MLS II caters to the age group of 11-12 years. The learning system for this age group follows the Apprentice Based Approach. The curriculum uses models and protagonists to explain concepts and introduce children to a world of vocations that awaits them ahead of schooling. The children at this stage have evolved in their intellects and are constantly seeking logic and reasoning for every concept which is taught to them. Every happening and every phenomenon has to be reasoned to allow the children to grasp the intended meaning of it. Thus, the Apprentice Based Approach involves explanation linked to real-life projects which could contribute develop a certain area of interest in the child to follow in the future. The curriculum is adaptive and allows the children to discover the potentials and solve challenges that are crucial for the upcoming adolescent phase of their lives.
The curriculum in the Millennium Schools is powered by the Millennium Learning SystemTM. Every tangible for MLS has been developed at the Research and Development Division of Education Quality Foundation of India, with a focused outcome in mind. This outcome is clearly understood through our vision for every child who enters the system. Age appropriate, psychologically mapped and pedagogically apt tangibles are used at every level of the Millennium Learning SystemTM. Some of these are the books, the assessment system and the lesson plans.
The personalized dictionary, concept books, project books, follow up journals, apprentice manuals, explorer’s quest and portfolios are all designed to help in the process of building relevant skills. Learners’ creativity, data handling skills and presentation skills are automatically built along with social and emotional skills as they learn through collaboration and peer interaction.
Suitable support and training ensures that the facilitators are empowered to create a motivating atmosphere. The classrooms become vibrant with the process of teaching-learning. The overall effect is not just a passive transfer of information, but lively, interactive and enjoyable sessions where the learners develop confidence and build skills as they understand and apply the knowledge by connecting it to their daily life.
Assessments are a very important part of the curriculum of the Millennium Learning systemTM. It aids to bring up the skill levels of each learner. A system of regular Formative Assessments and Summative Assessments help achieve this.
As children step into adolescence at 13 years, they grapple with multiple questions about themselves and their future. MLS III curriculum is based on helping children map their knowledge to real-life and hence this age follows the Mind Mapping Approach to Learning. The curriculum allows the students to expand their frontiers beyond the syllabus and scale new heights by developing personal abilities and aptitudes unique to them. They are indulged in several memory strategies, graphic organizers, and mind mapping sessions. These strategies and sessions are designed not only to help them to achieve academic success but to form a habit of problem-solving through reasoning and brainstorming. It prepares them for the ever-challenging future with a rational approach and allows them to grow intellectually.
