La Rippe is home to the "Deux Mille Feuilles" Montessori school. This multi-lingual school is located in the heart of nature and welcomes children between the ages of 3-12. Let's take a closer look at what the Montessori approach entails and its philosophy.
Thank you to Cornelia Tosch one of the 2 directors of the Deux Mille Feuilles school for providing the article and the information!
Maria Montessori opened her first classroom in Rome in 1907. She interpreted education as an “aid to life”. One that supports and enhances the process all children go through naturally. Interestingly, she puts the strongest emphasis on the first 3 years of a child's life.
This is a period less valued in more traditional education systems. Read the full article on Maria Montessori on the school's blog, where you will find a host of articles on the subject of education.
The Montessori education is more than just academics! The philosophy sees the child as a whole and intimately links his or her well-being to the intellectual nature. One does not prevail over the other. Children have a strong tendency to self-perfection and are happy to work continuously towards improvement. They like to be "intellectually honored" and when given challenges they aim wholeheartedly to meet these challenges. This allows them to gain confidence and it is through work that children get "inner peace".
According to the philosophy, there are 2 age categories created in order to best cater to a child's development:Infancy: 3-6 year olds are stimulated to become independent and gain confidence "Help me to do it by myself."Childhood: 6-12 year olds are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills and curiosity “Help me to think by myself."Deux Mille Feuilles offers a stimulating and encouraging space for its students. Amongst other aspects, they provide:
Mixed-age classrooms
Uninterrupted work times of minimum 3 hours
Experienced AMI trained Montessori Teachers and assistants
Prepared Montessori classroom environments
Bilingual French/English approach
Full daycare and transport to and from Nyon