Montessori International Issue 129 – December 2020
Reconstructing the world | A tribute to Barbara Isaacs | Montessori book exclusive Outdoor learning in a Covid world | Reflecting on global displacement Voice of the teacher in Toronto | Montessori entrepreneur Karen Partridge
I n THE March i ss u e S u s ta i n a b i l i t y t h e n at u r a l wo r l d outdoor activities
EDITORIAL BOARD’S LETTER
Inspiring social changemakers of the future
On the cover A child holding
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a candle Montessori InternatIonal Issue 129 – December 2020
reconstructing the world | a tribute to Barbara Isaacs | Montessori book exclusive Outdoor learning in a Covid world | Reflecting on global displacement Voice of the teacher in Toronto | Montessori entrepreneur Karen Partridge
This year has been challenging. In the face of a global pandemic - the first of its kind for most of us - many people have had to juggle a mixture of work, childcare and caring for vulnerable relatives against a backdrop of new regulations, lockdowns, school and business closures and new ways of working, such as working from home. Many people have also been isolated from loved ones for long periods of time. In a difficult world, it is heartwarming to see that these challenges have also sparked a joyous sense of community and solidarity around the world, especially across the Montessori community. For example, we have seen countless examples of guides uniting to rethink how best to create a Covid-safe learning environment that continues to support and nurture the children in their care, and the creation of a whole host of online talks, courses and conferences to help support these efforts and practice in general. We salute everyone who has created opportunities to reconnect in innovative ways with their communities and support those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The resilience and adaptability we have seen has been awe-inspiring and beautifully in line with the Montessori pedagogy that calls for survival, adaptability, resilience and, ultimately, the betterment of humanity. The Montessori Group has also been applying all of the above as the organisation evolves to reflect modern times and the changing needs of its Montessori community and society. The team has been busy creating more affordable and globally accessible courses for students and parents alike, while working hard to promote the Montessori name and enhancing
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the group’s charitable efforts. Accordingly, this issue of Montessori International will be added to the wide range of resources available to anyone who signs up to the free Montessori Network. Change can be challenging, but it’s undeniably overdue in so many aspects of the world in which we currently live. And if we are to take anything positive from the current pandemic, it must be the hope that comes with being on the cusp of great change. In the context of education, hope springs from political forces slowly acknowledging the importance of exposing children to an education that enables them to realise their place in the universe and their cosmic duty during their lifetime, as Montessori intended. For example, in a recent interview with the Times Educational Supplement, Kate Green, Shadow Education Secretary in the UK, criticised education for being “joyless”, “narrow” and “information-heavy” and called for a system that taught the child “a wider understanding of the world they’re growing up in”. Never has there been a more pressing need for us to believe in the child and their ability to transform humanity and protect the universe, in this case from further pandemics. This will take great work by several generations to come, but therein lies the challenge for Montessorians everywhere: to support the child to fulfill their potential and understand the increasingly important cosmic duty awaiting them. We wish you a very happy, safe and prosperous 2021, and look forward to continuing to support and inspire you on your Montessori journey. The editorial board
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IN this ISSUE
Issue 129 – December 2020
cov e r f e at u r e The Montessori community needs to help rebuild society through the child in the wake of the global crises of 2020, says Susanne Van Niekerk
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Montessori tribute Hannah Baynham reflects on Barbara Isaacs’s 35-year career as a Montessori guide, mentor, colleague and friend
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montessori books Philip Snow Gang explores how to rediscover the essence of Montessori in the first of an exclusive two-part extract from his newly published book.
