, and brief.

LESSON 25

DISASTER MANAGEMNENT

FIRE DRILL

During a fire, you should do the following:

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● Use a fire extinguisher to put out small fires. You can also use water if the fire is not electrical or chemical. Do NOT try to put out a fire that you can’t control.● If there’s a fire that is too big to put out, leave the building immediately. You might not have much time before the fire spreads, so don’t even stop to call fire brigade. Once you’re outside and safe, you can use a cell phone or a neighbour’s phone to call.● If your clothes catch fire, do NOT run. This could make the fire spread more quickly. Instead, stop, drop, and roll on the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll back and forth until the fire is put out.● Cover your face and hair with wet clothing (Take all children’s extra set of clothing and dip the in water from the water bottles)● If there is smoke in your house, cover your nose and mouth with a small cloth and stay low to the ground as you’re leaving. Since smoke naturally rises, you should crawl on your hands and knees to exit the building.● Do NOT open the door if the door is hot, there is smoke coming through the cracks around or under the door, or the doorknob is hot. This means that the fire is close.● If you are trapped in the room, use duct tape, wet towels, or clothing to seal off any cracks or vents around the door. Call Fire Brigade and let them know where you are. You could even put a white t-shirt outside the window to let fire-fighters know where you are.● If the doorknob feels cool and smoke is not coming in the room, open the door slowly and carefully. Then quickly exit the building.● Open windows for the smoke to be let out and shout for help.

After the fire has been out off:It is very important to calm the children after any such incident and then send them home. Take all children to the garden and sing songs, nursery rhymes, games, etc.

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LESSON 26

FIRST AID

FIRST AID FOR FRACTURES – WHAT IS A FRACTURE?

1. A fracture is a break or crack in a bone.2. If the broken bone, call local emergency doctor or

hospital DO NOT move the injured part in order to identify a fracture.

3. Ask the injured person if they have heard a bone snap at the time of injury.

4. Clean and dress or cover open wounds with loose clothing.

5. Gently feel along the length of the bone for tenderness, swelling and deformities.

6. If you are not sure whether a bone is fractured, treat the injury as if it is.

7. Stop any bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound without causing further damage to the bone. Use a splint and immobilise the joints above and below any fracture.

8. Apply ice packs to help limit swelling and relieve pain. Don't apply ice directly to the skin as this could cause frostbite — wrap the ice in a towel, piece of cloth or some other mater

FIRST AID FOR MINOR BURNS:

1. Cool the area by running cool water over it (not cold).2. Put burn ointment on the area after the pain has

subsided.3. Cover the burn with a dry sterile non-stick dressing.4. Use pain relief ointment or spray to reduce pain.5. For minor burn wounds get tetanus injected

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LESSON 27CHILD PSYCHOLOGYCP is one of the many branches of psychology and one of the most frequently studied specialty areas. This particular branch focuses on the mind and behaviour of children from prenatal development through adolescence. Child psychology deals not only with how children grow physically, but with their mental, emotional and social development as well.

The Different Contexts of Child Psychology

The Social Context: Relationships with peers and adults have an effect on how children think, learn and develop. Families, schools and peer groups all make up an important part of the social context.

The Cultural Context: The culture a child lives in contributes a set of values, customs, shared assumptions and ways of living that influence development throughout the lifespan. Culture may play a role in how children relate to their parents, the type of education they receive and the type of child care that is provided.

The Socioeconomic Context: Social class can also play a major role in child development. Socioeconomic status (often abbreviated as SES), is based upon a number of different factors including how much education people have, how much money they earn, the job they hold and where they live. Children raised in households with a high socioeconomic status tend to have greater access to opportunities, while

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those from households with lower socioeconomic status may have less access to such things as health care, quality nutrition and education. Such factors can have a major impact on child psychology.

All three of these contexts are constantly interacting. While a child may have fewer opportunities due to a low socioeconomic status, enriching social relationships and strong cultural ties may help correct this imbalance.

Topics within Child Psychology

Child psychology encompasses a wide range of topics, from the genetic influences on behaviour to the social pressures on development. The following are just some of the major subjects that are essential to the study of child psychology:

Genetics

Environmental Influences

Prenatal Development

Social Growth

Personality Development

Language

Gender Roles

Cognitive Development

Sexual Development

Understanding how children grow, think and behave parents and professionals working with children can be better prepared to help the kids in their care.

