21st Century Skills on Montessori and Jolly Phonics

The Muyikaratu Educational Foundation recently organized a specialized workshop for teachers from Kaduna Cambridge Academy and Nuruddinil Islamee Society Schools. Delivered by Educonsult, this training focused on equipping educators with 21st-century skills in Montessori education and Jolly Phonics, enhancing their ability to deliver high-quality early childhood education.

Montessori Session

The workshop began with an in-depth exploration of Montessori education, designed to provide teachers with a solid understanding of this child-centered approach.

Theoretical Aspects: Educators were introduced to the historical context and evolution of the Montessori Method, which emphasizes self-directed activity, hands-on learning, and collaborative play. The session covered essential theoretical aspects, including:

• Montessori Philosophy and Methodology: Teachers learned about the core principles, rules, and guidelines that govern Montessori education, which aims to foster independence and respect for a child’s natural development.
• Sensorial Development: This segment emphasized the importance of sensory experiences in helping children explore and understand the world around them.
• Language Development: Participants explored methods for nurturing language skills through the Montessori approach.
• Practical Development: The workshop highlighted the value of teaching practical life skills to children, encouraging them to perform daily tasks with independence and confidence.
• Art and Creativity: Teachers were guided on incorporating artistic and creative activities into their daily lessons to stimulate imagination and self-expression.
• Mathematics: The session provided strategies for teaching mathematical concepts using hands-on, practical activities that make abstract ideas more tangible for young learners.

Practical Aspects: The practical component of the Montessori session focused on structuring the classroom environment to align with Montessori principles. Teachers were trained on conducting an effective morning circle, which includes greetings, discussions on dates and months, rhythmic exercises, and energizers. The workshop emphasized the importance of storytelling, moral discussions, and general knowledge topics to engage students actively.

Educators also gained practical experience in managing key Montessori areas within the classroom, such as the sensorial area, math area, language area, practical life skills area, and the art and culture area. These sessions were designed to give teachers the tools they need to create a dynamic and supportive learning environment that caters to the needs of each child.

Jolly Phonics Session

The second half of the workshop was dedicated to Jolly Phonics, a comprehensive phonics program that helps children learn to read and write by teaching them the sounds of letters and how to blend these sounds to form words.

Key Skills: The session began with an overview of the five basic skills that are central to Jolly Phonics:

1. Learning the Letter Sounds: Teachers were shown effective techniques for introducing children to the sounds associated with each letter.
2. Learning Letter Formation: The session covered best practices for teaching correct letter formation, ensuring children develop strong writing skills.
3. Blending: Educators learned how to help students blend individual letter sounds together to read words.
4. Identifying Sounds in Words: The workshop focused on teaching children to recognize and isolate sounds within words, a critical skill for both reading and spelling.
5. Tricky Words: Teachers were provided with strategies for teaching words that do not follow standard phonics rules, often referred to as “tricky words.”

Teaching Steps: In addition to the basic skills, the session introduced teachers to the eight steps of teaching Jolly Phonics. These steps provide a structured approach to phonics instruction, making it easier for teachers to guide students through the process of learning to read and write. The workshop also covered advanced topics such as “Magic e” words, alternative spellings of sounds, and managing tricky words that challenge conventional phonetic rules.

Conclusion

This workshop was a vital professional development opportunity for the teachers of Kaduna Cambridge Academy and Nuruddinil Islamee Society Schools. By equipping educators with the latest teaching strategies in Montessori and Jolly Phonics, the Muyikaratu Educational Foundation and Educonsult ensured that the participating schools are well-prepared to provide a high-quality, modern education that meets the needs of their students. The skills and knowledge gained from this training will enable teachers to foster a more engaging, effective, and supportive learning environment, setting a strong foundation for their students’ educational journeys.