EMPOWERING HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT
Te Whriki enables children to take Te Whriki reflects a holistic way of growing
responsibility for their own learning, and gives
children the opportunity to create and develop
their own ideas, knowledge and skills in areas
that are of interest to them. To be able to do
this, children must be respected and valued as
individuals, and teachers must understand their
own individual ways of learning (M.O.E., 1996).
In a similar way, Montessori curriculum believes
that if the environment is calm, supportive and
teachers are well- prepared and respectful,
children learn how to learn, how to get along
with others and to cope. This approach to
education ensures that the children's view of
themselves is protected and that they are
empowered to grow and become a secure adult
(Pickering, 2013).
WELL-BEING
Goal 1 of the strand of well-being says that,
"Children experience an environment where their
health is promoted", and as an outcome of this,
"they develop an understanding of how their
bodies work, and they also develop self-help and
self-care skills for eating, toileting, resting,
sleeping, washing and dressing" (M.O.E., 1996,
p. 48).
The Montessori environment emphasizes
practical life activities, and they are taught
through different types of exercises. For
example, care for the person includes washing
hands and using dressing frames. Care for the
environment includes dusting and polishing a
table. Social relations include lessons in grace
and courtesy. These activities are viewed as
important because they encourage self-care
skills, independence, and gradually and naturally their world and adapt to his or her environment
increase children's concentration span
(Morrison, 2008).
and learning when it says that, "the child's
whole context, the physical surroundings, the
emotional context, relationships with others,
and the child's immediate needs contributes
to the child's development" (M.O.E., 1996, p.
41).
Montessori also, is a holistic form of
education. The physical, social, emotional,
and spiritual areas of the child's life are
believed to contribute to the child's growth,
and for this reason they are valued as much
as academic progress. Through creating a
safe and well-prepared environment the
development of each of these areas is
encouraged.
EXPLORATION
Goal 2 of the strand of exploration sees the
environment as a place where children gain
confidence and control of their bodies, as they
develop "strategies for actively exploring and
making sense of their world by using their
bodies, including active exploration with all
senses, and the use of tools and materials to
extend skills" (M.O.E., 1996, p. 86).
Montessori sensory materials such as the pink
cubes tower, smelling jars and sound boxes,
train children's senses by focusing on visual,
olfactory discrimination and sound and pitch.
Sensory materials requires the child to be
actively engaged in the activity, and in the
process of observing, distinguishing and
classifying, the child learns to make sense of
(Morrison, 2008).