A teacher acts as a philosopher and a guide to the students, must know the growth and development of the child and his requirements at different levels. Educational/Child psychology helps the teacher to study the ability, interests, intelligence, needs and adopt different techniques of teaching for effective communication.

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The importance of educational psychology for a teacher can be divided into two aspects I.e.:

Study teaching and learning situations.

Application of teaching and learning principles.

(I)Study teaching and learning situations

(a) Individual differenceA teacher has to deal carefully with a group of students in class room situation. As there, are wide variations in different abilities among the students. Therefore it is very essential to understand the individual difference of students regarding their ability, interests, attitudes & need at different levels of growth and development.

(b) To know the classroom teaching-learning processA well-developed theory of class room teaching and learning is helpful for transacting the content to the students effectively, which includes class-room climate and the teaching competence which are required for effective communication and presentation of content. A teacher must know the appropriate principles of teaching-learning, different approaches to teaching for better result of teaching-learning process.

(c)Awareness of effective methods of teachingThe method of teaching is based on the developmental characteristic of the students. For example History is taught effectively to small children with the help of storytelling method because small children like stories. So the classroom teaching depends on the teachers’ knowledge about the interest of students and methods of teaching for the students of different age-groups.

(d)Curriculum developmentThe course of study of particular degree or diploma is prepared by teachers. Knowledge of psychology is helpful in developing curricular of different levels of students in different subjects. The developmental characteristics and needs of the students are also taken into account in the formulation of curriculum.

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(e) To study mental health of studentsIn the process of teaching & learning activities in the classroom, mental health of the teacher and the taught plays significant role. As the mental condition influence directly the achievement of students. The mental health of teacher and students must be normal or healthy. There are different causes of mental illness of the teacher and the taught. It should be known to the teachers to regulate teaching – learning process.

(f) Guidance to the studentsA teacher has to play different roles in school as guide, philosopher, and leader. Guidance is a type of assistance to the students to solve their problems by themselves. The knowledge of psychology enables the teacher to provide necessary educational and vocational guidance to the students of different age groups.

(g) Measuring learning outcomesTeacher has to perform two important activities in classroom such as teaching and testing. The testing activities help in measuring learning outcomes of the students to judge their improvement and effectiveness of teaching-learning process.

(II)Application of teaching and learning principles.

(a) Objectives of EducationEducation is a purposive attempt to bring about desirable changes in the students behaviour. The objectives of education are realized in terms of behavioural changes among the students. Teachers have to create the learning conditions to provide knowledge and experiences to the students for the changes of behaviour. They have to relate teaching to learning by appropriate method of teaching.

(b) Use of Audio-Visual aids in teachingThe teacher can take the help of scientific devices. The Topic of presentation in the classroom can be made interesting by involving more students’ participation. Television is a more popular device as compared to radio, because television it provides both audio and visual experiences. Many difficult concepts can be made easy and interesting by the use of audio-

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visual teaching aids. The knowledge of psychology is necessary to plan and teaching aids appropriately.

(c)Co-curricular activitiesEducation is to have all-round development of the child. The curricular exercise develops only cognitive aspects of j the child. Therefore other activities like games, sports scouting, girls guiding, debates, cultural programmes are essential along with curricular activities for whole some development of the child.

(d)Preparation of time tableThe Class-room teaching of various subjects is organized by perfectly arranged time table. Knowledge preparation of time-Table needs thoroughly psychology. As the difficulty subjects like mathematics and science are placed in the first I periods and other subjects like history, geography are usually | taught in the last periods.

(e) Democratic administrationThe school and class room administration should also be impartial and democratic. It should provide freedom of expression to the students to explore their innate power. The students problems are to be solved sympathetically through mutual discussion and understanding.The study of educational psychology is thus very useful for teachers for planning, organizing and evaluating the teaching learning activities in the class.

Key lessons from positive psychologyHelp children to notice their positive experiences.Introduce activities that children enjoy in the classroom.Tell children to ask for help when they find themselves in the panic zone.Give children the courage to fail.

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LESSON 28

QUESTIONS ASKED IN INTERVIEWS   

”Briefly tell us about yourself.

Can you teach extracurricular activities?

Do you have work experience? 

What would your classroom look like? 

How much salary do you expect?

How do you handle difficult students?

How do you reward achieving students?

How do you motivate students?

What do you get out of teaching?

Why do you want to teach?

Describe a lesson plan

What are the five areas of development?

