An Indian educationist, Cheryl Ferreiri, has canvassed the adoption of the Montessori philosophy in schools.
She gave the advice during the training organised for teachers by the Montessori Study Centre in Gbagada, Lagos.
It was attended by 175 teachers who were drawn from schools in various parts of the state.
Ferreiri, an international trainer with the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), explained that Dr. Marie Montessori, an Italian physician, who introduced the philosophy and is named after, believed that a child passes through various levels of growth and development, which understanding are crucial to his teacher and him.
She noted that a child’s growth is divided into four ‘planes’ – infancy, childhood and adolescence. A proper understanding of each of these stages by the teacher, she emphasised, could boost the child’s learning. She lamented many teachers and even parents do not and so fail in their onerous responsibility, adding that this impacted on the society negatively.
Quoting Montessori, Ferreiri said education is an aid to a child’s upbringing, his getting a good one, therefore, helps the child to grow well. For example, Ferreiri further explained that at infancy the child has an absorbent mind. Here, she insists, the environment plays a major role.The infant sees adults as their role models. Thus, she said, every information given to him must be good or he would have a problem in future.
She added: “Teachers who handle these children have a huge responsibility. The are not just teaching them but also building them up.”
She, therefore, warned against using traditional methods of education, which tolerate flogging or the shouting at pupils, saying these could impact on them negatively.
Executive Director, The Montessori Study Centre, Lagos, Noyenum Emafo, said the free training was held to assist teachers to be better on their jobs. They started in 2018 and do about six yearly, she said.
“We want to sensitise teachers and help parents. That there is a lot we can do to help the child,” she added. She urged the government and employers to motivate teachers so that they could perform at their optimum.