[SOLVED] Ways which Learning Environment Changes within Cultural Context
There are early childhood programs all over the world that ascribe to the different approaches we have studied in this course. However, each individual classroom and/or program adapts the model to meet the specific needs of the population it serves. The Montessori program in Buffalo NY probably looks different than a Montessori program in the South of France. The teachers have been trained in the same guiding philosophy, but the approach is adapted based on the cultural context of the community. For your final project, your job is to research how an early childhood learning environment changes within different cultural contexts. The topic is intentionally broad, and you are encouraged to select an area of interest for further research, then think about how the curriculum models differ within those contexts. As you research your topic, be sure to include some potential barriers and discuss how we might address those barriers. For example: In some cultures, children are left outside to play for hours, even in the Winter; Other cultures tend to avoid outside time due to program constraints. What would Maria Montessori think about the barriers we see today, and what might she recommend? In some cultures, children play with everyday materials like sticks and stones and they climb trees during recreational time; Other cultures restrict the children to large manufactured play sets for safety. What are the specific barriers, and how would the Waldorf approach address these barriers? Other examples for topics include the cultural contexts of play, celebration of holidays within the classroom, messy activities, and regulations that restrict some aspects of the curriculum. The topic is open so if you have a different idea, please reach out to your instructor.
