Our Approach: From Schooling to Learning
If Chrysalide Education is rooted in the Montessori heritage, the approach we develop is more syncretic. Our teaching methods are dynamic and evolving. In that respect, we are particularly inspired by Finnish educational methods, themselves developed from the Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Steiner approaches. Also, our approach gives great importance to the manipulation of Montessori material because it allows for better memorization, development of reasoning and abstraction skills (grammatical symbols/timbers/beads/Damier/trinomial, etc.).
More concretely, Chrysalide Education offers a more personalized pedagogy and a more flexible, playful and stimulating environment allowing the acquisition of skills that promote versatility, adaptability, reactivity and creativity (such as problem solving, confidence, emotional intelligence, empathy, communication, time and stress management, entrepreneurship, audacity, motivation, presence, team spirit and curiosity).
Last but not least, the strength of this teaching is the way in which the link is made between subject-based learning and project-based learning. The children, especially from 6 to 11 years old, carry out projects or scientific experiments that allow them to put into practice, in a playful manner and for concrete purposes, the content of the disciplines taught. This, in turn, promotes the acquisition of new disciplinary knowledge.
The approach we are proposing is intended for parents who are looking for a different method of education and transmission of knowledge. A different kind of education, great! But with impeccable quality and to meet the demands of the “regular” structures in which our children will naturally find their place, at the right time.
Whatever the mid- and long-term educational objective of the parents, it is imperative for us to give the child the necessary experience and knowledge needed to enter a high-level school.
From our point of view, the ability to learn is fueled, above all, by self-confidence and support (positive encouragement: nothing is impossible, over time and practice you’ll be able to do it !). The grading system is not very useful (there are no good students or bad students!). Those who absorb/learn faster will help and encourage those who encounter more difficulty, each at their own pace. It is all a matter of how the activity/exercise is introduced. Individual supervision eliminates the need for homework. If sometimes we assign homework, it will be primarily to help support reflection, to query and to research.
Finally, we focus on bilingualism. Depending on the objectives set by the parents, we will focus more on French or English, ideally both, and we introduce the children to the Arabic language. The children will be asked to implement projects on specific themes.
To this end, we rely on a team of experienced practitioners who are both specialized and versatile and known for their ability to work in teams and to be creative.
Mornings are dedicated to the fundamentals according to themes/subjects (English: Monday and Wednesday: French: Tuesday and Thursday); Oral Expression (Theater initiation: Friday).
-8:30-11:30 am: fundamentals; 11:30-12:00: Sport session; 12:00-1 pm: Lunch Time
Afternoons are dedicated to Educational Projects (art, practical life, science, Botanic, geography, etc.).
-1 pm-2 pm: literally Arabic (Monday and Wednesday); Music (Tuesday), Science/Technology/Practical life, (Thursday/Friday); 2 pm-3:30 pm: Educational Projects (Monday to Thursday)