Mumbai has more than 1,600 preschools, offering a variety of teaching methods (also called

curriculums or pedagogies). The more common curriculums are Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia,
and PlayWay.

Comparing Preschool Philosophies: Montessori, Waldorf and More

Montessori Philosophy
This approach, developed by Maria Montessori in Rome in the early 1900s, is child-centered, with
teachers serving as guides. In the Montessori school, play is a child’s work. While there is a focus on
academics, the distinguishing feature is that children learn at their own pace. There are special
Montessori toys called manipulatives that are self-corrective; this means that a child knows if they
assembled a puzzle correctly, for example, based on the toy fitting together, not because someone
showed the child how to do it. “In Montessori programs it’s really the teacher’s job to help the kids
find their way into the materials, a lot of which look like puzzles that engage the child at this level,”.
“Kids work at whatever level they are working at. You don’t organize the room according to a
specific age.”

That focus on letting children learn at their own pace also affects how classrooms are arranged, with
children ages three, four and five all being in the same room. This allows the older children to serve
as role models for the younger ones, and also exposes children to different ages. Children generally
have the same teacher for those three years, allowing close teacher-student relationships to
develop. The mixed-age aspect also encourages older children to help the younger children, which
helps build their self-esteem.

Who It’s For

Many parents choose Montessori because they believe it helps their children acquire leadership
skills and independence in general. Jennifer Lucas, who chose Montessori for her daughters, ages
five and three, likes the structure of the program and how children learn to work quietly and
independently at a task. She also likes the mixed-age setup, although it took her oldest daughter
time to adjust to being the oldest in the class. “She was always used to having her older friends and
was one of the youngest. All of the sudden, most of her friends had moved on and she had not. It did
not take long, and she has really grown this past year and has embraced being a leader and not a
follower,” she says.

Learn more at: http://www.montessori.org/.

Waldorf Philosophy
If you find a Waldorf school, you can trust that it is true to the Waldorf philosophy, since each school
and all of its teachers must be Waldorf certified. This play-based approach is characterized by a
predictable structure, providing children with a dependable routine, such as certain days of the week
for set activities like baking or gardening, as well as mixed-age classrooms with the same teacher for
multiple years. “There is an emphasis on creative learning, reading, singing, acting … It’s great for
kids who want that predictability, but there is creativity there. It’s a blend,” says Karissa Sparks, vice
president of marketing for Great Schools. There is also an emphasis on cooperation, and the setting
generally appears like a home—warm and friendly, with wooden toys and natural materials.
What stands out about Waldorf is its stance against traditional grading systems and exclusion of
media in the curriculum. Waldorf does not include media (computers, videos or electronics of any
kind) and also does not involve academics, which means no homework, tests, handouts or even
desks. Children are introduced to formal reading skills in the first grade. The programs are “all-
weather” and children spend a lot of time outdoors.

Who It’s For

Parents may choose Waldorf because they want to help develop their child’s individualism. “A
Waldorf education teaches kids how to think, not what to think, and to develop themselves as well-
rounded individuals with an innate curiosity and love of learning,” says Jamie Quirk, Communications
and Outreach Director at Waldorf School of Princeton in New Jersey. “When they leave the Waldorf
environment, they are equipped to rely on their own inner compasses to help steer them on their
individual journeys, rather than fit into one specific niche.”

Learn more at: http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/.

Reggio Emilia Philosophy

Although you may not come across many Reggio Emilia schools, there are many Reggio Emilia-
inspired schools based on the approach developed in the 1940s in the town of Reggio Emilia in
northern Italy. After World War II, the community, along with schoolteacher Loris Malaguzzi, came
together to develop schools that would help children become better citizens. “The overall
philosophy is that kids are really encouraged to explore. The teachers are there to help them
explore,”.

Reggio Emilia schools are known for a project-based approach, which many preschool programs
have borrowed. In a project-based curriculum, lessons are based on the interest of the students. As
Wana explains, if children playing outside encounter a flower and start to ask the teacher questions
about how it grows, instead of directly answering the questions, the teacher encourages the group
to “find out together.” The class may then build a garden and learn all that entails, while acquiring
other important premath, prereading concepts. Another example would be setting up a restaurant
in the classroom based on the class’s interest in playing in the kitchen. As Wana explains, projects
become “child-originated and teacher-framed.”

Reggio Emilia programs are also known for documenting what children do, taking photos, making
videos, writing observations. Then children and teachers can review what they’ve done throughout
the year.

Who It’s For

Parents who want their child to be a good citizen may choose a Reggio Emilia program. Children
learn all about cooperation through the many projects, particularly how to solve problems and
resolve conflicts.

Learn more at: http://www.reggioalliance.org/.

Other Preschool Programs

High Scope
This curriculum, which can be found in a lot of community-based programs, such as the local church
or YMCA, revolves around a concept of active participatory learning, holding that “children learn
best through hands-on experiences with people, materials, events, and ideas.”

Learn more at http://www.highscope.org/.

