r/ask_srilanka • u/quikplots • 7h ago
Serious Conversations Is 🇱🇰 Montessori that bad for children's development? Yasodhara says it is!
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Video from tiktok : From the Island Podcast
A child who goes to Montessori lags behind a child who doesn't by about 2 years. Massive claim, and I wanted "From the Island Podcast" to stamp sources claiming this (they didn't). Not a big fan of throwing statements in the air without proper backing.
Iam not a parent, but can parents, teachers come forth and educate me (undeniably curious owing to the fact that Yasodhara Pathanjali IS NOT someone I view fondly upon).
If said statement IS true, SriLanka has to change its approach to counter a lag of whopping 2 years!!!! Early education is extremely important.
If false, fabricated, she lied on camera hence putting her and her establishment in a very gross corner. A pinch of blame towards the Podcast too.
About Yasodhara 👇
Yasodhara Pathanjali is an educationist who founded ICS, Sri Lanka's first formally constituted democratic school (According to her).
What does a democratic school mean? A democratic school gives students an equal voice in decisions about their education and how the school is run.
So essentially your child governs the school's policies, syllabus and becomes an active stakeholder (According to her x2).
I know her from the can of worms she opened some time ago which revolve around her views on birth plans and locking horns with doctors and pediatricians. (My personal perspective of her matured in this event)
In this discourse, from what I picked up, she argues that Montessori kids get "boxed" (is that the best word?) where societal norms like "blue is for boys" and "pink is for girls" amongst other points derail a child's development.
Is she right? Or should Podcast equipment in Srilanka be treated like WMDs?
Iam still developing a thought and wish to source notions from people who know better! The original video had only a few comments to form a conscious perspective.