#childledlearning

Day 1 of Homeschooling

Tomorrow is my children’s first offical day of homeschooling. I am still working full time, so I am doing much of the planning, but my husband and his mom are doing a lot of the day to day with them right now. I plan to also be actively involved in their learning on nights and weekends when I am home.

They were not thriving in public school - I have mad respect for teachers, but my kids were not doing well in the regular classroom setting, for a variety of reasons. We felt that it was best for them if they learn at home.

I am still trying to figure out what that looks like for us. We are taking a relaxed homeschooling/unschooling approach, and while I am excited about it, I am also nervous because I have the decades of ingrained expectations of “regular” school in my head. I worry, will I teach them enough? Will I teach them the right things? Will they fall behind? Will they succeed?

What I have to keep reminding myself, and they have reminded me even just over this weekend, is that they WILL learn, and they will be excited about it, if they get to lead. My kids both chose to play Starfall on a Sunday morning and learned about fractions and time - with no prompting from me. My 6 year old pulled out math flash cards to practice on her own - with no prompting from me. My son is learning all about puppetry and ventriloquism, because that is what he is interested in right now.

Searching for a Montessori school near me in Karaikal is often the first step parents take when exploring educational options for their child. With increasing awareness about child-centered learning, many families are looking beyond traditional classrooms and considering environments that encourage independence, curiosity, and confidence.

While finding a nearby school is convenient, choosing the right learning environment requires a closer look at what happens inside the classroom. A school can influence not only academic development but also the way children think, communicate, and approach challenges throughout life.

Why Parents Search for a Montessori School Near Me in Karaikal

Location is naturally an important factor when selecting a school. Parents often prefer schools that are easily accessible and allow children to spend less time commuting and more time learning and participating in activities.

A nearby school also makes it easier for families to stay involved in their child's educational journey. School events, parent meetings, and regular communication become more manageable when the school is part of the local community.

However, proximity alone should not determine the final decision. The quality of education, classroom environment, and overall learning experience remain equally important.

What Makes a Montessori School Worth Considering?

Montessori education is designed to support the natural development of children through hands-on learning and meaningful experiences.

Child-Centered Learning

Unlike traditional approaches, where all children follow the same pace, Montessori education recognizes that every child learns differently. Learning activities are designed to support individual growth and encourage exploration.

Hands-On Learning Experiences

Children learn best when they actively engage with concepts. Montessori classrooms use specially designed materials that help children understand ideas through direct experience rather than memorization.

Independence and Responsibility

One of the key goals of Montessori education is to help children become independent learners. They are encouraged to make choices, complete tasks, and take responsibility for their learning environment.

Confidence Building

As children solve problems and complete activities independently, they gradually develop confidence in their abilities. This confidence often extends beyond the classroom into everyday life.

Signs You Have Found the Right School

When visiting schools, there are several indicators that can help parents identify a positive learning environment.

Children Are Actively Engaged

Look for classrooms where children are focused, interested, and involved in meaningful activities rather than simply following instructions.

Teachers Act as Guides

Montessori educators support learning by observing, encouraging, and guiding children instead of directing every activity.

Classrooms Feel Calm and Organized

A well-prepared classroom should be welcoming, orderly, and designed to support independent learning.

Learning Happens Naturally

Children should appear comfortable exploring materials, asking questions, and participating in activities at their own pace.

What to Look for During a School Visit

A school visit provides valuable insight into how learning takes place each day.

Pay attention to:

The overall classroom environment

The quality and accessibility of learning materials

Teacher-child interactions

Safety and cleanliness

Opportunities for independent learning

Communication practices with parents

These observations can help parents understand whether the school's approach aligns with their expectations and their child's needs.

Why Montessori Education Continues to Grow in Karaikal

Many parents today are looking for educational approaches that prepare children for more than academic success.

Skills such as problem-solving, communication, adaptability, creativity, and independent thinking are increasingly valued. Montessori education supports the development of these qualities by encouraging children to learn through exploration and experience.

