Dr Maria Montessori wrote that a child “wants to acquire a knowledge of his own, to have experience of the world, and to perceive it by his own unaided efforts.” A child needs independence and freedom in order to learn and grow, and it is our job as educators and guardians to enable that independence and freedom in a safe and effective manner.  The first thing to know about “freedom” in a Montessori classroom is that it is always freedom within limits. Children have the freedom to move, freedom of choice, freedom of time, freedom to repeat, freedom to communicate, and freedom to make mistakes. The limitations on these freedoms are they must have respect for themselves, for others, and for their environment. As such, children can move freely about the classroom using their walking feet, because running endangers themselves and their friends. They can freely choose their activities and change between them, but out of respect for their friends and their environment, they must always leave their materials as they found them. This creates a habit of responsible freedom and social awareness that stays with the child for life.  Independence is one of the ultimate goals of Montessori work, and it is a process that requires guidance and patience. Dr Montessori said it is the adults’ job to “help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself,” and a big part of doing so is setting up an environment that is safe and encourages discovery and concentration. Independence is not letting a child do whatever she likes to amuse herself, but rather it is empowering her to make appropriate decisions about her time and conduct her work with little assistance.  But what does this all look like? Let’s take a peek inside our classrooms to see independence in action… 8:25 outside the mixed Nursery-Kindergarten class:  All the children unpack their bags, take out their water bottles and put their bags in the correct cubby. One by one as they complete this task they walk to the bathroom to wash up before going to class. The new child who is less familiar with the routine is helped by her peers, and the teacher is around in case anyone needs help.  9:00 inside the Nursery-Kindergarten class:  Grace decided to have her snack right away this morning. After scooping herself one serving of blueberries, eating, and washing her bowl, she looks around the classroom for an activity to start her day! She decides on the Practical Life dressing board that her teacher introduced her to yesterday. She takes it off the shelf and heads to the table where she practices buttoning and unbuttoning.  9:30 with the Playgroup class:  Ethan needs to change his diaper, so he takes his diaper from his cubby and goes with his teacher to the toilet. Ethan takes off his own pants, disposes of his diaper, but he asks for help when he gets stuck trying to put on his clean one. He washes his hands they head back to the class.  10:15 at the Pre-Nursery class:  Ivan just finished reading a book in the library and takes a seat at a table. His teacher asks him if he is ready to work on a new sensorial material, and he agrees. She is introducing a new concept to him today and shows him where on the shelf he can find this activity. Ivan fetches a floor mat and they sit together to do the work. When they’re done Ivan is careful to put it back where they found it and roll up his floor mat. Next week Ivan will be able to find this activity on his own and work on it with less supervision from his teacher.  10:45 in the Playgroup class: Regina chose to work on threading big beads at the table with guidance from her teacher. She has been introduced to this practical life activity once before and her teacher is nearby to observe her progress. When Regina struggles the teacher offers another demonstration before letting Regina try it on her own for a while. Although she has not yet mastered the threading exercise, after 15 minutes she is ready to move on for the day and she packs up and returns the tray to the shelf.  The hardest part of independence is often on the part of the adult, to accept that a child’s development comes from environmental experience and to allow our child to explore independently and freely. Of course, independence and freedom take different forms depending on the readiness of each child. It is up to the adults to help them grow this skill in the appropriate environment. With guidance, patience, and appropriate limitations each child can have the self-awareness, social awareness, responsibility and confidence to work and move independently in the world.   

