Happy Holidays to everyone! It has been a crazy few weeks as we bring our classroom to the absolute peak of frenzy making decorations and covert gifts, singing songs, learning about holidays around the world, decking our halls with everything from popcorn to dreidels! We always have a wonderful time, really there is no better place to be this time of year than in a Montessori classroom. But it's exhausting and I feel it more every year.
Today I got a lovely gift that melted the exhaustion away. We had a visit from a pretty young woman, studying in Europe, who wanted to observe our children as part of her preparation to teach. She came in full of curiosity, great questions, and positive energy. She looked at every area, impressed by the lovely materials and the depth of curriculum available to all ages. She recognized the link from simple to complex, the manner in which children bring themselves along academically without adult direction once they have mastered basic organization and developed an understanding of a work cycle. Her eyes widened as she caught on to the things we brought to her attention. She asked lots of personal questions of us, how we became teachers, how we found Montessori, why we chose this path.
But the absolute best thing about the morning was when she looked outside and said, " I remember climbing that tree," or when she saw an activity and touched it lovingly and said, " I remember this work". I could see recognition and nostalgia in her face as she watched the kids, and heard her understanding of what she was observing when she addressed the children. I was so proud of her, beautiful, brilliant young woman, who not so long ago ran around this yard, and worked diligently in this classroom, who never gave up, who challenged herself daily and with joy, who mentored her two younger siblings as they came up into the ranks of the Montessori classroom.
To host her here today, as she chose to come back and learn yet again from the Montessori environment from whence she came, to have her look at us adult to adult and care about our journey as she looked around with new eyes, was the best present I could get this year. I feel validated yet again. I feel the rightness of my choice yet again. I am thankful to still be here, in this same beautiful place, where those who want to come back can still find us. And so very lucky. Thank you Beth!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Today I made the time to have lunch with a new colleague, a fellow administrator. I thought we would discuss our respective classroom situations, the effects of the economy and leadership quanderies. Instead, we wound up sharing our "how we came to love Montessori" stories, and reveling in the joy of coming to work every day.
When you find someone who understands what Montessori means educationally and spiritually to a developing child, it feels like you've found someone in the secret society of those who are aware of " the gift". It is almost possible to feel guilty to be in on this wonderful secret that many have not, and will never discover.
The conversation turns to how many amazing and beautiful things we witness in a day, how profound the experience has been for our own children and family, and how absolutely wonderful, across the board, Montessori parents are. They become friends, teachers, and allies and we miss them terribly when they finally leave.
My colleague and I come at this experience from two very diverse paths. I have been involved with Montessori since I was 19, and have had my school for almost 30 years. She spent the same time in corporate America, as a business woman, project manager, and Mom. She found Montessori for her last child, after realizing that her others had been negatively impacted by their educational experiences in more traditional schools. She administrates and I teach. And yet, we have the same perceptions of this life we have chosen. We get the same sense of fulfillment that has nothing to do with financial reward.
We both love our schools and our lives revolve around giving our all to making them better. We both mourn that we sometimes have to compete with reputations of schools that are less than they should be, but carry the Montessori name. We both want to end the prevailing myths that abound regarding Montessori: they are too lenient; they are too strict; they don't prepare the child for regular school; they are religion based... etc. But these myths were around when I started in 1978, and they may be forever. And, as always, those who look closer will continue to find us and see the wonderful reality.
As the economy worsens, we are both doing what we can to help families who are committed to stay onboard. We are proud of the fact that our people are not defecting to save money. They are hanging on. They are cutting back in other ways to keep their dream of raising balanced, empathetic, peaceful, self taught learners, kids who can find their way in any environment, problem solve, and respect others, alive. They are preparing their children for life, and to be the next keepers of our planet. Having the honor to participate in this dance is the true gift we are thankful for these holidays.
And if you came into our classrooms and watched us for a day, you too, would feel the joy, and see the gifts the children give to each other and to us. You would want to be part of it all, and you would be in on the secret, too. I am privileged to work in such a great community with so many dedicated colleagues and families. I want to thank all of you who consider Montessori for your child, in all parts of the world. Together, we can keep this going, for the love of the children...
When you find someone who understands what Montessori means educationally and spiritually to a developing child, it feels like you've found someone in the secret society of those who are aware of " the gift". It is almost possible to feel guilty to be in on this wonderful secret that many have not, and will never discover.
The conversation turns to how many amazing and beautiful things we witness in a day, how profound the experience has been for our own children and family, and how absolutely wonderful, across the board, Montessori parents are. They become friends, teachers, and allies and we miss them terribly when they finally leave.
My colleague and I come at this experience from two very diverse paths. I have been involved with Montessori since I was 19, and have had my school for almost 30 years. She spent the same time in corporate America, as a business woman, project manager, and Mom. She found Montessori for her last child, after realizing that her others had been negatively impacted by their educational experiences in more traditional schools. She administrates and I teach. And yet, we have the same perceptions of this life we have chosen. We get the same sense of fulfillment that has nothing to do with financial reward.
We both love our schools and our lives revolve around giving our all to making them better. We both mourn that we sometimes have to compete with reputations of schools that are less than they should be, but carry the Montessori name. We both want to end the prevailing myths that abound regarding Montessori: they are too lenient; they are too strict; they don't prepare the child for regular school; they are religion based... etc. But these myths were around when I started in 1978, and they may be forever. And, as always, those who look closer will continue to find us and see the wonderful reality.
As the economy worsens, we are both doing what we can to help families who are committed to stay onboard. We are proud of the fact that our people are not defecting to save money. They are hanging on. They are cutting back in other ways to keep their dream of raising balanced, empathetic, peaceful, self taught learners, kids who can find their way in any environment, problem solve, and respect others, alive. They are preparing their children for life, and to be the next keepers of our planet. Having the honor to participate in this dance is the true gift we are thankful for these holidays.
And if you came into our classrooms and watched us for a day, you too, would feel the joy, and see the gifts the children give to each other and to us. You would want to be part of it all, and you would be in on the secret, too. I am privileged to work in such a great community with so many dedicated colleagues and families. I want to thank all of you who consider Montessori for your child, in all parts of the world. Together, we can keep this going, for the love of the children...
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