"An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking: it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live." – Dr Maria Montessori.

Dr Maria Montessori was a Physician, an innovator, a revolutionary educationist and a visionary who has touched the lives of millions of children from across the globe, pervading multiple generations through her unique teaching methodologies. Back in the early 1900s, Maria Montessori broke all the prevalent barriers of the industrial age education by advocating the idea that every child treads a different path of physical, social, emotional, intellectual and cognitive growth, and therefore, no child deserves to be labelled or compartmentalized based on academic performance alone. On the contrary, a confident, responsible child is one who is celebrated for strengths, encouraged to learn from mistakes, and understands the value of positive contributions made towards society. Dr Montessori firmly believed that a child is born with all the necessary qualities and behaviour of an adult within him/her, and these behaviours would reveal themselves and lead towards development at the appropriate time.

Shahista Ismail is an Edupreneur who has always strived to emanate the same ideas and teaching principles left behind by Maria Montessori. With 18 years of experience as an educator and facilitator, working for many International organizations, including the British Council and The Ministry of Defense in Muscat, Oman, Shahista Ismail decided to take the legacy of Maria Montessori forward by establishing a training center as well as an authentic Montessori Elementary Montessori, FloMont World School in Bangalore. Her mission is to propagate the Montessori philosophy in it’s authentic form coupled with the latest research in child development, making it relevant to the nurturing and care of children today. "At FloMont, we strive to provide our children with a very strong value system that is built around the appreciation of their strengths as unique individuals contributing to the greater good of society. We believe that academic prowess, though important is not the essence of eductation. Showing our children how to respect themselves and others, how to speak their minds, how to stand up for what they believe in and how to give back to the community provides a stronger foundation to shape these brilliant young minds into outstanding global citizens," opines Shahista Ismail.

The Montessori method of learning is guided by the phrase, "follow the child". Shahista believes that learning is effective only when it is hands-on and a child is able to physically experience concepts being taught. Montessori materials are scientifically designed with a very specific outcome in mind. Each concept is introduced during a specific sensitive period- a period where a child is naturally more inclined towards acquiring a particular skill. "When the right knowledge is introduced at the right time, every piece of the puzzle falls into place and lifelong foundations of learning are laid," said Shahista Ismail, Founder, FloMont World School.

Holistic Development & Peace Education Lie At The Heart Of The Montessori Method

At FloMont World School, every child is respected as a unique individual who is encouraged to explore, discover, learn and reach maximum potential without any pressure or a sense of competition. This approach is the essence of the Montessori method of teaching that encourages concentration, reasoning, collaboration and promotes a love for learning within children. "Children are free to challenge themselves at their own pace without feeling overwhelmed, resulting is inner peace and joy, "says Shahista.

Children brought up in the Montessori method of teaching tend to have a well-rounded personality and display a strong sense of independence since they are given the freedom to work on lessons of their choice, predesigned by Montessori guides. "Choice of work increases the sense of responsibility towards completing the task, "reiterates Shahista. She further adds, "When a child is constructively engaged in work, self-discipline and concentration are developed." The Montessori method employs a didactic set of learning materials that are scientifically designed to spark curiosity, encourage exploration and intrinsically motivate a child to develop a strong love for learning. Moreover, a mixed-aged environment is cultivated at FloMont, allowing children to showcase strong collaborative, cooperative and negotiation skills. Finally, the interdisciplinary, spiral nature of the curriculum at FloMont World School leads to a deeper understanding of concepts, and ultimately, helps a child find his or her place in the larger scheme of things.

A Sneak Peek Into A Typical Day At Flomont

Upon arrival at FloMont, children enter a safe space that is inclusive and welcoming. Children are greeted by a teacher and begin their day engaging with their peers in the open or indoors – until classes begin. Circle time marks the start of the day where children sing songs, practice grace and courtesy and are presented with the work in focus for the morning. This marks the beginning of the first work cycle.

“Shahista believes that learning is effective only when it is hands-on and a child is able to physically experience concepts being taught”

During the first work cycle, children are invited to work on an activity of their choosing from a carefully preprepared environment. Children may work on the chosen activity either individually or in groups, for as long as they choose to. This presents an opportunity to develop independence, concentration, order, cooperation and a love of exploration. During this time, the teacher takes on the role of a coach and a facilitator, merely acting as a guide, giving individual or small group lessons and observing the children at work. Morning work cycles are often uninterrupted and3-hours long.