Bank Street
Very similar to play-based learning, Bank Street was developed by the Bank Street College in New
York City. Advocates hold a child-cantered philosophy and believe that children are “active learners,
explorers, experimenters and artists” and benefit from a diverse curriculum. The system stresses the
importance of materials in the classroom and views the teacher as a “facilitator of learning.” This
method aims to help children make sense of the world around them by studying multiple aspects of
social studies.

Learn more at: http://bankstreet.edu/family-center/.

Creative Curriculum
Developed by for-profit Teaching Strategies Inc., this system provides teachers with textbooks and
written materials that outline a child-centered approach. The company describes it as a “research-
based system” that is being used in increasing numbers of preschool programs.

Although many of the philosophies and curricula overlap to some extent, it’s more common to see a
formal curriculum when you visit local preschools, even if the program calls itself play-based.
“Increasingly as parents, and to some degree school systems, start demanding a more educational
kind of experience and more skill development out of their kids’ time in preschool, you see many,
many more instances of a kind of more formal curriculum being infused into a preschool day,” Pianta
says.

Learn more at: http://www.teachingstrategies.com/page/ccs_overview.cf

Cooperative
Parents who want to be most involved and have a say in their child’s preschool education often
choose to take part in a coop. A coop preschool may subscribe to one or more philosophies, but
there is generally an emphasis on cooperation and resolving conflicts. Parents help run the school
and help out in the classroom, working closely with the teachers. They are able to see their children
in the learning environment and can develop partnerships with the teachers.

“The benefits of the coop is that your child sees you there,” says Sparks, whose child goes to a coop
preschool. “Studies show that just the act of being there sends a very strong message that education
is important. We know that it’s very important that a parent show up at school and the child see
them.” Coops may be tricky for parents who work full-time or have other children in the home, but
parents love being more involved in their child’s learning on a daily basis.

Learn more about other factors to consider when choosing a preschool.

Which method to choose?

The objective of these early years of learning is to produce a child who is beginning to feel confident
about himself, enjoys creative tasks, can take simple decisions easily and enjoys the process of
learning. The curriculum must therefore give importance to every aspect of development.

Each method discussed above has enough merits to be able to achieve these objectives, if
implemented competently, in part or whole. There may be arguments against Montessori's
seemingly rigid structure but a trained instructor, who understands the logic of the system well, can
innovate even within the given guidelines. The problem arises when a school adopts the name of a
well-known methodology without proper training and blindly follows the structure. The result would
be a repetitive and aimless process that does not challenge either the instructor or the student.

When choosing a pre-school, parents must find out what they can about the implementation of the
teaching system rather than just knowing which system is followed. It does not matter if it is one
system or a combination of many, as long as the instructors are well trained and the methods are
implemented as intended. A proper and thoughtful approach to learning will show itself in basic
factors such as the layout of class areas, equipment used, hand-on activities and the balance of
teacher driven vis-à-vis child driven activities. The key is maintaining the ideal balance of creativity,
flexibility and structure that makes learning joyful for the child.

What is Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and PlayWay?

Montessori Waldorf Reggio Emilia PlayWay
Role of the teacher
Favour a low student Favour a low student Favour a low student Favour a low student
teacher ratio as they teacher ratio as they teacher ratio as they teacher ratio as they
require the teacher to require the teacher to require the teacher to require the teacher to
be closely involved in be closely involved in be closely involved in be closely involved in
the learning process the learning process the learning process the learning process
the teacher is a guide, in addition to planning the teacher is a guide, the teachers
and both observes lessons and serving as and both observes themselves engage in
and participates with a mentor and guide, and participates with the play activities with
the child the teachers play an the child the students, helping
active role in school build the child’s
management foundation for trusted
relationships with
adults
Role of the parent
promote the promote the promote the promote the
involvement of involvement of involvement of involvement of
parents in the parents in the parents in the parents in the
education of child. education of child. education of child. education of child.
The minimum The minimum The minimum The minimum
expectation is to have expectation is to have expectation is to have expectation is to have
regular interaction regular interaction regular interaction regular interaction
with teachers to with teachers to with teachers to with teachers to
understand and aid in understand and aid in understand and aid in understand and aid in
the child’s the child’s the child’s the child’s
development development development development
The parents are parents and teachers expects parents to there are no set
encouraged to extend actively manage actively participate in guidelines for parental
the child’s events and classroom lessons along with participation. Similar
independence in activities together. their child to Montessori,
school to their homes Parents are parents are
as well. Parents encouraged to limit encouraged to extend
should let the child their child’s exposure the school learning to
perform simple tasks to television and other the home
on their own. In a media as it is believed environment
busy city like Mumbai, to limit the children’s
the child’s development of
independence helps imagination and
working parents and creativity
allows the family
more time to engage the most demanding the most demanding
together in play curriculums for curriculums for
parents, and may be parents, and may be
difficult for a nuclear difficult for a nuclear
family in Mumbai to family in Mumbai to
manage manage
Teaching Style (None of the methodologies follow a strict set of assessment rules. Each
curriculum has a set of learning objectives that is used as a guide)
Montessori curriculum Waldorf curriculum the curriculum in a Playway also does not
focuses on building focuses on Reggio Emilia have a defined
 the child’s imagination and classroom is not curriculum. The
independence. make-believe. predefined and learning is encouraged
Children are Academic education is evolves based on the through play
encouraged to be de-emphasized. The children’s responses
hands-on. They learn focus on children and interests. The
in continuous work learning through learning is
periods that are 2–3 sensory experiences documented across
hours long. Unlike and having the various media, which
other curriculums, children get involved then become the
Montessori includes in practical activities. learning tools
academic components Waldorf uses a topical
approach to teaching.
When a certain topic
is being taught, it is
taught across all the
subjects
Popularity
Montessori is the Waldorf is emerging Reggio Emilia is most preschools (1 in
most known curriculum in India. It emerging curriculum every 2 preschools)
curriculum in India. 1 is followed by less in India. It is followed claim to follow this
in every 3 preschools than 1% of preschools by less than 1% of curriculum in
claim to follow this in India. Due to the preschools in India. conjunction with
curriculum. There is stricter nature of Due to the stricter other, more defined
an established requirements, nature of curriculums
ecosystem of requirements,
preschools, teacher
training institutes, and
literature on the
subject.
Certifications
There is no The IASWECE governs There is no governing There is no governing
certification for being Waldorf Schools body but Reggio body for PlayWay.
a Montessori school worldwide. They have Emilia India Preschools combine
and in fact schools in strict rules for Foundation assists the the PlayWay methods
Mumbai use the term governing the schools schools following the with their own
‘Montessori’ quite like teacher controlled curriculum. The curriculum
liberally. You can management, non- curriculum is not yet
identify an authentic profit structure and 3 commercially popular
Montessori school qualified teachers in Mumbai and hence
only by way of their one can evaluate the
teaching methods schools on their
teaching strength