As awareness grows, more families in Karaikal are exploring Montessori education as a way to provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

FAQ

How do I find the best Montessori school near me in Karaikal?

Visit schools, observe classrooms, speak with educators, and evaluate the overall learning environment before making a decision.

What should parents observe during a school visit?

Look at classroom organization, teacher interaction, student engagement, and opportunities for independent learning.

At what age can children join a Montessori school?

Many Montessori programs welcome children during their early childhood years, depending on the school's admission policies.

Why do parents choose Montessori education?

Parents often value Montessori education for its focus on independence, confidence, curiosity, and child-centered learning.

Conclusion

Searching for a Montessori school near me in Karaikal is about more than finding the closest option. The ideal school should provide a supportive environment where children can learn, explore, and grow with confidence.

Language Is Not Written First. It Is Lived First.

As a kindergarten teacher with experience across EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage - UK), British Curriculum (formal settings), and Canadian (play-based & inquiry-driven) early years programs, I’ve come to appreciate how beautifully each curriculum nurtures a child’s emotional, social, and language development—just in uniquely meaningful ways.

While all three prioritize the holistic growth of the child, their methods, core focus areas, and daily classroom dynamics can vary quite significantly. Understanding those nuanced differences isn't just academic; it profoundly helps us shape more effective, empathetic, and responsive learning environments for our little ones.

Let’s take a look inside each curriculum through these three key developmental lenses, revealing their unique flavors of "morning magic."

🧠 1. Emotional Development: Helping Children Understand Themselves and Their World

Emotional intelligence in early childhood is the bedrock for all future learning and well-being. Each curriculum approaches this vital area with a distinct philosophy.

🌼 EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage – UK): Intentional Nurturing of Feelings

In EYFS, emotional development is intentionally embedded as a core component, specifically within the "Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)" Area of Learning. It's about providing a safe space for feelings to emerge and be processed.

🧸 Children learn to:

Express feelings using words: Instead of acting out, they're guided to articulate their internal states. For example, a teacher might help a child who is pushing say, "I see you're feeling frustrated because you want that toy. Can you use your words to say, 'My turn, please'?"

Understand emotions through stories and play: Characters in books and puppets become tools for exploring complex feelings. "How do you think the little bear felt when his friend didn't share?"

Develop self-regulation skills gradually: Through consistent support and modeling, children learn to calm themselves.

🔑 EYFS classrooms prioritize secure relationships and empathy-building. You'll often see visible "Emotion Boards" (charts with different feeling faces children can point to), "feelings puppets" (used to role-play scenarios), and designated "Calm Corners" or "Quiet Spaces" with sensory tools for children to retreat to when overwhelmed.

"Let’s talk about how that made you feel." — A simple, powerful sentence that drives emotional intelligence and self-awareness in EYFS classrooms.

🎓 British Curriculum (Formal Schools): Structured Paths to Resilience

In more formal British curriculum classrooms (like many international schools), emotional development is still highly valued, but often takes a more structured and explicit approach.

📘 Teachers explicitly teach concepts of respect, personal boundaries, and empathy through direct lessons and discussions.

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health, and Economic Education): This dedicated subject often includes weekly topics on understanding different emotions, recognizing safe touches, or the importance of kindness.

Weekly topics about feelings, safety, and well-being: For example, a week might be dedicated to "Being a Good Friend," where children discuss what that means and how it feels to have good friends.

Class charters and circle time rules: These are collaboratively created sets of expectations (e.g., "We listen when others are talking," "We use kind hands") that help children understand their role in creating a respectful community, fostering a sense of control and security.

Group discussions are often led by the teacher, and "star of the week" or "special helper" moments promote self-confidence and recognition for positive behaviors. It may be formal, but there’s a strong foundation of helping children build self-awareness and resilience within a clear framework.

🍁 Canadian Curriculum (Play-Based & Inquiry-Driven): Relationship-First Emotional Literacy

Canada's kindergarten curricula, like Ontario's "How Does Learning Happen?", takes a holistic, relationship-first approach. Emotional development isn't just a domain; it's seen as the starting point for all learning, deeply intertwined with belonging.