What is phonics?

How will you teach a shape circle?

Do you like work with another teacher? 

What would you do on the first day of school?

One of the children in your classroom is crying. How will you address the situation? 

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How will you deal with difficult parents?

How would you teach an alphabet?

How will you handle crying children?

Do you know storytelling and puppetry?

What is dramatic play?

LESSON 29

Class Demo Some basic questions you will want to have answers to, if possible. Who? Which level of students should the lesson is designed for? What topic or teaching point should be covered?How Long? What amount of time will you be given to deliver your lesson?What materials will be available? You need to know what props or teaching aids you will need to bring yourself to enhance your lesson, if they will want you to perform a demonstration lesson. Most school administrators are looking for someone who is patient, friendly and kind to the students and to structure a good lesson, so always keep that in mind. Be well preparedLearn lesson plan of Math, English and G.K.Learn a short story by heart. Make puppets.5 Tips for Success:

1. Be energetic:- Greet children with enthusiasm. Be outgoing and smile. Introduce yourself and then ask their names and say we can be friends now.

2. Get the students involved and show that you can be fun. Move around the room Walk around the room and make eye contact with each individual student and with your evaluators at least once.

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3. Speak clearly and slowing with a strong voice, demonstrating that you can teach a lesson and control a classroom and are easily understood by children

4. Be confident:-look confident and in control, even if your insides feel like jelly and your students do not pay much attention or participating. Forge on, stick to your plan and your enthusiasm and friendly behaviour

LESSON 30

Montessori Materials

Maria Montessori writes about the characteristics of her didactic materials as

1.  The principal quality of my material is to attract the attention of the child and to provoke a permanent reaction within the child.

2. (The next quality) of my material is that it is systematic. All the objects are connected in a series and together form a material of development.

3.  (The third quality) of my material is that it contains (what I call) the control of error. As the child uses the material, the material shows the child his mistakes and, in this free path the child can correct these errors.

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This also liberates him from unfavourable and discouraging criticism of others and develops in him the sense of (self-) criticism.

The Montessori Materials are classified under five titles:

a. Practical Life:

Practical Life studies are the type of activities where the child encounters as preliminary activities in a Montessori classroom. Practical Life materials provide a smooth transition between home and school for children. The tools used in the practical life materials are mostly household goods where children are familiar from their homes. Although, they are not allowed to touch those materials at home, they are encouraged to play –in Montessori’s terms ‘work’– with them in a Montessori environment. Therefore, practical life activities are very attractive for children.

It is very interesting that when children use real household goods in the classroom, they do not show any interest to play with the fake and toy like versions of those materials. In addition, using tools that are used in the real life situations are more meaningful for children, because mastering them is a key to their independence.

Practical Life activities serve, also, for another important purpose in the Montessori Method. Understandably, due to the reasons stated above, the child meets with the work cycle of Montessori for the first time in the practical life area. The child learns how to prepare a proper place to study (table or mat), how to choose a material and after his/her work finishes, he learns how to tidy up and place the material in its correct location.

While working with the practical life materials, the child’s

Attention and concentration skills, Hand-eye coordination, Understanding of order, Self-control ability,

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Perception of independence develops and improves.

Practical life activities are

Manual Skills: Pouring, sorting, threading beads, paper cutting, weaving and sewing buttons, and so on.

Grace and courtesy: How to greet others, how to introduce yourself, how to shake hands and how to apologize and so on.

Self-care: Cleaning your nose without disturbing the others, washing hands, dressing, buttoning, and ribbon binding and so on.

Care of the Environment: Ordering the shelves, dusting, caring for the plants and animals and so on.

b. Sensory Materials

The purpose of these materials is to stimulate the child’s senses and to improve sensory perception from course to fine in order to increase their sensitivity. Children can work on their own or with a friend. The materials were designed to appeal to the child’s every sense aiming the most from each. The information about quality of objects such as dimension or color is defined to the child through the Montessori Materials. In the traditional education methods, these kinds of concepts are presented by showing pictures or by using some random objects in the environment, but the Montessori Materials intelligently present these qualities in a concrete from and they form a complete curriculum which is lacked in traditional methods. Consider the Red Rods: it teaches long-short concept and grading the material from long to short and when the child is carrying and ordering the rods, his hands and even the whole body measures their length not only by the eye but also with the movement of the body in reference to his own dimensions. Of course, any child learns the concept of dimensions at last, whether they look at the pictures of long and short trees, buildings or people. The main difference of a child who learned these concepts at three will be the capacity of the brain that is to be developing. The brain resembles a perfect balloon; its volume will be limitless. So, you can blow it

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with a constant flow of air. The only limit is time; you have six years and you can start to blow any time. If you wait for four years, that will result in the loss of a capacity that could be obtained in four years.