The Montessori classroom is more than just the materials and the curriculum. At House on the Hill, we embody Maria Montessori’s understanding of children’s education and development by practising mixed-age class groupings and by allowing each child to work at their own pace. These two principles — mixed-age classes and individual pacing– are foundational to Montessori education, though they are unfortunately rarely seen in many Montessori classrooms in Singapore. They may not be located on the shelves in the classroom or alongside the Pink Tower, but they are equally as influential as the materials in each child’s development at House on the Hill. 4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour Mixed-age classes, also commonly referred to as vertical learning structures or groups, refer to groups of children across a three-year age span together in one class. At House on the Hill, our mixed-age class is for children ages 3 to 6 years, combining Nursery and Kindergarten students in one classroom. Some parents, and even other educators, initially balk at the idea that this would be a conducive learning environment! However, we proudly advocate for vertical learning based on our daily observations in our classrooms and the research conducted by Dr. Maria Montessori and other scholars. Time spent in our mixed-age classes makes it clear that vertical learning offers a unique and wholly positive learning experience for children of all ages. All children in a mixed-age class benefit from the community and familiarity that is built over the years. Each year, approximately ⅔ of the children return to the same class, with only ⅓ graduating, and with few exceptions, the child will work with the same teacher each year. This consistency helps build trust amongst children and between children and teachers, which in turn creates a healthy community where children feel they belong and can use each other as guides in learning. They are aware of those around them, and one often sees the small ones intently watching the work of others, particularly the older ones. In doing this they absorb much more than it seems and are already preparing themselves for more active social participation in the community of the class. —Maria Montessori, “Education for Human Development” Mixing ages and abilities in a classroom creates a friendly environment that facilitates peer-to-peer learning. Younger children are naturally inclined and eager to learn from their older classmates, both through observation and through direct guidance. Older children in the class role model appropriate behaviour and routines, inspiring younger children to follow their example. Children are often inclined to ask their older friends for help with materials and concepts, and the older children are remarkably competent teachers who take their jobs as leaders very seriously. When older children help a younger child they reinforce their understanding of the concept, and both children achieve a higher level of mastery. The main thing is that the groups should contain different ages because it has a great influence on the cultural development of the child. This is obtained by the relations of the children among themselves. You cannot imagine how well a young child learns from an older child; how patient the older child is with the difficulties of the younger. —Maria Montessori, “The Child, Society and the World”  Many social and emotional skills are also developed in a mixed-age classroom, especially for older children. Older children in the classroom learn leadership and teaching skills through their experiences in guiding their younger classmates. The older children are very aware of the younger children in their class, and they practice empathy and patience in understanding their needs and behaviours. Dr. Montessori developed the three-year age grouping system because such a range in ages and abilities encourages cooperation, instead of competition. The success of mixed-age classes is possible because of another core tenet of Montessori education: every child must learn and develop at their own pace. In every Montessori subject, each child has an individualised path of learning. Even within same-age classes children are at different stages, and to expect them to master each concept at the same time is unfair; one child may be rushed while another grows bored. At House on the Hill, we understand the uniqueness of each child and customise each child’s learning to suit their needs. Teachers closely observe each child and work with them one-on-one until they achieve mastery, and then introduce the next lesson at the appropriate time. We keep our student-to-teacher ratios low and allocate ample time for teachers’ planning so they can best serve the needs of each child. Some parents fear that by allowing each child to work at their own pace they may fall behind, that Montessori is too slow. Montessori work can be slow. Children will repeat activities and lessons until they are confident in their mastery, and only then will they move on. But at House on the Hill, we do not ascribe a negative connotation to slowness, instead, we see a lot of value gained when children learn at their own pace. When children are given time to repeat, explore, ask more questions, and practice again they achieve a deeper comprehension of ideas, find mastery in skills, and build firmer foundations that will propel them further in their studies than cursory understandings. Working at their own pace allows children to develop confidence and self-esteem in their abilities; no child is being compared to another child, eliminating unhealthy competition and self-doubt. When we do not allow children to learn at their own pace, we are more likely to see children with anxiety, incorrect understandings of key concepts, and missing foundations for future lessons. Vertical learning and individualised pacing work together to create one of the many unique experiences in a Montessori classroom. Children between the ages of 3 and 6 can learn together in one classroom because each child follows an individualised path of learning. Older