💬 Teachers respond to feelings in the moment, validating and guiding children through their emotional experiences. They model co-regulation, helping children calm big emotions by offering a calm presence and language.

Children are invited to reflect on emotions during group time: Instead of just identifying feelings, children might discuss why they feel a certain way or what they need when they feel it. "What do you do when you feel angry?"

Build secure attachments with educators: The curriculum emphasizes the crucial role of the educator in creating a safe, responsive relationship that allows children to feel secure enough to explore big emotions.

Learn emotional vocabulary through storytelling and peer interaction: Children might retell a story focusing on the characters' feelings, or the teacher might use a real-life playground conflict as a teaching moment for empathy.

Many classrooms organically include Indigenous practices like sharing circles or mindfulness storytelling, fostering emotional connection and self-awareness through cultural wisdom.

The focus is not just on "what they feel" but why they feel it and what to do with it, helping kids grow into emotionally literate, self-aware humans ready to engage with the world.

🫂 2. Social Development: Learning to Belong and Connect

How children learn to interact with others, cooperate, and form friendships is central to their early years experience. Each curriculum has unique ways of fostering social competence.

🌼 EYFS: Organic Socialization Through Play

In EYFS, social development (part of PSED) happens organically through rich, child-led play. The philosophy trusts that children will naturally develop social skills when provided with the right environment and gentle guidance.

🧩 Teachers are trained to guide social interactions gently rather than discipline immediately. Peer conflict is viewed not as a problem, but as a crucial opportunity to learn cooperation, negotiation, and problem-solving.

Turn-taking and sharing: These concepts are often learned through practical experience, like sharing sand toys or waiting for a turn on the slide. Teachers might provide language: "You can say, 'My turn next!'"

Building friendships through role-play: The dramatic play area is vibrant, allowing children to experiment with social roles and interactions (e.g., being a doctor, a parent, a chef).

Learning about diversity and respect: Inclusive resources (books, dolls, puzzles) and discussions about different families and cultures are woven into daily life.

🎓 British Curriculum (Formal Schools): Structured Collaboration and Community

The British model, particularly in formal settings, encourages social development through more structured group tasks, team projects, and whole-school assemblies.

There’s a strong sense of school community, and children quickly learn to be part of a larger system.

Children learn to follow group rules and respect class routines (e.g., waiting in line, sitting quietly during carpet time).

Peer collaboration is explicitly expected in early learning goals. For example, children might be given a shared building challenge ("Work together to build the tallest tower!") or a group art project, promoting responsibility and accountability from a young age.

Assemblies: Regular whole-school gatherings for songs, stories, and celebrating achievements reinforce a broader sense of community and shared values.

🍁 Canadian Curriculum (Play-Based & Inquiry-Driven): Social Justice and Inclusive Belonging

In Canada, social development is deeply linked with the core concept of belonging and contributing. It's not just about interacting, but about understanding one's place within a diverse and inclusive community.

🌍 Many programs intentionally include multicultural and Indigenous perspectives from the earliest years, helping children understand different ways of being, knowing, and doing, thus deepening their social awareness and fostering inclusivity from the start.

Children are encouraged to make group decisions: During morning meeting, children might vote on which learning center to open first, or decide on a class rule together.

Express opinions in group meetings: Children are taught to articulate their thoughts respectfully during sharing circles or class discussions, practicing civil discourse.

Understand fairness, inclusion, and kindness: These concepts are explored through real-life scenarios that arise in play, with the teacher guiding discussions around "What felt fair here? What could we do to make sure everyone feels included?"

🗣️ 3. Language Development: Finding Their Voice and Understanding the World

Language is the key to communication, comprehension, and expression. Each curriculum approaches its development with different priorities and methodologies.

🌼 EYFS: Communication and Language Through Rich Play

EYFS treats Communication and Language as a Prime Area of learning, acknowledging its fundamental importance. The emphasis is heavily on oral language development and comprehension within meaningful contexts.