Children can be seen working on Math, Language, Sensorial, EPL and Culture activities, with a sense of purpose, discovering their “Ah-Ha” moments along the way. They may choose to have a snack in the interim and invite friends to join them at the snack table. Children are also responsible for cleaning up after themselves. The second work cycle that takes place post lunch, has children engaging in extracurricular activities like music, physical education, singing, art, yoga, and the factory room, specially designed to encourage children to make best from waste.   

The second work cycle is also utilized to impart interest-based Culture and Language lessons specific to age groups. Children also work on group projects and presentations during this time. A teacher may also work with small focus groups of children on a particular concept that might need more practice. The day ends with setting expectations for the next class and creating excitement about the learning awaiting them the next day. "An important part of our work is to build the love of learning and the excitement of discovery in our children. Children are born curious, by capitalizing on this innate need to seek knowledge, educators can make learning meaningful and relevant!" –reveals Shahista Ismail.

“The second work cycle is also utilized to impart interest-based culture and language lessons specific to age groups”

Internationally Certified Montessori Courses For Primary & Elementary Levels

There are several Montessori schools across the globe, however, the biggest challenge Montessori schools face is the availability of qualified and well-trained Montessori teachers. This is where Shahista Ismail brings in her deep-rooted connections with the Florida Montessori Centre, which offers Internationally Certified Montessori courses for Primary and Elementary levels of teaching. Every teacher at FloMont World School has passed through an internationally certified and standardized curriculum offered by the Florida Montessori Center. These courses are also offered to any individual looking to certify themselves as a Montessori teacher or trainer. The certification program is based on the Montessori pedagogy, which includes various areas of Child Psychology, Observation and Assessments, Curriculum planning and implementation as well as Peace Education. "Our team is trained in identifying a child's learning style, designing, and executing individual learning plans for each child as well as observe and document each child's progress. Each teacher is also trained in conducting formative evaluations to gauge a child's mastery of a concept and readiness to progress to the next level of learning", informs Shahista.

Apart from having seasoned Montessorians on board, FloMont boasts staff members who are storytellers, skilled artists, talented musicians, trained counsellors who have served as consultants to various corporate houses and educational institutions.

"The backbone of FloMont is our wonderful faculty. Every staff member shares our vision of providing quality education and shaping our children into lifelong learners. We enjoy immense relational trust both within our organization and with our parents, whom we consider as important partners in the education of our little children." – Shahista Ismail.

Taking Experiential Learning To The Next Level

Sadly, today we live in a world that still advocates a one size fits all approach, validated by standardized tests at regular intervals. While many schools have started to adopt experiential and application-based learning, the majority of the schools are still engaged in the traditional blackboard and chalk method. The government’s recent NEP law proposes sweeping changes in the existing education system in a bid to create positive outcomes. The latest NEP policies have generated quite a buzz around the concept of experiential learning. The core principle of the Montessori method is hands-on experiential learning that is well researched and scientific. FloMont World School, is a humble initiative by Shahista Ismail, based on her deep-rooted belief in the Montessori pedagogy, to provide children with meaningful and relevant foundations designed for lifelong success. “We are excited to have a head start on the proposed model of learning. The formative years of little children are curial and it’s wonderful to see that there is a deliberative effort by the government to make it a priority.” concludes Shahista Ismail.

Flomont School Programmes

FloMont World School is a K-12 school that houses children between 2.5 and 12 years of age, divided into three levels following the Montessori Methodology till Grade 6. The school offers IGCSE in the higher grades.

The Casa Programme for 2.5- to 6-year-olds

The delicate age between 2.5 to 6 year is the phase where a child strives for physical and emotional growth and independence. FloMont’s curriculum is designed to meet this need and lays great emphasis on Exercises of Practical Life. EPL activities focus on making a child independent, it could be something as simple as showing a child how to fasten a button, lace a shoe, pour a glass of water or even clean up a spill. This is also the age when a child is very sensitive when it comes to perceiving languages. The teaching staff at FloMont capitalizes on this predisposition to language and feed the children with expressive as well as functional language, which heightens their communication skills.

The Elemantary Programme for 6 to 12 years old (Lower & Upper Elementary)

Children in this age group achieve physical and emotional independence, seeking Intellectual Independence based on imagination. They are keen to understand their origins and their purpose of existence in society. They develop higher order thinking skills and are able to translate previously acquired concrete experiences into abstract thought. This is where the teachers at FloMont step in with a unique cosmic curriculum, that is filled with enriching stories about the creation of the Universe, coming of humans and even the evolution of languages and numbers as we know them today! The Cosmic curriculum plays an important role in teaching children about interconnectedness of everything in the universe and where they fit in as contributing members of society.