Q1. What is PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini)?

Ans: PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) is the first ever chain of Montessori preschools for children between the age group of 2.5 to 6 years (1.5 years to 5.5 years in certain areas). It utilizes MARIA MONTESSORI's true teaching method, materials and philosophy in the safe, hygienic and esthetically pleasant PREPARED ENVIRONMENT, which may be referred to as a child sized world. Through self-selected activities the child learns at an amazing pace, along with reaching the maximum development of all mental and physical faculties.

PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) is an Italian phrase which means House of Children. Dr. Maria Montessori started her first house of children with the name PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini). Her work with the children in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) revolutionized the educational concepts and startled the scholars of her times. The selection of this name for our Montessori section is a tribute to Dr. Montessori and her method.

Q2. What are you teaching them?

Ans: In PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini), the major focus is on learning through work. Children have a strong inner urge to work with hands. This is a developmental need of their age group. The adult works for incentives, however, the child works because of his strong inner urge to work. This inner urge is the product of millions of years of evolution and intends to engage the child in activities which ultimately lead him to maximum development. In home environment and conventional schools this inner urge gets suppressed and the result is incomplete development.

Maria Montessori who was a doctor by profession observed the children scientifically and devised methods and materials for teaching the child without interrupting with the natural course of development. The miracle of this system is that the child learns to;

• read (up to literacy criterion)

• write sentences

• solve complex mathematical operations

• perform several scientific experiments

• do everyday household and personal care activities

• discriminate between various sensations in order to perceive correctly

• explain various zoology and botany principles

and becomes culturally and socially apt before he reaches class 1.

Q3. What unique is there in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini)?

Ans: Each PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) follows the following principles;

 

• All learning takes place with the help of special scientific material designed by Maria and her followers. All learning is based on concrete, not abstract, experiences. The reason is that the child is hand-minded and learns better when using his hands.

 

• Everything in the classroom including furniture, shelves, wash basins, etc. are child sized. There is nothing in the classroom which is out of the reach of the child.

 

• The children aging 2 to 6 years are in the same classroom. There are unavoidable benefits of keeping mixed age groups in Montessori classrooms. For instance, younger children learn a lot by imitating older children and children get better socialized.

 

• There is complete freedom of choice. The child can select the activity of his choice and work with it for as long as wants to. There is nothing that the teachers imposes on the children.

 

• The classroom is "PREPARED ENVIRONMENT". The children aging 3 to 6 years are called absorbent minds. They absorb literally everything from the environment. Therefore, the best way to maximize learning is to provide the best possible environment from which they learn automatically. Educational material is placed on low shelves and is changed frequently according to the level of the children. Children, because of a natural inner urge, get attracted to the material and begin to work with it. Uninterrupted concentration and through trial and error the children discover and makes academic achievements. The teacher's role is just to be a facilitator.

 

• The classroom is more like a home than a classroom. It's a child sized world, designed scientifically for children after years of research by Dr. Montessori. Here the children gain rapid development and nurture their mental and sensory faculties. The external world is too complicated for children and hinder their natural development as it has been designed by adult for adults. Everything is 3 time bigger than the proportional size of the children. Moreover, they are not allowed to touch and work with almost anything which is there in the surrounding.

These were a few basic practices of true Montessori schools. At PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) all Montessori principles are followed in their real sense. The ultimate results of this system are amazing. Before the children reach class 1, they can read, write, add, subtract, multiply, divide (any quantity upto 9999), have ample knowledge of geography, botany, zoology, history, art and music. They have become independent in their everyday life due to Exercise of Practical Life (EPL) and flexible because of sharp senses developed through sensorial exercises.

Q4. What are the safety & hygienic measures?

Ans:   In PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) safety measures are as follows:

• Adult and child ratio in classrooms is 1:15. This ratio is maintained in each classroom so that each child gets proper individual attention.
• The classrooms are being cleaned before & after the class as well as in between the tiffin hours.
• The staircases are properly grilled.
• The electrical sockets are shock proof but not out of the reach of the children
• There are covered manholes around the centre.
• The corners of the furniture have the round edge to avoid accidents.
• The equipments used are non toxic and child appropriate.
• The sanitary fixtures are very much child friendly, eg: the washbasin is of low height, as it is reachable for the children.
• The toilet are child sized and cleaned regularly.
• The child sized kitchen area in every classroom is kept under special safety and hygenic supervision.
• Mats are used while performing any floor activities.
• The attendants always wear the Aprons provided by PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini).
• The children are made to wear the aprons, which are provided by PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) during any messy activities.

Apart from this training regarding Safety is been given at various PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) Centres to the teachers and other staff members.

Q5. What is the main benefit of getting admitted my child in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini)?

Ans: The benefits of getting admitted the child in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) are as follows:

• The children will have complete freedom of choice. They select their own activities and can work with them for as long as they like.
• The children are being taught to maintain the discipline without any scolding or corporate punishments as we believe that "TRUE DISCIPLINE COMES THROUGH FREEDOM"
• The children are being taught by highly trained Montessori trained teachers in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini).
• In PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) each and every child is getting individual attention as a proper adult & child ratio is being maintained in the classrooms.
• Besides proper hygiene is being maintained in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini).
• The children are more exposed to the practical life, as in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) various Field Trip are being organized where the children gets the concrete knowledge of the facts of the day to day life through different interaction.
• Various cultural programmes, events & celebrations are being organized in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) where the children are being encouraged to take an active participation and helping them in return to uphold their innate qualities.
• The child will get normalized, which is a state when the child is happy, peaceful, creative, non-disruptive and non-troublesome.

Q6.  Why is the fee structure so high?

Ans: In PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) the fee structure is not at all high considering the advantage, facilities and the benefits that a child enjoys during the learning process. The fee actually is nominal keeping in view the high cost of the material which the child uses and high salaries of Montessori trained teachers.

Q7. What is the background of PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini)?

Ans: PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) is the preprimary segment of PMC, which is the biggest Montessori teachers training organization in Pakistan.

Q8. What is the proper age for a child to get admitted in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini)?

Ans:  The proper age for a child is 2.5 onwards to get admission in PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini).

Q9. What about home works?

Ans: In PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) there is no formal Home Work. But occasionally children are given tasks for home, which are according to the observed "sensitive period" through which the child is passing.

Q10. Do PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) provide food in centres?

Ans: No, PMCKIDS (Casa dei Bambini) does not provide any food items in centres.
 
Q11. Are you giving computer education to children?

Ans: Yes, incorporation of technology in the curriculum is one of the policies of our system.

Q12. Can I see/visit to classrooms?

Ans: You can see and visit the classrooms at the time of taking your child’s admission and even after the regular class hours keeping in the mind that the child should not be disturbed during his school hours.