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montessori research Katie J Parsons on the importance of outdoor learning in a Covid world
voice of the teacher Elizabeth Roschman celebrates the adaptability and resilience of children this year
Montessori insight Koren Clark calls on Montessorians across the world to help irradicate racism Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
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Montessori insight Amira El-Aghel explains why displacement must be understood and addressed
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Montessori INSIGHT Erin Blessitt explores how role play can provide a key coping mechanism for children
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Voice of the student Maria Gauci on the challenges of training during a pandemic Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
montessori insight Francesca Liberatore explains why guides need to reflect on children’s bodily autonomy
Montessori c o mm u n i t y The Montessori Group Chief Executive Officer, Leonor Stjepic, shares the vision driving the changes afoot in the business
voice of t h e pa r e n t Indie Nivarro’s experience of being a Montessori homeschooler in Muscat, Oman
Montessori entrepreneur Karen Partridge discusses her journey in setting up her North London-based Montessori setting, Playhood
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cover feature
Reconstructing the world The Montessorian community must unite to help rebuild humanity through the child in response to the devastating global crises of 2020, says Susanne Van Niekerk
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times in which they live” (Montessori, 1932: 30). In her closing address, Montessori suggested that the only possible way forward for humankind would be to make an immediate collective effort to “enhance the dignity of the human personality that it will reach the same advanced level as the environment that man’s labour and intelligence have created” (Montessori, 1932: 100). This, she proposed, could be achieved if adults examined their consciences, realised their own shortcomings and defects and sought to remedy them, and the child, socially speaking, was recognised as a citizen of the world. “As a dignified human being with a right to live and be protected, whatever his social background, whatever his racial origins, whatever his birthplace; the child must be recognized as a citizen” (Montessori, 1932: 73). And this was before the outbreak of World War Two, which resulted in Montessori and her son Mario as Italian citizens being detained by the British in India for seven years. A year of crises Fast forward to 2020, a year of converging natural, humanitarian and human rights crises across the globe. Human interference in the natural world has resulted in the Californian wildfires and the Australian brushfires, which have burned record numbers of acres and resulted in the devastating loss of human and animal life. Then followed volcanic eruptions in the Philippines, flooding in Indonesia and unprecedented locust swarms in East Africa and Asia. Meanwhile, the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is set to see the largest number of named storms on record. Human conflict across the globe prompted the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to predict that one in every 45 persons on the planet - approximately 168 million people - would require humanitarian assistance and protection in Monte ssori Inte rnational
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Maria Montessori delivered an address on peace at the International Office of Education in Geneva in 1932, during which she asked, “Man today lies slumbering on the surface of the earth which is about to swallow him up. What will he do?” (Montessori, 1932: 22). By 1932, Montessori had fought the inequalities of education and the employment system to become one of Italy’s first female doctors and was now striving to be recognised as a voice of the child, to whom she referred as the “forgotten citizen” (Montessori, 2019: 70). She had lived through World War One and had witnessed its ravages on humanity. In an uncanny coincidence to our current life experience, she had also experienced the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 to 1920. In most of her lectures on human development, Montessori seemed to struggle with the way that human beings had been capable of changing and manipulating nature to create a civilisation that fulfilled their changing and evolving material needs, but lacked the ability or consciousness to understand that this progress equally required a humanitarian balance. In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, Montessori warned that “there are only two paths before us: we must either prove worthy of our great achievements, or die as a result of them” (Montessori, 1932: 26), which she followed in 1937 with an address in Copenhagen where she stated that “the danger that threatens us today has perhaps been visited upon us by destiny in order that all humanity may unite for its common purpose” (Montessori, 1932: 60). Her lectures during this time focused clearly on the need for education to guide humanity to seek common goals, which she warned would require a great effort. As she explained, “an education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the
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The rainbow has become a symbol of hope during the Covid-19
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pandemic
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COVER FEATURE
