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Bottom-Up View of Quality
April 4, 2011
When the child becomes interested in an object, the teacher must not interrupt, because this activity obeys natural laws and has a cycle; and if it is touched, it disappears like a soap-bubble and all its beauty with it.
-Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
-Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
"The characteristics of a program that really predict its outcome are the answers to the bottom-up question, which is: What does it feel like to be a child in this environment?
"Obtaining answers to this question is not easy! It requires making the very best guess one can about how each individual child in this group experiences the program. We can proceed by asking about the environment on behalf of each child:
- Is it welcoming rather than merely captivating?
- Do I belong in the group rather than merely have a good time?
- Am I usually accepted by adults rather than scolded?
- Am I taken seriously rather than just precious or cute?
- Am I usually accepted by some peers rather than isolated, neglected, or rejected?
- Are the activities meaningful rather than mindless?
- Are the activities engaging rather than amusing?
- Are the activities interesting rather than boring?
- Do I usually come here willingly rather than reluctantly?
"It seems to me that only when answers to most of these questions are positive can we assume that the quality of the program is worthy of our children."
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Comments (2)
Displaying All 2 CommentsShishu Vikash Kendra
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Hello
Child friend , Go with the children don't take the child with you .
City of San Jose
San Jose, California, United States
I agree that we should look at our programs through the eyes of our children but why not also ask the children these same questions? Ask them what they like about the program. Ask them what they don't like. Ask them how they feel about their teacher. If we really want to know - ask them!
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