Montessori Center Will Be Organized in Kyzylorda

The educational system in our country has undergone multiple transformations over the past few years. It is hard to say firmly whether these transformations are for the better, disputes on this subject have not stopped yet. We have got the methods and schemes approved a long time ago in the West. Some of them have not taken roots meanwhile others have found their place. Among recent ones, there is the widely used nowadays and undoubtedly effective method for children training of Maria Montessori, an Italian pedagogue, scientist and philosopher of the first half of the 20th century.

This system is based on an individual approach: a child always by himself chooses didactic materials and duration of trainings developing according to his/her own rhythm and direction. Montessori’s pedagogics is focused on needs, capacities and talents of every child in particular. No comparisons and gauging by existing general standards are applicable. Children study freely and willingly instead, without external influence and criticism. The independence is fortified by tasks from real life, i.e. with those which can be directly implemented in everyday practice. Montessori’s materials are not toys but real ‘adult’ subjects reduced in scale. The method via imitation teaches seemingly simple but important actions such as how to dress, wash, lay the table, make crafts, do creative work, etc.

The training principles of Montessori’s system are very suitable for the formation of the mindset of orphaned children and teaching of household skills. As in conditions of collective education at state social institutions, a person’s individuality often plays second fiddle.

By the decision of the management of Saby Foundation, a local training center of Montessori, the construction of which is undertaken by the Foundation, will be organized in the new building of the Child Care Center in Kyzylorda. For this purpose, a very wide range of special equipment and materials was purchased in Omsk city. Also, the cooperation with the Interregional Montessori Association in Revda city, Russian Federation has been established. Their specialists will go to Kyzylorda a few times during the whole year and will pass the full training course for further independent work with children.