Education Built on Trust
One mother's search for a school that truly respects children
“The teachers don't judge parents. Even if your child has weaknesses or is a little behind, the child isn't judged either.”
Mrs. Tyas, mother of Aisha (5 years old)
Mrs. Tyas first discovered the Montessori approach when Aisha was just 8 months old, studying on her own, preparing activities at home. The plan was simple: no school needed, just learning together with Mama.
But when Akina was born, that plan collapsed. "I couldn't get anything done," she said. A mother who had invested years studying Montessori, suddenly overwhelmed with two children. So, school it was.
The first school she tried, a small Montessori preschool near their home, seemed fine on the surface. But one small moment told Mrs. Tyas everything she needed to know. Instead of gentle redirection, a teacher used fear to get a child to cooperate. That was enough. Mrs. Tyas went back to searching.
“If it's truly Montessori, you don't use fear with children.”
Mrs. Tyas, on the incident at the previous school
Mrs. Tyas went back to searching on Google. The Montessori schools she already knew about were in BSD. Too far.. But then one name came up: Joyful Montessori, in Serpong Natura City.
From the first step inside, it was different. "Cleaner, more organized, it felt homey," Mrs. Tyas recalled. "Even the materials were spotless. The moment you walk in, you can just feel the difference."
Aisha is a quiet child, and at Joyful, that was never treated as a problem. "The teachers don't judge." No labels, no pressure. Aisha was accepted as she is.
It was from that pressure-free environment that the changes started showing up at home. Before, whenever there was a conflict with her younger sister Akina, Aisha would go silent and wait for Mama to step in. Now? "She can resolve things on her own, without help or with just a little guidance."
“It exceeded my expectations, Miss -- that's honestly how I feel.”
Mrs. Tyas, on her overall experience at Joyful Montessori
At home, Mrs. Tyas sees a different child: "She knows what she wants." Aisha is more self-directed, with a will of her own.
In the classroom, Aisha chooses her own materials based on what interests her. "When a child can choose their own materials, it tells you where her intelligence is developing." Not a system that forces every child to learn the same thing, but one that pays attention to what's unfolding in each child.
“Montessori gives children freedom with boundaries. And from that, a sense of responsibility grows naturally within the child.”
Mrs. Tyas, on the essence of the Montessori approach
For Mrs. Tyas, Joyful gave her something equally important: a sense of safety as a parent. A place where she could be a parent without being scrutinized, and Aisha could grow without being compared.
When asked about Joyful's elementary program, her answer was candid: "Honestly, I'm very interested, Miss. But I'll need to discuss it with my husband first, and see how the children develop." Enthusiastic, but grounded.
