Leap into Nature and Montessori

Leap into Nature doesn't follow any one type of education approach, instead I am interested in pulling in elements from different types of education philosophies that I feel are most relevant to our Leap into Nature sessions.  Mainly, for me to explore how best to interact, engage and pass on knowledge to a diverse group of kids and parents. 

So, I have been doing lots of reading, as per my last post! 

Under a Montessori approach, I like the term 'absorbent mind' which is a term that characterises children from birth to 6 years old.  This is so true as I always refer to my kids as little 'sponges'!

Other elements of a Montessori approach which link in quite nicely with Leap into Nature sessions include:

• the child is an active participant in learning;
  
• children learn at their own pace and follow their individual interests;
  
• understanding comes through the child's own experiences via the materials and promotion of children's ability to find things out for themselves;
  
• learning is based on the fact that physical exploration and cognition are linked;
  
• there is a shared emphasis on intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual development; and 
  
• the child can work where he/she is comfortable, move around and talk at will while not disturbing others.
  

I think that's the beauty of having an outdoor playgroup, children will feel less restricted and its more about them exploring, playing and learning new things about their world in the process. 

See http://montessori.org.au/index.html