📖 Adults model rich language constantly and expand on children’s responses, often called "scaffolding" or "extending."

Children are encouraged to engage in conversations: Teachers initiate and sustain dialogues, asking open-ended questions like, "Tell me more about your painting!"

Vocabulary building is embedded naturally in stories, songs, and play: Instead of direct vocabulary lists, new words are introduced and repeated in context. For example, during construction play, "You're building a tall, strong tower with red and blue blocks! It looks very sturdy!"

Listening and understanding are just as important as speaking: Activities focus on children following instructions, understanding story plots, and responding appropriately in conversations.

🎓 British Curriculum (Formal Schools): Structured Phonics and Early Literacy

In the British curriculum, language development is often more structured around formal phonics, reading, and early writing skills from the very early years, with a strong emphasis on school readiness.

📚 The focus is on decoding and encoding for early writing confidence.

Synthetic phonics (like Jolly Phonics) is taught systematically: Children learn individual letter sounds and how to blend them to read words (e.g., "c-a-t" makes "cat"). This is typically a daily, explicit lesson.

Oral communication is integrated through show-and-tell, class discussions, and recitations:Children might be asked to retell a story they just heard or recite a simple poem.

Reading books with decodable words are introduced early to build confidence in applying phonics knowledge.

🍁 Canadian Curriculum (Play-Based & Inquiry-Driven): Language in Action and Authentic Expression

In the Canadian model, language development is deeply integrated with play and inquiry. It’s seen as a tool for making sense of the world, expressing ideas, and connecting with others.

📝 There’s less emphasis on formal, early phonics drills and more on authentic expression and emergent literacy in context.

Children learn vocabulary through observation and dialogue: When exploring a worm bin, children might learn words like "decompose," "segment," or "burrow" through active engagement and conversation with the teacher.

Teachers extend language naturally as children explore ideas: "You built a bridge for the cars! What materials did you use? Why do you think it stayed up?"

Storytelling is highly interactive, sometimes co-created by children: Children might dictate stories for the teacher to write, or collaboratively build a narrative during dramatic play.

Emergent writing is encouraged in meaningful contexts: Children might "write" a sign for their pretend store, or "label" their block creations, valuing their early attempts at conveying meaning through print.

🎨 Final Comparison Chart: Development Across Curriculums

Here's a snapshot of how each curriculum generally approaches these vital developmental areas:

What I’ve Learned as a Teacher Across These Models

As an educator, these experiences across curriculums have been incredibly enlightening. They’ve taught me that:

There’s no "one way" to grow a child’s heart, voice, or social skills. Each approach offers valid and effective pathways.

Each system brings something uniquely valuable. Combining elements—like the emotional sensitivity of EYFS, the structured clarity of the British model, and the inquiry-driven spirit of the Canadian approach—can create an incredibly powerful and holistic learning environment.

The more we understand how curriculum influences development, the better equipped we are to adapt our practices and support each unique child’s growth trajectory.

🌟 Final Thought

"Every curriculum speaks a different language—yet they all aim to help children speak, feel, and connect."

As teachers, our job is to translate those overarching goals into daily, intentional actions that help every child thrive—emotionally, socially, and linguistically. It’s about being thoughtful architects of their early learning experiences, knowing that every interaction, every activity, and every moment contributes to the incredible little humans they are becoming.

If you’ve ever worked in a kindergarten classroom, you know that circle time is more than just sitting in a circle—it’s a daily ritual of connection, learning, and joy. It’s where tiny humans gather to share, sing, learn, and set the tone for the day.

But what happens when you move across continents and curriculums? Does the circle still feel the same?

As a kindergarten teacher with unique experience in EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage - UK), the British Curriculum (in more formal international settings), and the Canadian Curriculum, I’ve had the unique opportunity to see how this shared practice takes on distinctly different flavors depending on where (and how) it’s delivered.

