Kinds of school Philosophies and Approach

There are so many kinds of schools in the world with different philosophies and approach. Which one is match with your preschool kid's needs? Sometimes some schools are offering the program that unfamiliar for us.
May be you want to understand some basic philosophies that underlie these preschools so that you can match it with your child's personality and learning style.

Montessori
The Montessori school philosophy is based on the work of Maria Montessori, an Italian educator, who founded the movement in 1907. In montessori class, students are individual learner, while teachers are the guides. Many hands on activities and the school prepares many materials for learning. These materials are special made designs, most of them are made from quality woods and for specific purposes. The students are learning to be responsible and care with their friends, learning about fice areas : practical life, sensorial, mathematic, language and cultural. A wide range of ages are gathered in the same room, which all of the children are encouraged to help each other to learn. Each students focus at working in their own pace which promotes a healthy environment for special needs children.

Waldorf
The Waldorf philosophy, which began with the founding of the first Waldorf school in 1919, is based on the ideas of Austrian educator Rudolf Steiner. The underlying principle of the Waldorf program is dependable routine. The daily and weekly schedule follows a consistent rhythm, and teachers often remain with the same group of students for up to eight years, allowing them to form a trusting relationship. The atmosphere is home-like, with all-natural furnishings and playthings and a group-oriented curriculum. Waldorf emphasizes creative learning, such as play-acting, story readings, singing, and cooking. The goal of this system is to develop the child emotionally and physically as well as intellectually. A Waldorf school is good for students who thrive on predictable rhythms

Reggio Emilia
 Reggio Emilia schools are based on the highly successful preschools developed by the townspeople of Reggio Emilia, Italy during the 1940s. As in Montessori, students take the lead in learning. The curriculum consists of projects that reflect the interests of the students. Teachers observe the spontaneous curiosity of their students, and then guide them to create projects that reflect their pursuits. Children are expected to learn through mistakes rather than correction, as they are considered equal learners. Their play and projects are documented in photographs and records of their own words, which allows teachers and parents to follow each student's progress and helps children see their actions as meaningful. Reggio Emilia schools emphasize creativity and artistic representation, so they may be a good choice for students who are learning English.

Project-based
Schools with a project-based approach consider children to be individual learners and teachers to be guides. Students work together and with their teachers to negotiate, plan and work through projects. Their lessons are enhanced with real-world connections, field trips and projects. This approach encourages skill application and positive learning habits by attempting to make learning as pleasant and self-motivated as possible. This is a good program for children who work well in an unstructured environment.

High/scope
High/Scope was started by Dr. David Weikart, a Michigan educator, in 1970. The program deemphasizes social and emotional development in favor of academic skill development. Children and adults learn collaboratively, and students are encouraged to make independent decisions about materials and activities. High/Scope advocates learning experiences such as arranging things in order, counting and telling time as well as more creative and linguistic activities such as singing and dictating stories. Some programs involve computers in the learning process. High/Scope was originally developed for at-risk urban children and is appropriate for children who benefit from one-on-one attention, including special needs children.

Bank Street
Bank Street preschools are based on the early childhood program run by Bank Street College of Education in New York City, which was founded by Lucy Sprague Mitchell in 1916. In Bank Street programs, children are regarded as active learners and the world around us is considered to be the best teaching tool. Lessons focus on the social sciences (such as history, geography and anthropology). Artistic and scientific lessons are included within cultural lessons resulting in an integrated curriculum. Classroom toys are basic, encouraging children to exercise imagination during play. Children may work alone or in groups, with specially trained teachers guiding. Bank Street programs are good for children who learn well in an unstructured environment.

Religious
Many churches, mosques and other religious beliefs offer preschool programs. They may follow any preschool philosophy in determining curriculum, and they may incorporate varying degrees of religious content and/or training. If you are interested in a religious-based program, be sure to ask about their curriculum and philosophy

Language immersion
In a language immersion preschool, all or most of the classes are conducted entirely in the new language. The teacher may demonstrate her meaning while she speaks, but rarely or never translates. This method is more appropriate for young children than translation learning (the more common teaching method for adults). The content may be guided by other preschool philosophies. The focus on a new language develops the child's language acquisition ability while providing fluency in the new language. Language immersion is best for children who are developing first language skills at a normal rate. It may temporarily slow development of the first language, and so it's inappropriate for children who are struggling in this area.

International school
An international school is usually a school instituted by a foreign country in another country. The language of the country of origin (often English) is typically used to conduct most or all of the classes. These schools were often set up for the benefit of the children of expatriates and local children who wish to learn the language. An international school may teach other languages in addition to the main language. These schools are best for children who are temporarily in a foreign country or for parents who want their children to learn the new language.


E-learning
Using electronic media and information and communication technology (ICT) in education. E-learning is broadly inclusive of all forms of educational technology in learning and teaching. multimedia learning, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), computer-based instruction (CBI), computer-based training (CBT), computer-assisted instruction or computer-aided instruction (CAI), internet-based training (IBT), web-based training (WBT), online education, virtual education, virtual learning environment (VLE) (which are also called learning platforms) and digital educational collaboration. These alternative names emphasize a particular aspect, component or delivery method.
E-learning includes numerous types of media that deliver text, audio, images, animation, and streaming video, and includes technology applications and processes such as audio or video tape, satellite TV, CD-ROM, and computer-based learning, as well as local intranet/extranet and web-based learning. Information and communication systems, whether free-standing or based on either local networks or the Internet, underly many e-learning processes.
E-learning can occur in or out of the classroom. It can be self-paced, or may be instructor-led, synchronous learning. E-learning is suited to distance learning and flexible learning, but it can also be used in conjunction with face-to-face teaching, in which case the term blended learning is commonly used.

Reference : www.greatschools.org
                    en.wikipedia.org