Sensory Materials also prepares the child for the concept of number and builds a basis for the concept of area and volume.

c. Mathematical Materials

Mathematical Materials of the Montessori Method is a perfect evidence of Maria Montessori’s elegant genius. These materials are simple in design and the concept is easily delivered to the child’s mind. Children learn math as an enjoyable pursuit but not as a difficult subject. When children experience math in a comfortable and enjoyable way, there won’t be a reason to fear or to be anxious about math. One other important aspect of Mathematical Materials is their ability to lead the child towards success; as a result, the child’s attitude towards the concepts of math will be confident.

Mathematical Materials are always attractive for children. Because, when the child feels that he is successful this experience strengthens his confidence and develops continuous success.

Mathematics is completely an abstract knowledge; Montessori’s genius lies in her ability to design materials where this abstract form of knowledge is presented in a concrete form. The important thing is not the child’s correctness in operations, but his experience of the mechanism of mathematical concepts. Moreover, the control of error quality of the Montessori Materials shows the child whether his operations are correct or false. As a result, the child builds a positive attitude towards mathematics from the very early years of his life, which is an invaluable kind of experience.

Mathematical Materials are composed of information on numeracy, mathematical operations, geometry and other various mathematical concepts. An advance of the related

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concept presented in a material always follows a simpler one. Therefore, Montessori Materials, as a whole, accepted as a wall of bricks that built the mathematical knowledge piece by piece while establishing a perfect coherence between each concept. While working the materials children learn mathematics as hands on experience. The child begins with the concrete form of concepts and reaches an abstract understanding of mathematics. In traditional education, the child never experiences a mathematical concept in a concrete form. As a result, math education is delayed till six or seven, but in the Montessori Method children begin learning math at the age of two. When children come to age of six, they can process two or three digit operations and know about basic geometric concepts, fractions, they can read simple graphics and they have information about the concept of area and volume. Moreover, throughout the whole process, none of the children builds a negative perception towards mathematics.

 d. Language

Language is the most important media for communication, self-expression and thinking. In the first year of their lives children learn hundreds of words, the rules of grammar of their mother tongue and correct pronunciation. The early years of life are very important to strengthen and expand the word stock of the child. Literacy area aims to teach the child how to use his language most efficiently.

First of all, children recognize the sounds that make up a language and after learning the sounds, they learn the symbols (letters) of those sounds. Reading is the process of sounding these symbols, but reading includes also understanding, therefore learning reading is a stepwise process. After learning to vocalize the symbols, the children are encouraged to learn how to give meaning what they have read.

Literacy for children is another world, such as math. Surprisingly, most of the time, you can see many kids preferring writing experience instead of playing with toys.

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e. Cultural and Artistic Materials

The materials of culture aim at learning about the Earth and promoting the diversity of every living being. This area is one of the most important areas in a Montessori classroom. Children learn about different cultures, different civilizations of history and most importantly, our responsibility to protect animals and nature.

Geography, history and biology allow the development of the child’s perception of his environment and the world. When creating the concept of the world, the child learns to think and behave with all the living beings in his mind.

For Montessori, art is an inseparable part of the culture area. Art is a form of language for self-expression with different possibilities. In this area, Montessori aims to show children different art forms and make them familiar with the language of art. The end product in an art activity is not the main aim but the art experience. Children are encouraged to live this experience to express their inner selves freely.

The child is introduced with the art of different cultures and artists. This gives a broad perspective of ideas about how other people interpret the world, life, or anything they want to express.

Experiencing art at an early age support children’s perception of beauty and aesthetic pleasures.

 The characteristics of the Montessori Materials:

Each set of material presents only one concept at a time. By that quality the concept is differentiated from all other stimulus to be isolated. So, the attention of the child is focused only on the aimed concept.

Each set of tools has pieces, which show the maximum and minimum values of the concept that it intends to present. This quality is because the relative concepts can only be presented with the opposite.

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The tools are designed in such a way that will teach the concepts from the simple to complex and from concrete to abstract.

