Montessori in India
Montessori education in India has grown in popularity since Maria Montessori, founder of the Montessori method, was forced to stay in India during World War II, from 1939–1946.
History
Prior to Maria Montessori's arrival in India, Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi were aware of her pedagogical method. By 1929, Tagore had founded many "Tagore-Montessori" schools in India (including at Shantiniketan), and Indian interest in Montessori education was strongly represented at the International Congress in 1929.[1]
Montessori's work in India began with her arrival there in 1939. Montessori education was established in India in the form of preschools and schools that are now affiliated with Association Montessori Internationale.[2] Maria Montessori was responsible for the creation of a teacher training centre in the neighbourhood of Adyar, Madras (present-day Chennai).[3] Her work continued on in India through her designated representatives, Albert M. Joosten and S. R. Swamy, before spreading further.
In 1939,George Arundale and Rukmini Devi Arundale, leaders of the Theosophical Society, extended an invitation to the 69-year-old Montessori. She accepted the invitation and reached India the same year. She made Adyar, Chennai her home and lived there along with her son, Mario M. Montessori. The Montessorians, Gool Minwala, Tehmina Wadia and Khurshed Taraporewala were students in the first training at Adyar.
In 1940, when India entered World War II, Montessori and her son were interned as enemy aliens in India, but despite this Maria was allowed to conduct training courses. Sixteen courses were conducted during this time, creating a very strong base for the method. She also had her own school in Kodaikanal for this duration. In 1947, she went back to Europe for a brief period. Montessori returned to India for a second time the same year to conduct a few more courses in Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Karachi. The Montessoris then returned to Europe, leaving Albert Max Joosten as their representative in India. Maria Montessori died in 1952 in Holland at the age of 81.
Modern day Montessori education in India
Unlike many Montessori learning centers, schools in India do not always abide by the mixed age group procedure. This method allows older children to assist in guiding the younger children in their groups. Groups are based upon interest and experiences rather than the capability or skill of a student.[4]
What makes Montessori Education Different?
The way of teaching makes it different. It focus on development of children.
Indian Montessori Training Courses (IMTC)
To create an official structure for Joosten's work, an organisation was created by the name of Indian Montessori Training Courses (IMTC) in 1949. It was an organisation originally consisting mainly of Joosten and Swamy. This travelling institution moved from city to city until Swamy's retirement in 1990. Ex-students from previous trainings working in the locality were called upon to be assistants. After Swamy's retirement, IMTC ran under the Directorship of Meenakshi Shivaramakrishnan. IMTC is now based in Bangalore. By the next decade, new branches were created at Chennai under the name CMTC. Thereafter many more branches were created including in Gurgaon in 2016, IMTC Gurgaon.
Indian Institute for Montessori Studies (IIMS)
Indian Montessori Center invited Rajendra K. Gupta to conduct a primary Montessori training at Bangalore in 1996. This was the first such course to be conducted in India after Montessori left the country. However, IMC discontinued the course that same year. To preserve the method thereafter, Rajendra K. Gupta set up Indian Institute for Montessori Studies with himself as the Director, Radha Nagaraj as the co-Director, with the help of a few of his students. IIMS continues to be a rarity where the work is carried out by a committee rather than an individual, adding more faculty over the years.
Indian Montessori Foundation (IMF)
At present, there are four AMI Montessori centres in India: Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
Other primary Montessori training courses
After the popularising of the Primary Montessori Training by IIMS, several schools offering this method at the primary level came up in Bangalore, Tumkur, Chennai and Trichy. This has encouraged other pre-primary based institutions to branch out into this area. Both IMTC and Navadisha Montessori Institute have offered primary Montessori training from time to time.