Fun fact: Maria Montessori created an education system for students until the age of 18! However, parents in Singapore must eventually make the move from Montessori to either international or local schools, and they often come to us with questions about this very important transition.  4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour Our experience shows us that the longer a child stays in a Montessori environment, the better their transition to and success in life after pre-school. Our Montessori curriculum builds foundational academic, social and emotional skills that will benefit children even in the long term. At House on the Hill, we guide each child through their Kindergarten 2 level and prepare them exceptionally well for the transition to the local or international school system. In the final years of your child’s Montessori education, they will continue with reading, writing, mathematics, geography, art and more. Unlike traditional kindergarten, here they will progress at their own pace; in Montessori, where they need extra attention, they may slow down to understand the concepts, and where they excel, they will not be held back. It is a nurturing environment that challenges and encourages children to learn, and whenever possible, they should continue in this setting for as long as possible.  Question 1: Will they be fully prepared for the rigours of primary school? How does Montessori help?  Our students successfully graduate into local and international schools in Singapore and abroad, thanks to their Montessori foundations.  Socially and emotionally, Kindergarten 2 children graduating from House on the Hill are ready for the transition to primary school. Montessori teaches kindness, self-discipline, internal motivation, curiosity, cooperation, and many other skills that will help your child smoothly transition and thrive in their new school. Developing leadership skills at such a young age is a hallmark of the Montessori curriculum. By trusting our older children to help guide the younger ones in the class, they also practice kind and clear communication, grow their self-confidence, continue to be more independent, and become more responsible members of a community.   Academically, House on the Hill children are ahead of the game when they enter primary school. By graduation, Kindergarten 2 children at HOTH will have already completed half of the Singaporean Primary 1 mathematics curriculum, including addition and subtraction of numbers greater than 1000, word problems involving addition and subtraction, mental calculations, multiplication and division, counting money, telling time, and recognising two and three-dimensional shapes. Through phonics, they will work from recognising individual sounds, to building and blending sounds to make words, to recognising sight words, and then quickly to reading and writing sentences and complete stories, practising their spelling and penmanship along the way.  Our bespoke Mandarin program focuses on engagement, culture and communication. Through intensely interactive classes and passionate teachers, the children develop a joy of learning Mandarin and experience the language through songs, dances, games, stories, and crafts. Our Lao Shi infuse their classes with culture from around the Mandarin-speaking world, introducing children to holidays, traditions, foods and ways of life in other parts of the world. Through it all, the children are unquestionably learning to communicate in Mandarin; they are learning to listen and speak through class lessons and frequent interactions with Lao Shi and their peers, and by Kindergarten 2, they are practising character strokes, learning pinyin spelling, and reading Mandarin storybooks. This prepares local students for the move to Primary 1 Mandarin curriculum as well. Studies show that young adults who attended Montessori pre-schools outperform their peers who did not attend Montessori pre-schools in areas of math, science, and social skills, demonstrating even long-term benefits to Montessori foundations.  Question 2: How do students from House on the Hill transition and thrive in international and local primary schools?  Instead of hearing it from us, hear from our parents!  Parent Testimonial: Sonsoles (graduated K2 in 2017)  “When Sonsoles first arrived at House on the Hill, she knew very little English, but two months later, thanks to the love and know-how of the teachers, she was able to make herself understood. Once she moved to an international school in Primary, and now that we’re back in our home country, we can’t be more satisfied of how well prepared she has been, the learning path she was directed through and the interest in learning more and more that was nurtured in her since the first stages. The memories that Sonsoles keeps of her passage through House on the Hill are full of love, understanding and encouragement. She keeps asking for Miss Rachael and Miss Asy from time to time and remembers the good atmosphere created by Miss Marilyn and her team”. Parent testimonial: Seth (graduated K2 in 2018)  “I was just sharing with Seth’s teacher, Ms Rachael, how grateful we are for all the efforts House on the Hill made to ensure Seth would