Each material forms the basis for advanced concepts. One of the most important features of the Montessori

Materials is to have the control of error mechanism. Through this mechanism the child learns by herself, in other words she works with the material without help of an adult and can evaluate the result by herself.

PRACTICAL LIFE EXERCISES

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Dressing FramesThese individual Dressing Frames present a variety of activities which introduce self-help skills - buttoning, lacing, zipping, etc.

While doing these exercises, children also hone fine finger motor skills, understand the importance of sequence in tasks, as well as enhance focus and concentration.

Pouring ExercisesDry PouringWet Pouring When presented to the children, they are shown how to do pouring without spilling the contents of the vessels. Mind-hand coordination is developed as the children exert their efforts to pour in the same manner presented by the teacher. Thus, all their focus and attention, their entire body concentrates to complete "pour without spilling".

This procedure promotes what Montessori calls "integration of the mind and the body" which is the primary foundation for the child's "development of will". The child discovers that he can conduct his bodily movements through the direction of his will. When translated to a life skill, this gives the child confidence in facing challenging activities realizing that he can practically accomplish any task as long as he wills it.

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Transferring ExercisesSpooningMarble SpooningTongs Exercises(various kinds of tongs ranging from simple to difficult)

Transferring Exercises in the Practical Life Area provide interesting opportunities for the child to build eye-hand coordination, develop focus and attention, refine motor skills and hone muscular control.

Making use of things mostly found around the home, these activities promote learning of skills that also enable them to participate fully and independently in their home life. With independence comes also the building of the child's self-confidence and initiative which carries out to his attitude towards learning in general

Washing Hands ExerciseThe Washing Hands Exercise is only one of the many "Care of the Self" exercises of the Practical Life Area. In doing these exercises, children are able to integrate and practice a variety of skills while gaining a better understanding of the importance of sequence in completing a task. Since the completion of this activity requires a series of related steps, children learn to improve on their focus on the task and increase their attention span to see the task through its completion.

SENSORIAL EXERCISES Sensorial Materials allow for individual work and repetition, and allows children to classify their sensorial impressions in an organized, orderly, and scientific manner. They have a built in control of error, which

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builds in the child the habit of working independently, without fear of making mistakes, becoming comfortable in the fact that errors are essential to the process of learning.

Rough and Smooth Boards SetThis set of three boards forms the introductory materials for development of the tactile sense and prepares the hand for writing. The first board introduces the contrast of rough and smooth. The second board helps to coordinate finger movements and builds dexterity. The third board introduces gradations of texture from fine to coarse.

Pink TowerThis series of cubes develops visual discrimination of size in three dimensions. Exploration with this material prepares the child for mathematical concepts in the decimal system, geometry and volume.

Set of Knob less CylindersThe Knob less Cylinders are the final stage (application) in the dimensional material where the child places in order the sets of cylinders based upon his abilities to discriminate. The cylinders have interrelationships in size that are revealed to the child as he works with the sets in combination.

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Thermic TabletsWhen touched, each of the Thermic Tablets has a different sense of temperature. The pairs of tablets are used to cultivate the ability to discriminate thermic qualities.

Baric TabletsThe Baric Tablets introduce and refine the concepts of the baric sense. While blindfolded, the child endeavours to discern the weight of the tablets of wood. Error is controlled by the colour of the wooden tablets, the lightest colour being the lightest weight to the darkest colour wood being the heaviest weight.

Geometric SolidsThe Geometric Solids introduce the child to solid geometry. The set contains one each of the following solids: Cylinder, cube, ellipsoid, cone, sphere, square-based pyramid, triangular-based pyramid, ovoid, rectangular prism and triangular prism.

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Binomial CubeThe Binomial Cube is a concrete representation of the algebraic formula (a+b) 3. The factors of the equation are represented by the cubes and prisms. The primary Montessori child explores the Binomial Cube as a sensorial activity of visual discrimination of colour and form. This indirect preparation for algebra prepares the child for the elementary Montessori class.

Trinomial CubeThe Trinomial Cube is a concrete representation of the algebraic formula (a+b+c) 3. The factors of the equation are represented by the cubes and prisms. The primary Montessori child explores the Trinomial cube as a sensorial activity of visual discrimination of color and form. This indirect preparation for algebra prepares the child for the elementary Montessori class.

MATHEMATICS

Math materials allow the children to have a sensorial experience of the abstraction that is mathematics, allowing them to store concepts so that when the time comes to deal exclusively in abstract terms, the understanding is already there. Every piece of material isolates one concept, which integrates to form the basis for a further step in the child's understanding of mathematics.