The City Montessori School
The City Montessori School (CMS) is located in Delhi, the capital of India. The curriculum is built upon four core concepts: universal values, excellence, global understanding, and service. In the late twentieth century the teachings were reflective of the current conflicts between Hindus and Buddhists in the region. The school hosted a social movement to promote unity between the members of these two religious groups. This movement reflects the school's objective of promoting international-mindedness upon its members. This can be seen through the service programs that are offered at the school. These allow students to take part in their local government. In an essay from 1996, Carolyn Cottom notes that the school's objective is to prepare its students for the complex issues of society that occur at the global level. Students are taken to visit the various places of worship in India. They are also taught about peace education; students learn that 'the Golden Rule' is a concept that is often taught across all world religions. Furthermore, the teacher's role is not only to teach subjects to students but to act as a mentor in the child's spiritual journey. The school works towards aligning the values taught through Montessori education with the ones taught to the child at home. To achieve this goal, the school offers incentives and recognition to parents to display involvement in their child's education.[5][6]
Montessori Associations linked to Training Institutions
As training institutions grew and set roots in one place, they grew societies to support their students in their work in the field. They also helped in the work of propagation, and brought together all those interested in the method, be they Montessorians, parents, school management or public. We list here some of the prominent ones.
Indian Montessori Center (IMC)
Government regulations in India state that no education institution can be run by an individual. To solve that issue, IMC, a registered society was created in 1990 with S.R Swamy as the first chairman. Later, Meenakshi Sivaramakrishna continued as the Directess while Dr. Ing. B V A Rao a retired Professor from IIT Madras, took over as the chairman of IMC, which had its office in Malleswaram, Bangalore. The Training Course IMTC was also attached to this office. Another center was also begun in South Bangalore. With all these new changes, AMI disaffiliated IMTC in 1999. IMTC came under the umbrella of IMC instead. Now, IMC has several chapters which operate in different states .Even in Kolkata there is IMC. IMC has its Northern India Chapter in Gurgaon. Both the IMC North India Chapter and IMTC Gurgaon are based out of "Our Montessori House"- a montessori house of children based in Gurgaon, following the principals as laid down by Dr Montessori.
Indian Montessori Association (IMA)
Indian Montessori Association was created to support the students of IIMS, since they set up the first set of primary Montessori schools in India after Montessori's time. Details of this association can be seen in the link provided.
Indian Montessori Foundation (IMF)
The Indian Montessori Foundation is a pan-Indian organisation established to promote Montessori education in India.
In 1929, Montessori established the Association Montessori International (AMI) to carry forward her humanistic social vision. AMI today, is a leading world body carrying forward Montessori's work in the spirit in which it was conceived. Headquartered in Amsterdam in Montessori's final home, AMI directs training programmes all over the world. AMI is affiliated to the United Nations through UNESCO and strives to further the rights of the child in society.
IMF carries out awareness programmes and arranges events to support the AMI Montessori training and local schools.
Difference of Montessori[7] Education
The method of education makes Montessori education a different one.
Other education methods focus on learning.
But Montessori education give importance to student development.
Creating mature and socially adept students are aims of this educational system.
Responses from other organisations, including the government
Since the time of Montessori, many institutions have come to realise the value of her principles. Concepts like ‘child-centric’, ‘activity based’ and ‘discovery based’ methods have come into vogue with many educational institutions, both NGO run and Governmental. However, there has been a notable spurt of growth and development in the Montessori sphere in India.
References
- Kramer, Rita (1976). Maria Montessori: A Biography. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. pp. 306–307. ISBN 0201092271.
- Pattnaik, Jyotsna (September 1996). "Early childhood education in India: History, trends, issues, and achievements". Early Childhood Education Journal. 24 (1): 11–16. doi:10.1007/bf02430544. ISSN 1082-3301. S2CID 144072332.
- Khan, Tabassum; Khan, Waseem Ahmad (2018-12-29). "PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA". Researchers' Guild. 1 (2): 13. doi:10.15503/rg.v1i2.486. ISSN 2545-1952.
- Shivakumara, K; Dhiksha, J; Nagaraj, O (2016). "Efficacy of Montessori and traditional method of education on self-concept development of children". International Journal of Educational Policy Research and Review. 3: 29–35 – via Google Scholar.
- Cottom, Carolyn (1996). "In India/A bold experiment in teaching values". Exemplary Curriculums. 53 (8): 54–58.
- Duckworth, Cheryl (March 2006). "Teaching peace: a dialogue on the Montessori method". Journal of Peace Education. 3 (1): 39–53. doi:10.1080/17400200500532128. ISSN 1740-0201. S2CID 144242278.
- "Home". National Child Development Council - New Delhi. Retrieved 2021-01-15.