Our Tinytots learning curriculum incorporates both Montessori and Highscope components including using authentic Montessori materials within the classrooms, this is underpinned by the Danish Paedagogical Curriculum. 

Overview of the Danish Curriculum: Describes how our Tinytots pedagogical environment supports children’s broader learning including curiosity, drive, self-esteem and movement within the six curriculum themes: 

• Versatile personal development
• Communication and language 
• Social development 
• Body, senses and movement 
• Nature, outdoor life and science 
• Culture, aesthetics and community 

Overview of the Montessori curriculum 

Dr. Montessori (1870-1952), one of the first female physicians in Italy and a pioneer in early education, recognised the critical importance of early childhood learning. She spent many decades creating “The Montessori Method”, an integrated program tailored to meet the developmental needs of young children. The Montessori Method provides a great framework for a child needs to make the most of the sensitive period of their development. It enables development of motor and social skills, to learn handwriting, reading and basic numeracy and to grow into a capable, confident young person eager to explore the fascinating world around them.  

Overview of the HighScope curriculum 

The High/Scope curriculum was a research-based project that started in Michigan, USA undertaken at Perry Preschool by Dr David. Weikart in the early 1960’s and was born of the need to answer the question ‘does participation in an early education program improve the intellectual and academic abilities of children?’ 

HighScope focuses on active learning, where children build their own knowledge through exploration and experimentation. The five basic principles that are implemented include active learning, positive adult-child interactions, a child-friendly learning environment, a consistent daily routine and team-based assessment.  

Combining all the above, our Tinytots Teaching Approach centres on the following:  

The Prepared Environment  

Our classrooms are large, open spaces, framed by low open shelves which display a variety of educational materials or “works” from which a child can choose freely. The attractive materials, made from brightly painted wood, ceramic, metal, or glass are specially designed to be “self-correcting” and lend themselves to repeated practice. A child using them can independently gauge their own performance, without needing constant feedback from a teacher, and so learning becomes a natural, self-reinforcing process. Classroom furniture is child-sized and can easily be moved about by the children, who thereby learn to adapt the classroom space to many different uses.  

 The Presentation  

Instruction is one-on-one, or in small groups. The teacher first introduces an activity that is at the right level of difficulty, i.e. that is challenging but achievable within the range of the child’s abilities. They present the activity while seated next to the child, moving their hands slowly and precisely so that the child can observe their actions. They then have the child repeat the activity. Once the child has been shown how to do an activity in this way, the child is thereafter free to choose it at any time and work with it for as long as they like. As the child repeats the activity over time, they acquire mastery of both the motor skills involved, and of the abstract concept such as length, or colour manifested by the material.  

The Work Period  

Our full day program offers children indoor and outdoor work periods, a 2-hour morning work period (over 3’s) and afternoon work period. During these times, children choose their “work” from the shelves, and carry them to a workspace they select, a low table, or a mat they roll out on the floor. Each child works independently (or, occasionally, with one or two freely chosen partners) with the material for as long as they are interested. Once they complete their work, they return it to its proper location, and is free to select another activity, or take a break, maybe have a snack, and then select their next activity. The classroom is structured, but unlike traditional setups the structure recognises the child’s need to develop the capacity to make independent choices.