Let’s take a journey through the fascinating world of kindergarten circle time, curriculum by curriculum, and uncover their unique magic!

🌱 EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage - UK): Circle Time as Connection and Care

In EYFS settings, which guide early years education in England, circle time is deeply rooted in Personal, Social, and Emotional Development (PSED). It's about creating a safe, nurturing environment where every child feels truly heard, seen, and valued. The focus is less on prescribed academic content and more on well-being and social readiness.

Key Characteristics of EYFS Circle Time:

EYFS circle time isn’t rushed—it’s slow-paced and emotionally rich. Children are encouraged to talk about their weekend, solve friendship problems, and express feelings through songs or puppets, prioritizing their social-emotional well-being above all else.

📘 British Curriculum (Formal Schools - International or UK-based): Circle Time as a Structured Start to the Day

In more formal British Curriculum settings (particularly common in international schools or independent schools in the UK), circle time often adopts a clearer academic rhythm. While still valuing social aspects, it serves as a distinct launchpad for formal learning, connecting explicitly to literacy, numeracy, or ongoing topic-based learning.

Key Characteristics of British Curriculum Circle Time:

Circle time here becomes a vibrant launchpad for formal learning, weaving academic targets into fun and interactive segments. Children often sing the alphabet, count with props, or discuss the topic of the week, ensuring readiness for subsequent lessons.

🍁 Canadian Curriculum (Play-Based & Inquiry-Oriented): Circle Time as an Invitation to Wonder

The Canadian kindergarten model is a beautiful, progressive blend, emphasizing both structured intentions and emergent, inquiry-based learning. Circle time here is seen as a prime opportunity to spark curiosity, introduce provocations (materials or questions designed to stimulate thought), or reflect deeply on previous learning experiences, often guided by student voice.

Key Characteristics of Canadian Curriculum Circle Time:

In Canadian classrooms, I often heard children leading discussions, asking "Can we talk about rainbows today?" or "Why do birds fly away in winter?" Circle time becomes a dynamic launchpad for investigations, collaborative learning, and truly honoring the child's voice.

🧠 So, What’s the Same Across All Three? The Universal Heart of Circle Time

Despite the fascinating curriculum differences and varied approaches, the fundamental heart of circle time remains constant across EYFS, British, and Canadian settings:

Belonging: It's a sacred space dedicated to building a strong sense of community, where every child feels seen, accepted, and that they are a vital part of the group.

Routine: Regardless of flexibility, circle time provides a predictable rhythm and emotional safety, signaling a transition into focused learning and connection.

Communication: It’s a primary arena for encouraging active listening, respectful turn-taking, and confident speaking skills, which are foundational for all learning.

Joy: Ultimately, all good kindergarten circle times are infused with celebration—through movement, music, stories, and shared laughter, making learning an inherently positive experience.

🎓 What I’ve Learned as a Teacher Across These Models

My journey through these diverse educational landscapes has been invaluable, shaping me into a more adaptable and reflective educator:

EYFS taught me the profound power of emotional safety: It underscored that a child's emotional well-being is the prerequisite for all learning. Without feeling safe and loved, academic concepts won't stick.

The British curriculum showed me how to weave learning targets into fun: I learned to be intentional about academic goals, finding playful ways to embed phonics, numeracy, and topic knowledge into engaging group activities.

The Canadian model reminded me to deeply follow children’s curiosity and give them authentic voice: It reinforced the importance of inquiry-based learning, allowing children's questions to drive investigations and fostering a genuine love for discovery.

Each curriculum has uniquely shaped my approach to circle time, making me a more flexible, thoughtful, and profoundly child-centered educator.

✨ Final Thought

Circle time isn’t just a circle on the rug.

It’s where relationships grow, ideas are born, and every voice matters. It’s a microcosm of the classroom community, reflecting the values and goals of the broader curriculum.

No matter the curriculum, no matter the continent—the fundamental truth remains: connection always comes first. When children feel connected to their peers, their teacher, and their learning, that's where the true magic begins.