Testimonials
These things helped me to become the Independent person I am now & make up my own mind on what I like to do & feel about things:
PAST PUPIL
Parents’ & Past Pupils’ Testimonials Video
You can tell the children feel part of the community.
The natural environment feels peaceful. One’s feelings change outside in nature and I have a strong feeling of this outside in this school.
The school feels like a safe natural haven.
Visitors,
(,)One can feel the children’s enthusiasm for learning.
The children were so engrossed in their work. One didn’t want to interrupt them.
The children were so industrious throughout. You could sense the enjoyment and the calm.
Visitors,
(,)The most amazing school ever.
Past Pupil,
(,)His time at TCHP is the gift that keeps on giving in his life.
Parent,
(,)I’m not sure how developed my independence of thought is now as an adult but I do know that I remember how engaged I was when working independently at The Children’s House. It is fantastic to have experienced the Montessori method. It is a lesson in seeing that there is another way.
Past Pupil,
(,)Father,
(,)Now halfway through getting a Bachelors in archaeology, I can look back and see the ways that the Montessori method helped me get where I am today — especially as an autistic child who struggled with the rigidity of conventional schooling.
One of the main features of Montessori is self-directed learning. While I was there, I learnt how to research things I found interesting and present them to others, about nature through growing plants, raising butterflies, and examining rocks and fossils in the classroom, and about more abstract concepts like Mathematics by seeing them demonstrated with physical objects. There was also a focus on learning about other cultures. As an example, I had a penpal in India who I’m still in contact with even now via social media. Parents and past-pupils would also visit and teach us about some of their work — one I remember was a NASA researcher!
Another aspect of this is the independence that Montessori teaches. For example, instead of having a set time to have a snack in the mornings, we could choose when to have it ourselves, as well as cleaning up the snack area when we were done. When we put on Nativity plays at Christmas, it was a group of students who wrote the script, using previous years examples as reference and inspiration. And of course, when the RDS science fair came around, we’d brainstorm ideas for a project as a class and figure out how we’d approach it, looking at questions like ‘What Way is Up?’ and ‘H2O, Is That All It Is?’.
In Montessori, children are trusted to do things themselves, which helps build confidence and competence in their abilities.
Testimonial from past pupil,
(,)Thank you to everyone who taught me, my friends who were always with me. Thank you everyone that has helped me be the person I am now standing in front of you. I’ve made some amazing memories here and I will miss it…
I would like to thank all my teachers for showing me so much, all the staff for being so helpful, all my friends for being so kind and helping me with all sorts of things….
Performing at The Helix in front of a big audience was a highlight. Plus, the lunch was really nice! And rock climbing? Well, that was all about teamwork and independence. I remember speed climbing, feeling exhausted and then my classmates cheering me until I reached the top….
First, I want to thank our wonderful teachers. Even though my time here was short, you made me feel welcome and helped me to catch up with my studies. Your dedication and kindness have truly made a difference to my life….To my classmates – you made me feel like part of the family and I will always cherish our time together…