Most parents in Accra choose between two kinds of preschool: a traditional nursery, where the teacher leads the whole class through the day, and a Montessori school, where children choose their own work from a prepared classroom. Both can be loving places. The question is which suits your child and your family.
How the day is organised
In a traditional nursery, the class usually moves together: songs, then a lesson, then worksheets, then play. In a Montessori classroom, there is a long morning work cycle. Children choose an activity, work with it for as long as they need, put it away and choose the next. The teacher moves between them, giving short lessons to one child or a small group.
What children learn, and how
Traditional nurseries often focus on early reading and writing through repetition and worksheets. Montessori children learn the same skills, but through hands-on materials: sandpaper letters, counting beads, puzzles and real tasks like pouring and cleaning. Alongside the academics, they practise concentration, independence and looking after their classroom.
Questions to ask yourself
Does your child like to explore and do things their own way, or do they settle best with a clear, shared routine? Would you like a school that measures progress with tests and homework, or one that observes each child closely and reports on how they are growing? There is no wrong answer.
If you can, visit both kinds of school on a normal weekday morning. Watch the children more than the teachers. Are they busy, calm and interested? That tells you more than any brochure.