Further Reading

1. The Essential Guide to Montessori in India

2. The Essential Guide to Waldorf in India

 3. The Essential Guide to Reggio Emilia in India

4. The Essential Guide to PlayWay in India

5. Why Pedagogy Matters

Playschool teaching methodologies

It is not all play at a Playschool. Progressive education, montessori system, multiple intelligence,
playway method, holistic learning - the terminology is bound to boggle the mind, especially when
you consider that all this jargon is used in the context of preschool education

Gone are the days when a playschool was a waiting room for children not yet age-eligible for regular
school admissions. Extensive research and the resulting astonishing findings in the field of early
education have shown how crucial the years between 3 and 6 years are for shaping the neurological
structure of the brain. This not only makes the choice of a competent preschool critical, but also
increases the significance of the preschool curriculum.

Montessori Playway Method: Multiple Intelligence: Other Methodologies:

education:
Montessori education The playway method A theory proposed by Preschools in India
is characterised by an is a more spontaneous Howard Gardner in have also adopted
emphasis on one, which demands 1983, that best practices of other
independence, creativity from both differentiates teaching philosophies
freedom within limits, the teacher and the intelligence and such as those of
and respect for a child. Unlike learning into various Waldorf Steiner and
child's natural Montessori, Playway specific (primarily John Dewey, the
psychological may not be a sensory) modalities, Reggio Emilia
development. This structured and rather than seeing it approach etc. Another
approach is documented system as a single general well recognized
scientifically designed, but more an ability. Simply put - approach that has
guiding children adaptation of best different children proved effective is the
systematically through practices from across have different integral education
series of activities, the world, with a learning styles. The system, instituted by
gradually increasing in greater emphasis on theory proposes that Sri Aurobindo and the
complexity. physical activities such eight abilities govern Mother. This system
as role-play, music the learning process in lays emphasis on five
and movement, art any individual, principal aspects
and crafts, stories. especially children - corresponding to the
spatial, linguistic, five principal activities
logical-mathematical, of the human being;
bodily-kinesthetic, the physical, the vital,
musical, interpersonal, the mental, the
intrapersonal and psychic and the
naturalistic. spiritual.

four key areas must At the age of 2 to 3 According to this

be covered – years, children are still theory, the purpose of
practical life, learning how to schooling should be to
sense organs, communicate and play develop intelligences
language and becomes their and to help children
 maths skills. preferred medium of reach learning goals
A key characteristic of expression. But this by methods that are
Montessori education can happen only if appropriate to their
is that students move play is capitalized in a learning styles. This is
from concrete proper manner a welcome departure
concepts to abstract making it purposeful from traditional
ones, where students and directed. systems that marked
learn concepts from academic excellence
working with only in terms of logical
materials, rather than and linguistic abilities
by direct instruction. (reading, writing and
For eg., learning how math). Though a
to trace an alphabet relatively new model,
and recognising its several schools have
physical structure adopted it and plan
before moving on to their curriculum to
understanding the ensure the same topic
sound associated with is covered in different
it. ways.
students are allotted a
block of work time,
working with
specialised
educational materials
developed by
Montessori and her
collaborators.

With new developments in the field of child psychology and early education, there is bound to be
continuous innovation and introduction of new practices in preschool teaching methodologies as
well.