transition well to primary school. Sometimes, Seth tells me how easy school is and how he knows most of the things they are teaching, and I remind him that all the Montessori work time he had in K1/K2 paid off. He is confident and really enjoying school. We can see how his phonics has paid off in his spelling results; even when there are mistakes they are very honest ones and you can tell he is exercising his phonics logic. He insists he is a “math genius” because math is so easy, but we all know the work he had to do when he was in K2 with Ms Rachael. It is a big thank you to all the teachers; even though we traveled quite a distance to bring him to school daily it was well worth it. He grew in confidence thanks to the teachers’ warmth, love and attention.” Question 3: My child is graduating this year, but doesn’t start international school until next year, what can I do?    The gap between

4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour What did you do in school today? The tidbits of information we receive from our children in response to this classic question can range from endearing, to informative, to cliff-hanging. “I found a toad in the garden!” “I ate cherries.” “I played with my new friend!” “I don’t remember.”  If only we could be a fly on the wall and see for ourselves what our children do in a day at House on the Hill! Every day at school is different, in part because of the different flexible care options offered to suit families’ needs, including half and full day care and options for coming two, three or five times a week. Additionally, the daily routine will be adjusted for each class level and the specifics of each centre. But no matter the day or the centre, each child spends their days in a stimulating learning environment, filled with care, fun, and openness. Here’s a glimpse into what a typical day is like here at House on the Hill. Good morning!  By 8:30 each morning the children have arrived and are mingling with their friends. Whether they walk, roll up on a scooter, ride the bus, or catch a cab, each child is greeted by the teachers and goes through a health check before entering the school. First things first, we like to move in the morning! At Pasir Panjang the children will head out into the garden to check on the herbs and pick up fallen mangoes before the sun gets too high. Over at Mount Sophia, the Playgroup class might don their bathing suits for some splashy water play! At Balmoral, children can be found outside riding striders and swinging on the playground. Montessori Work Time  Every day each child has uninterrupted Montessori time. Our youngest children in the Playgroup will work for 30 minutes each day, the Pre-Nursery class will work for one hour, and the mixed age Nursery to Kindergarten classes will work for the full three hour cycle. As classical music plays in the background, the children are free to move about their classrooms and choose the activities that draw their attention. The teachers will observe the children to find appropriate windows to work with them one-on-one, introducing new materials and concepts in a focused and individualized manner. Throughout this cycle you will find children working on subtraction, practicing phonic sounds with the sandpaper letters, focusing on matching the different sounds of the sound box, serving themselves snacks, or taking a quiet break in the library. They are also practicing concentration and time management skills! Circle Time Each classroom is a community, and each day they will find the time to gather together for Circle Time. The Good Morning Song includes the days of the week and the months of the year, and it is always great to see one of the children in the Nursery to Kindergarten class leading their peers in the song! During Circle Time the class might also read stories and share stories about what happened over their weekends! They’ll use this time to discuss important upcoming events and whatever may be affecting their community. Mandarin  For 30 to 45 minutes each day the children will have Mandarin class. During this immersive time they are singing songs, playing games, working with their friends, reading stories, and doing crafts all in Mandarin. They are not only learning to understand the language, but they are learning to communicate and play in the language, too! Whether they speak Mandarin at home or this is their only source of exposure, the activities are engaging, educational and effective at teaching the language. Lunch Time What makes for a great lunch? At House on the Hill, lunch is fantastic because we have caring aunties who prepare it fresh for us every day. Our lunch always includes healthy vegetables and whole grains, it has no added salt or sugar but is still delicious.  Plus we get to share it with friends! Lunch time is a special time to sit with peers and share a meal. The children develop their social and emotional skills, and put into practice those practical life skills like feeding themselves and setting the table. Departure  After lunch some children will head home with parents and guardians, while others will take a shower and settle in for a nap followed by an afternoon of more activities. Now that you have read a day in the life at House on the Hill you can ask your child questions about their day on the way home! You are more likely to get a response with more specific questions, such as: What songs did you sing in Mandarin class today? What was your favorite part of the day? Is there anything you need help with? Did you make a new friend today?  To see the magic of Montessori for yourselves we welcome you to visit our classrooms! Schedule a visit today!

