Learning during the pandemic: 2020-2021
Little Explorers AMI Montessori House of Children reopened for the first term on 8th January 2020 for the Montessori and Toddler Groups. The After Care Program reopened on 6th January 2020. All activities continued until the Government ordered the closure of all schools from March 12th ‘2020 due to the first wave of the COVID 19 Pandemic emerging in the country.
The closure was followed by a complete lock down of the Western Province from 15th March ’20. During this time we quickly adapted to virtual methods of teaching. With the help of parents, we successfully gave children the experience of being led from the “concrete” to the “abstract”. We were constantly in touch with the parents, sending them activities, activity sheets and online material to keep the children occupied.
After the curfew was lifted, the teachers worked tirelessly preparing Activity Packs which were made available to parents to collect from the school when possible. Each Activity Pack contained age appropriate material for the following:
• Language
• Number
• Coloring
• Cultural Activities
We tried to cover the entire syllabus as far as possible.
The only access we had to the students was on ‘Zoom’. Fortunately the majority of the parents had the necessary facilities to help the children follow their classes on ‘Zoom’. Every student had a ‘Zoom’ session of Circle Time activities for 30 minutes thrice a week, art and craft and dancing once a week. The teachers made themselves available even on the weekends and after working hours to accommodate working parents.
Some of the work done during the pandemic
In the months of August and September, the curfew was lifted temporarily and students could attend school under very strict health guidelines imposed by the Public Health authorities and Pre-School Department. Unfortunately the third term went by with all schools in the Western Province closed from October 2020 to March 29th 2021.
The only physical form of school allowed from 11th January ’21 to 29th March ’21 was the After Care Programme.
I regret very much that although I made many appeals to the authorities for permission to allow the Special Needs Students to attend school at least a few days a week, permission was not granted.
All our parents were a great source of strength to us and we are greatly appreciative of their support and cooperation. The teachers too went out of their way to keep up with the improvised teaching methods. I am personally very grateful that during those trying conditions, Little Explorers continued to function at full strength.
We welcomed our children back to Fairfield Gardens on 29th March ’21, following very strict health guidelines.
What We Offer
Montessori Education
Ages 2 ½ to 5 years
Toddler Education
Ages 1 ½ to 2 ½ years
After Care
Ages 2 ½ years upwards