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Number RodsThe Number Rods introduce the child to quantity 1-10 and their corresponding number names. Serves as the child's link to the sensorial exercises as it is very similar to the long rods. Through exploration with the material, the child also develops concepts in sequence of number, combinations of 10 and basic arithmetic.

Sandpaper NumeralsThe sandpaper numerals introduce the child to symbol 0-9 and their corresponding number names. By tracing the numerals in the style and direction in which they are written, the child is preparing for writing numbers. The child is then given the opportunity to relate his knowledge of quantity and symbol with the number rods and cards.

Spindle BoxesSpindle Boxes provide practice in associating quantity and symbol for the numbers 0-9, and introduces zero as no quantity.

Memory Game, Cards, and Counters The memory game, cards, and counters serve as practice for the child as he is required to remember and associate quantity to symbol. The cards and counters provide practice for the sequence of numbers and also introduce odd and evenNumbers.

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Introduction to Decimal QuantityA tray containing Golden bead materials for introducing the decimal quantities of 1, 10, 100 and 1000

Introduction to Decimal SymbolA tray containing cards that differ in length and color to introduce the values of 1, 10, 100 and 1,000.

Golden Bead MaterialThe golden bead material introduces the child to the decimal system with concrete representations of the hierarchy of numbers. Quantity and place value of the decimal system are explored by the child in activities in the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Stamp GameAfter being introduced to the processes of the decimal system using the golden bead materials, the Stamp Game provides opportunities for individual practice in the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In a step towards abstraction, the quantity and symbols of the decimal system are combined and are represented by each "stamp".

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Tens BoardsWith the Tens Boards, the child explores the number names of the tens and the sequence of numbers 11-99. Bead quantities are created from the ten bars and unit beads in the Tens Bead Box and are associated with the corresponding numeral on the Tens Board.

Hundred BoardsAn enjoyable counting activity that reinforces the sequence of numbers from 1-100. The Hundred Board is used by placing the wooden chips in sequence on the board.

Bead MaterialThis extensive set of bead material is used for the exercises of linear and skips counting the quantities of the squares and cubes of the numbers 1-10. It prepares the child for later activities in multiplication, squaring and cubing, as well as base number work.

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Addition Equations and Sums BoxThis two-compartment box with lid contains plastic chips, one set with equations printed on them and one set with the answers to be used with the addition working charts. These aid the child in practice and memorization of the unit addition combinations.

Colored Bead StairsThe colored bead stairs are used for activities of addition, subtraction and multiplication.

Addition Snake GameThe addition snake game introduces the child to addition combinations of the unit numbers.

 LANGUAGE materials have some essential points in common with Sensorial materials. They provide the children with keys to discover something that is beyond what lies on the surface. Sandpaper letters give the shape of the letters, the Movable Alphabet makes it possible to arrange these letters to form

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words, and the Metal insets makes it possible for children to control a writing instrument and later on, put their thoughts on paper.

Sandpaper LettersThe sandpaper letters guide the hand for writingas the child traces theLetter shapes in the style and direction that they are written. Each sandpaper letter is in lower case with the consonants on boards painted pink and the vowels on boards painted blue.

Movable AlphabetAfter learning the letter soundswith the Sandpaper Letters, the Movable AlphabetIs used by the children for the writing of words.The set contains 10 of each consonant in red,And 15 of each vowel in blue, in thick plastic letters.

Writing InsetsDr. Montessori analysed the movements,which are connected with writing anddeveloped the Metal Insets forDirectly preparing the child for handwriting.The metal insets exercises strengthen thethree-finger grip and coordinate theNecessary wrist movements. The exercises also advance proficiency in lightness of touch and evenness of pressureThrough drawing activities.

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Reading Analysis, First Chart and BoxThis material helps the child to analyse thebasic parts of a sentence and identify theirFunction. The first chart and box introducesThe predicate, subject, and direct object.

Reading CardsAllows the child to different key letter combinations.

Grammar SymbolsGrammar Symbols help to reinforceSensorially each part of speech.There are 15 different symbols,Each representing a specific part of speech.

 

CULTURAL EXTENSIONS: GEOGRAPHY With the Geography materials, the child is given the facts of his physical world, provides him with intellectual exploration and development, and the understanding that he shares the planet with other peoples and cultures.

