Geetha Nithyananda
Director-Board of Studies, Indian Montessori Centre

Everybody thinks that the Montessori method and philosophy is for children's education, but a big element  of it is the education of parents on how to participate in this journey. The role of the parents in the education of their child is critical, not in the traditional sense of being firm, but in a far richer role as a collaborator or a partner.

Montessori Education is very practical so if the parents also embrace the Montessori philosophy at home, then it is easy for a child to make the connections. At school, learning happens in an environment where the child enjoys complete acceptance, where the teacher follows the child’s inner rhythm of learning, where the child is given a lot of freedom with boundaries, where the child can choose an activity or sit and observe, where the child is always encouraged to be independent, where corrections are done as indirectly as possible so the self-esteem is intact, and where the child is respected and given time to blossom. It will be very effective if all these are followed at home too. Montessori Principles are based on a holistic approach that begins at birth and builds over the years as children become more mature.

Every morning, your children wake up with huge smiles on their faces and, with eyes twinkling, are ready to explore the world.  As parents, please be aware of the immense learning your children are going through, for it takes place silently. They are busy creating themselves with all the sensorial experiences in the home environment, imbibing values from you, absorbing the language all around and a lot more. They are learning something new everyday. Enjoy your role as parents and create an environment of love, acceptance, freedom, guidance, joy and reasonable expectations.

Geetha Nithyananda oversees Training Programmes at Bangalore, Chennai, Gurugram, Mangalore and Vietnam. She is a member of the Central Governing Council of the IMC. She is also a Consultant and Member of Advisory Boards in several educational institutions, guiding Founders, Teachers and Parents. Geetha was with Head Start Montessori House of Children for almost 22 years before her current responsibilities.