There is lots to think about when it comes to child development and ways of learning. Social media and the ability to see what other families are doing can add to the pressure parents feel to pick one way, and follow it closely. We know this isn't something that works for everyone - and we know the reality is that most of us end up taking aspects of lots of different approaches and weaving them into our day in a way which works for us.
To help you get to grips with some of the more well-known approaches to learning - and what they really mean beyond the social media hype - we've created this guide.
Montessori is often one of the first approaches to early years education that parents come across, whether that’s through Instagram accounts, childcare settings or toy manufacturers labelling various toys as ‘Montessori’ (or ‘Montessori inspired’).
In 1896, Maria Montessori was the first woman in Italy to receive a degree in medicine, she then worked with children who lived with special educational needs, before opening her first school in Rome in 1907.
Her approach to children’s learning was based on a view that there were sensitive periods when children were able to master certain skills more effectively.
She argued that giving children freedom to choose what to do would increase their motivation, concentration and perseverance.[1]
In Montessori schools, the routine will be planned to give children lots of uninterrupted time to play and there are carefully selected toys for children to choose from, sometimes described as structured materials rather than toys.
Children are encouraged to repeat the same activity many times, to enjoy their achievement.
Another element of Montessori’s philosophy which is often referred to, is the inclusion of children in activities linked to daily life.
Children at Montessori settings will spend time cooking, gardening and cleaning because Maria Montessori noticed that children became deeply engaged in these types of activity.
One criticism of a Montessori approach is that it can be quite prescriptive, Montessori learning materials are not the toys we often think of – they often have a clear purpose. Some people feel this limits children’s freedom to play however they want.
And in the years since Maria Montessori opened her first school a wide range of toys, games and ideas have been described as Montessori, which can make it even more confusing. Not all would be used in very traditional Montessori settings, and it’s important to remember that a toy calling itself ‘Montessori’ won’t automatically be better for your child’s development than something else.
You can read a bit more about Montessori approaches in our article about toy rotation here.
The first Forest Schools were in Denmark and were started in the 1950s by one mother and her neighbours for their children.[2]
Forest Schools have grown in popularity since then and have become established in many countries. Some childcare settings and schools include ‘forest school sessions’ as a regular part of their curriculum.
A Forest School is one where the whole day is spent in the forest, although these schools might have an indoor base for times the weather makes being outdoors unsafe, or for drop off and pick up.
Other settings might be influenced by Forest School approaches, but not actually be a Forest School. These might be based indoors but have regular outdoor 'Forest School' sessions, or spend lots of time outside, and use natural materials in their outdoor area rather than commercially available toys.
Children at Forest School will play with objects they find around them, they will be taught skills such as how to light a fire safely or how to assess risk themselves before doing something such as climbing a tree or chopping wood.
Children will visit the same forest each time they attend, so will notice the way their surroundings change with the seasons.
Forest School leaders are trained to notice and support children’s interests, so while there might be some broad topics to focus learning around children will spend lots of time independently choosing what to do and developing their ideas supported by adults.
If you’re thinking about using this approach at home, you might decide to spend time outside in all weathers and celebrate nature. You could have a park or other outdoor space you visit regularly throughout the year; your child will be able to watch the way the natural world changes with the seasons.
You can also think about giving your child time to get really involved in their play, so they can develop their ideas and have freedom to experiment with ways to achieve a goal.
Think about supporting them to assess risk, too. You can read more about risk and toddlers in this article.
You’ve been teaching your child since they were born, and this will continue to be an important part of their learning and development throughout their lives.
Elective home education (often shortened to home education) describes the decision not to send your child to school once they reach compulsory school age.
In the United Kingdom, parents must ensure their child gets a full-time education from the age of five. This can be done by attending school but can also be done through home education. This gives you the freedom to decide how (and where) their education happens, to ensure it aligns with your family’s needs and values.
If you decide to home educate, you would take on the responsibility for ensuring your child’s receives an appropriate education.[3]
You do not need register to home educate, and if your child has never attended school you can simply continue to educate them at home.
There are many different approaches to home education. Some families choose to follow a similar pattern to school, with some form of lessons taking place from Monday to Friday during school hours. Others decide not to follow this pattern to be more flexible with their routine. There is no legal requirement for education to be planned into the hours of a school day or term.
Despite being called home education, your child’s learning doesn’t have to take place only at home.
In many areas, there are groups of home-educating families who organise activities together, as well as home-school sessions organised by museums, galleries, forest schools and similar places.
If you educate at home you do not have to follow the National Curriculum, but must ensure that your child’s education is suitable and appropriate for their age and ability.
There is more information about elective home school and legal responsibilities on the government websites, for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
There are many approaches to educating children at home, and one which many of us associate with homeschooling is ‘unschooling’. You may be familiar with this term from social media.
Families who ‘unschool’ don’t follow a preplanned curriculum at home, instead their children will often learn through everyday activities and teaching follows children’s interests and learning preferences.[4]
Unschooling is a term coined by John Holt, an American educationalist who started his career as a teacher but is well known for his arguments against the approaches frequently taken in school. He believed in ‘autonomous learning’ (having control over what and how you learn) and felt that school didn’t provide these opportunities.[5]
If you’re thinking about taking this approach, you’ll probably find you continue in the way you’ve been doing with the app activities.
You’ll look at what your child is currently interested in, and the skills they’re working on, and from this think about what to do with them or what you need to give them – this might be experiences, things or information.
You will probably also continue to think about all the learning that happens in everyday life. For example, if your child helps to make a meal each day, as their skills develop, they could find the recipe, make a shopping list and think about what their chosen meal costs, as well as doing all the measuring and cooking they might have already started to do.
Whether you decide your child will go to a childminder, nursery, school or not, what you do at home will always make a big difference to their learning and development – so why not take a moment to think about which approach (or approaches) to learning suit you and your child best!
If you have any questions about approaches to learning or theories of child development let us know.
Our child development team have teaching, psychology, special educational needs, and childhood studies qualifications (plus decades of experience working with children and families) – and we'd love to answer your questions.
Email us at: askusanything@mffy.com with your questions.
References
[1] Pound, L. (2011) Influencing Early Childhood Education. Key Figures, Philosophies and Ideas. Open University Press.
[2] Forest School Foundation. (undated). Forest School History & Philosophy. FAQ's | Learn More | Forest School Foundation | Outdoor Learning, Bright Futures (theforestschoolfoundation.org)
[3] Department for Education (2019). Elective Home Education. Departmental Guidance for Parents. Elective home education: guide for parents (publishing.service.gov.uk)
[4] Gray, P. & Riley, G. (2013). The challenges and benefits of unschooling, according to 232 families who have chosen that route. Journal of Unschooling and Alternative Learning, 7(14),
[5] Govaerts, F. (2020). Schooling vs Home Education: Implications in measuring success in home education in the United Kingdom. European Journal of Teaching and Education, 2(3), 59-64.