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Globe of Land and WaterWith this globe, the child gets a sensorial impression of land and water. The globe has a sand surface representing land and a smooth surface representing water.

Puzzle Map of the World Parts & Puzzle Map of AsiaThrough sensorial activities with the Puzzle maps, children begin to build their knowledge of world geography.

 SENSORIAL

The Montessori brown stair lesson, also called the broad stair or prism lesson, consists of a series of 10 wooden rectangles or prisms that are all the same length but of progressively larger heights and widths. When arranged correctly, they make a wooden stairway that appears to have an extremely broad top step and then narrower and narrower steps toward the bottom. The brown stair is part of a Montessori lesson series designed to help children draw comparisons in size and dimension.

Description: Pressure Cylinders contains a wooden tray with 6 matching pairs of cylinder. By pressing the spring-loaded plungers, the child senses the difference in resistance pressure, and searches the matching pairs.

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Brown Stairs the Montessori cylinder block lesson consists of four wooden blocks

that contain ten cylinders each. The cylinders each have a round knob at the top to

make them easy to grasp and manipulate. It helps children in: Visual discrimination of

dimensions. Preparation for writing; coordination of the fingers used to hold the pencil.

Refinement of voluntary movement. The child will be able to fit the cylinders with one

precise movement. Preparation for mathematics.

Cylindrical blocks

Taste bottles consist of 8 bottles with a dropper. The bottles are colour coded with 4 having caps of one colour and the other 4 having caps of a different colour. These are then filled with different types of edible material through which the child can learn various tastes such as sweet, sour, salty & bitter and to realize that there are only four fundamental tastes.

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Taste Bottles

Smell Bottles set of 12 bottles is used to develop the Olfactory (sense of smell) sense of the child. The child learns to differentiate between various types of smell introduced by filling the bottles with different types of material. The lid of the bottles has porous openings that allow the child to take in the smell. The lids are also colour coded to enable pairing and gradation. Each of the bottles is also provided with a lid to hold the smell for a period of time

Smell Bottles

Sound Boxes consist of 2 boxes, each with a set of six cylinders: One set has red tops the other has blue tops the sounds in the red set match their counterpart in the blue. Each cylinder when shaken makes a different sound, ranging from loud to very soft so as to refine the auditory sense. The ability of the child to discriminate the sounds

Sound boxes

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Colour Tablets

Colour Tablets 3 boxes with lids containing colour tablets: Box 1: has 6 tablets; a pair of each of the primary colours (red, yellow, blue). These are the most sharply pink, brown, black, white, and Grey. Box 3: Have 63 tablets; 7 shades each of 9 colors red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, brown, pink, and grey.

Montessori colored tablets sharpen visual acuity. Children begin to understand the color spectrum with these wonderful lessons. Color discrimination helps with later learning, such as using logic, classification of similar and different objects, groupings and patterns of color in nature. This exercise helps develop visual language skills. These visual skills are used in reading and math skills.

Contrasted colors. Box 2: has 22 tablets; a pair of each of the primary colors, the secondary colors (green, orange, purple), and also

First box

Second Box

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Third Box

EXAMINATION

PRACTICAL EXAMINATION - 11. Make 2 worksheets- Math and alphabet2. Do an art with finger and hand printing3. Make 3 types of puppets4. Make a mask, 5. Make 3 paper craft

EXAMINATION - 21. What is school management and organisation?2. Write a note on Health and nutrition for children.

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3. Write two lesson plans.4. State two activities each that you will do to improve a child’s; Fine motor skills, gross motor skills, language skills, social skills and emotional skills.5. What is the importance of child psychology for a teacher?6. How will you give a demonstration in kindergarten?

EXAMINATION - 31. What are five areas of development?2. Write a note on

(a) Play space requirement of Montessori school(b) How will you minimize the anxiety of the child?

3. What First Aid will you give a child with Burns and Fractures?

4. Plan an entire days’ schedule for children at a preschool.5. How will you manage your first day as a teacher in a

preschool?6. How will you arrange a picnic for KG students? How far is

it useful from the education point of view?EXAMINATION - 4

1. What is curriculum planning? 2. Explain the following

a. Circle timeb. Puppetryc. Finger playd. Dramatic play

3. Write a short note on significance of Montessori education?

4. What is the importance of storytelling in child education?5. Name and explain all the observation and cumulative

record folders.

…………………………………END…………………………………

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