UNESCO chief pushes for practical approach toward preschoolers

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)-Philippines secretary general Ambassador Preciosa Soliven pushed yesterday for a practical approach in teaching preschoolers and training their teachers in "cosmic curriculum."

The "cosmic curriculum," pioneered by Dottoressa Maria Montessori, refers to the sciences of geography, history, botany and zoology as the "keys to the universe," she said.

Soliven issued the call in her speech before the delegates of the Department of Science and Technology’s scientific forum at the Philippine Trade Trading Center in Roxas Blvd, Pasay City.

"We consider our people lazy because of tropical heat and all, but I think it’s just finding the right kind of education," Soliven later told The STAR.

She said 12 education experts from all over the world founded the four pillars in education: learning to be, learning to learn, learning to work, and learning to live together in harmony.

The four pillars, according to Soliven, refer to the development of a human being.

The first pillar is from birth to six years, when a person has an absorbent mind, like that of a camera, Soliven said, adding that this conditions the person to love work, be confident and independent.

"By the time they become six to 12 years old, the absorbent mind becomes a reasoning mind, with very powerful intelligence but it is matched with a sense of morality," she said. "We can teach them with very rich culture and this is what Montessori called the cosmic curriculum."

"In this science oriented generation her cosmic curriculum becomes very relevant," Soliven added.

She said by using the proper approach in teaching preschoolers, they will learn to love and enjoy subjects such as science and math.

However, Soliven noted that only young parents embraced the method.

The third pillar is learning to work, which she said corresponds to the adolescent stage, when teenagers are very work-oriented.

"In European high schools, they end up with employed graduates, which is missing in our own educational ladder," Soliven said.

The fourth pillar, according to Soliven, is the result of achieving the first three pillars and living together in harmony.

"The problems here, hunger, natural calamities, would be resolved if only men are conditioned to become economically independent from childhood," she said.

Soliven cited her Pagsasarili program, which she established in 1983, that provides education to poor preschoolers in slum areas in Metro Manila.

The Pagsasarili program, inspired by Montessori, "makes use of practical things in caring for the person, so they can clean themselves, they set the table, they can sing, they can dance, it’s very scientifically taught."

"The teachers do not talk before a group. The teacher talks to a child and shows it by action and like a camera the child picks up, the child will do the same thing," Soliven said. "The basis of intelligence is by sharpening the senses."

She said "the system must be revolutionized and we have to change it, we have a wrong belief that preschool is just easy so they only train teachers for a week... the teachers have to understand the psychology" behind teaching preschoolers.