Food for thought...

What Montessori teaching entails…

Montessori approach to teaching is indeed ideal. We were given the opportunity to view some samples of teaching which took place in some of the western countries. The children were of the age between 3 to 5 years old…yes, that young! When they came into the classroom early in the morning they folded their windbreakers nicely and in a very organized way and placed them one on top of another. Also, they were trained not to tread on other people’s territories as it was wrong to do so. Thus, we didn’t see anyone putting their belongings in other people’s place unnecessarily though we would expect it would be very natural for children at that age to behave in such a manner. I was thinking to myself, “Wow, such discipline!”

Now, you would have to visualize this in the classroom ; after putting away their coats nicely the children went around looking for stuff to do for instance colouring, polishing a metal tray, fitting in shapes, etc. Bottomline, they were supposed to engage themselves in activities which demanded their full concentration and focus and eventually to finish doing them. They took out the apparatus/equipment/ tools/materials from the shelves and started doing their job. After finishing it, they put the apparatus back in the rightful place, without leaving it in a mess. We even saw in the video how this boy went to the extent of wiping some spots of colour which dropped on the floor when he was working. This is a typical scene in a Montessori classroom. Again I was wondering to myself “…such trained minds”.

Also, if these children wish to do an activity and it so happens another child is doing that activity, they are trained to wait for their turn till the other child is done with it. These children do not simply grab it from another child and start fighting over it. That is not a common scene in a Montessori classroom. I was beginning to think, if this is the kind of practice we have in the real world among adults, then there wouldn’t be wars to begin with!

Even the way they learn to read is very organized and systematic. It starts off with sounding the letters in the English alphabet not just naming them. Children in conventional pre-school classrooms would just name the 26 letters. These Montessorian children learn to utter 44 sounds as compared to 26! The books they read have a system to it. The sentences are repetitive and expanded in a very structured way. Thus, everything is done in an organized manner. And these are the children whom, we were told, have grown up to become amazingly distinctive leaders of the world a few of whom were the founders of the renowned Google.

Our home scenario: Malaysia is a multi-racial country with the majority of the people being Malays, which means they are Muslims. The reality being a big number of the students in the pre-school classes are Malays who are Muslims. Early childhood education is the most significant part of human education as it is in this initial stage an individual develops intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically and most importantly, as a Muslim, spiritually. What do parents want them to become when they are sent to schools? It is stated in the hadis which is to this effect : “Anak yang dilahirkan dibentuk oleh ibu bapa sama ada menjadi Majusi, Nasrani atau Islam”…(correct me if I’m wrong).

In my opinion, as a Muslim, there should be a good balance of the two, the worldly knowledge and the hereafter. It would be most ideal if a child is trained in the abovementioned aspects with no one aspect overriding the other. There should be a good balance. And this is not easily attainable if one is not fully aware of the consequences or effects it will cause if such a balance is not struck. We need to bear in mind, we are talking about developing a human here. A human who is disciplined in every sense of the word…

My qualm is this : is the Ministry of Education able to provide the kind of education which is truly needed by a child when he or she enters pre-school? When I am writing this, Montessori kits have been already distributed to the various State Education Departments to be further distributed to schools. My only worry, as usual, we are doing some people a favour by promoting their business in the name of providing education. At the end of the day, how many children really benefit from such a decision. And I am really looking at the potential problems faced especially by Malay children who, I would safely account to, the majority do not come from English speaking homes. Thus, there are many loopholes here…

We are looking at the shortcomings pertaining to language per se. What about the more important issue of developing the child wholly as stated in the National Education Philosophy which means the spiritual aspect of learning has to be properly addressed too. I truly think this aspect is not given due attention and this is something the ministry has to take into consideration when they structure the new pre-school curriculum.

Nothing is new here. As in the Teaching of Math and Science in English, the Montessori way of teaching pre-school children is just a spin-off. It all adds up to improper and hasty planning just to give satisfying answers to certain people who feel they are experts in everything they do just because they have the power. And we know, at the end of the day we have God to answer to…

Food for thought…

"Allah has commanded you to render back your trusts to whom they were due; and when you judge between man and man, that you judge with justice: verily, how excellent is the teaching which He gives you! For Allah is He who hears and sees all things. O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day: that is best and most suitable for final determination." (Al Nisa’ 4: 58-59)

This verse therefore mandates upon governments and Muslims alike to be trustworthy over what are entrusted upon them and governance is a form of trust. Thus authority and governances are authorized power, so to speak, and therefore should not be looked upon as a privilege or as a crown of glory. Since rulers and administrators are not absolute in their authority but are subjected to the Supreme Authority of Allah, they are therefore accountable to the Almighty Lord.

The questions are simply these: are we providing the children the kind of education they really need in order to become a balanced individual in the true sense of the word? Or are we addressing the intellectual aspect more than anything else? If so, how are we better than the western approach to education? Is it in name only that Malaysia is an Islamic nation? What should our model of education be as far as pre-school education is concerned?

Intellectual Submission entails…

“…the fact that the door to Islam is through the mind, the intellect, signifies further how significant the role of knowledge is in Islam. Indeed, so much attention, as highlighted earlier is given by Allah the All Knowing, to assist man to think, to ponder and finally to decide, among others, on the Role, Position and Power of the Almighty Supreme vis-á-vis mankind and all creations. It is only when a person is fully convinced of the existence of Allah, the Creator Lord, acknowledged His Might and Supremacy, and appreciated His Bounties and Wisdom then only will that person submit to His Authority willingly, wholeheartedly and totally. Indeed, the theme of knowledge recurs over and over again, encouraging man towards reflections and observations.”

Spiritual Submission entails…

“Spiritual submission is the submission of a person’s spiritual entity to Allah the Lord Supreme. This spiritual entity is the inner being of a person which is often referred to as the soul, the heart, conscience, intuition, feeling, emotion, sentiment, inclinations, among others. It is this spiritual entity of man that motivates him to manifest his faith into acts of worship and religious activities. In Islam, spiritual submission comes after intellectual submission. This is because, unlike some other religions, Islam requires understanding and conviction in faith as well as sincerity in worship, and not blind belief nor mere inherited practices.”

In a nutshell, Islam proposes an education which develops a human being wholly, in a balanced way, so to speak. Thus, education is a means to an end and not an end in itself as we have a duty to perform as vicegerents on this Earth.

Wallahu’alam…

Reference:
Kamar Oniah Kamaruzaman (2007). Understanding Islam : Contemporary Discourse.
Saba Islamic Media: Kuala Lumpur.