“The child has a different relation to his environment from ours… the child absorbs it. The things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul. He incarnates in himself all in the world about him that his eyes see and his ears hear.” ~Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind. Maria Montessori believed that the greatest factor in a child’s education was the environment — they absorb their surroundings and take their lessons from their experiences. The environment is everywhere, all the time, meaning that a child’s education is not limited to the classroom. Thankfully, Maria Montessori gave us a framework that guides teachers and parents, giving us all the tools we need to be active guides in our children’s development. At House on the Hill we are just as passionate about teaching parents about the Montessori Method as we are about teaching children with the Montessori Method. Our efforts in the classroom would be fruitless unless parents, whose impact on the child is the greatest, truly understand and approve of our purpose. Maria Montessori was a woman ahead of her time, and her ideas about children’s development and early childhood education–such as sensitive periods for language acquisition or development of gross and fine motor movement–have since become part of many theories of education and confirmed through academic studies. One of the most important lessons she taught was to not underestimate our children and the work they do. It is not common to think of children’s activities as “work” but through Montessori we understand that all children are internally driven to seek out experiences that help them meet their developmental needs and make sense of the world around them. Our job as parents and educators is to value and understand this work; to create the right environment that allows the child to explore, learn, and develop; and to guide the child in the environment and minimally interfere. What are some of the traits of a Montessori environment that you can bring into your home? 1.A child must have freedom of movement, freedom of exploration, freedom to interact socially, freedom from interference from others, and freedom of choice– all in order to follow their natural developmental patterns and to develop independence and confidence in their choices and skills. Part of freedom is also an understanding of freedom’s limits; we have three ground rules that guide the children and maintain order: respect for oneself, respect for others, and respect for the environment. 2. We must provide an environment that is structured and ordered. From very early on children are sensitive to order and disorder, always preferring the former. For the child, the environment of the classroom or the home acts as a model for the universe, and we owe it to them to create an environment that reflects order and is structured in a way that lets them work according to their age and ability. 3. A beautiful atmosphere, in which the space is uncluttered and the materials are simple and well-maintained, will invite the child to come in and work, learn and play. 4. Natural and real materials are always preferred. We can’t always bring children into nature, but we can do our best to use natural materials such as wood, cotton, metal and glass. Cups, plates, gardening tools, and other daily materials should be child-sized, but should also be made realistically of glass, porcelain and metal. We should teach children to use these materials safely and gently, rather than replacing them with plastic. Avoiding plastic also serves as an early lesson on sustainability. To apply these ideas in your home and routine you’ll first have to reimagine your home as a learning tool for your child–what sorts of experiences and lessons will they be taking from this environment? What sorts of experiences do you want them to be having in this environment? There are countless ways to add Montessori into your home, and there are many blogs and online resources available. Here are some of our tips on where to begin: 1.A key feature of a Montessori classroom that is easy to incorporate into the home is the shelf. The shelf helps demarcate your child’s materials — be it books, toys, or their own cutlery in the kitchen — and keeps them accessible to the child. To follow the principle of order and structure you can curate the materials on the shelf: keep just a few items that are appropriate to your child’s interests and abilities, and in a few weeks or months time you can rotate or change it. 2. Begin to replace the plastic cups, forks and plates you may have with glass, metal and ceramic ones. Your child will be excited to eat with the same tableware as adults! Use the sensorial difference of this tableware as a way to talk with your child about the responsibility of using these items, “do you notice how this is heavier than your plastic cup? You’ll have to hold it with two hands. If it drops it may break.” But of course accidents happen, so be understanding when something does break and help your child to clean it up. 3. Ask yourself if your child has freedom of movement, exploration and choice in your home. Sometimes our home can be unwittingly inaccessible, or we may think that by preventing a child from using certain parts of the home we are preventing disaster. But in actuality by helping them to safely and independently use sinks, light switches, or the kitchen cupboard we are freeing up a lot of our time spent washing their hands or fetching things for them while also encouraging their independence. You can use step stools in areas where your child cannot reach the sink, install light switch extenders, and provide pitchers of drinking water at their height. 4. Finally, if we wish to offer children freedom we must also offer them ways to follow the limitations and be respectful. By providing child-sized brooms, rags, and mops we allow and encourage children to clean up after themselves and respect the environment. By

Early childhood education is a very important part of a child’s development. Here at House on the Hill, we seek to help each child reach their fullest potential by making learning practical, memorable and fun. Here are 10 reasons why we think you should enrol your child with us!

Written by: Marilyn Ow, Mount Sophia Campus Principal…