2020 (The Lancet, 2020). This was before the Covid-19 pandemic hit and further exacerbated the existing inequalities in our society. The economic impact of the national lockdowns imposed across the world in an attempt to control the Covid-19 pandemic has hampered humanitarian responses to the global refugee crises, as governments around the world struggle to address the needs of their own economies and citizens. Numerous human rights crises have commanded global attention and hashtag activism via social media. Campaigns have included #BlackLivesMatter (antiracism), #MeToo (anti-sexual harassment and abuse) and #NeverAgain (anti-gun violence). Is it possible that all these years later, yet again, “the danger that threatens us today has perhaps been visited upon us by destiny in order that all humanity may unite for its common purpose?” We are again “slumbering on the surface of the earth which is about to swallow [us] up. What will [we] do?” (Montessori, 2007: 23). As we navigate the crises of 2020 and ponder this question while addressing current events, our call as the Montessori community may well be as simple as taking a step back, taking time to go back to Montessori’s writings and truly reflecting on her post-war ideas on the reconstruction of humanity through the child. We need to carefully reflect on our purpose as we seek to replicate the classroom environment with its online counterpart in order to impart academic lessons to the children. We need to be reminded that our mandate should be focused on human development, rather than on academic subjects. We need to be reminded of the importance of the child for future generations, and for the future of our planet. We need to recognise that despite all our attempts to free ourselves from the lenses with which we view the world, we are unavoidably imbued with learned bias and prejudice that we can so easily transfer to the child. We would be well reminded at this point of Kahlil Gibran’s writings on the child, the builder of our future and hopefully less selfish humanity: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and the daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but they are not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts For they have their own thoughts… You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. (Gibran, 1923: 23) 8 Decemb e r 2020
Reconstruction In 1942, Montessori delivered a lecture on her publication, Reconstruction in Education, where she proposed a solution to the world’s problems by “preparing the child for social life; to be sympathetic and to have a love for humanity” (Montessori, 2019: 45). She further explained that a new type of education could be the hope for a new humanity: “an education that is a collaboration of man and the universe, that is a help for evolution, for the incarnation of man” (Montessori, 2019: 46). Montessori’s time in India gives one a sense that this was a period of great reflection for her about the state of humanity and how education could indeed be reconstructed to create a more peaceful world (see page 18). In a 1946 course lecture on social education that Montessori delivered in London after she was permitted to leave India, she explored the concept of creating what she termed a society by cohesion (Montessori, 2008). This society needed to start with children, rather than biased adults, and these “new” children needed to be introduced to the concept of reciprocal help, rather than being focused on satisfying their immediate needs by competing with each other. This new type of education would create sympathy and understanding, which would result in real harmony and cooperation. The problem however was that “if we are to have a better humanity, the grown-ups must be better” (Montessori, 2008: 75). This “bettering” of the adult required much spiritual preparation and a renewed understanding that adults needed to “realise that we can only better humanity through the child. We must realise that the child is the builder of the man” (Montessori, 2012: 4). In order to do this, adults, and in particular teachers, needed to be very aware of their own inherent biases. “Not in the service of any political or social creed should the teacher work, but in the service of the complete human being, able to exercise in freedom a self-disciplined will and judgement, unperverted by prejudice and undistorted by fear and hatred” (Montessori, 2007: 4). Montessori continued to explore the concept of peace education during the last years of her life. She spoke about it in detail in the 1946 lectures she gave in London and again at the 8th International Congress in San Remo, Italy in August 1949, where she implored all of humanity to study the child, to help bring about human solidarity
It’s more important than ever that we make a space for life to grow
We need to be reminded that our mandate should be focused on human development rather than on academic subjects Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
and world unity. This work in service of the child for humanity saw Montessori nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1949, 1950 and 1951. Renilde Montessori, Maria Montessori’s youngest granddaughter, wrote the following introduction to the San Remo lectures, “It is the present and future generations who, steadfast and tenacious, must carry on the work of calling forth enlightened awareness of the child as the saviour of our erratic species. For them, these lectures hold sound, crystal clear guidelines to pursue now and throughout time” (Montessori, 2019: 73). In order to remain true to Montessori’s vision of world unity, our global Montessori community needs to come together as one Montessori voice that includes all equally, and which has at its core the child as its champion. If we wish to truly honour Montessori’s 150th
birthday, now is the time to finally understand that “the rights of the child are the rights of the soul of humanity” (Montessori, 2008: 102) and to stand accountable for our actions in service of the child. Montessori eloquently summarised in a lecture she gave on education and democracy in Paris in 1949 that the duty of Montessori educators everywhere is “to insist before the world on the importance of this source of life; to stand together to make a space in which life can grow, where life can have the necessary conditions, and then have patience and faith to wait for the result: a better order of life, and beings who are capable of living thus” (Montessori, 2008: 103). Susanne Van Niekerk is Director of Montessori Centre South Africa
References l Association l
Montessori Internationale (2005) Maria Montessori: An Anthology 1870-1952 Amsterdam: AMI
Editorial. (2020) Humanitarian Crisis In A Global Pandemic The Lancet (Vol 396, issue 10249), [online], available from:
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www.thelancet.com (date accessed, 20/10/2020) l
Gibran, K. (1923) The Prophet New York: Alfred. A. Knopf
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Montessori, M. (1932) Education and Peace Amsterdam: Association Montessori Internationale
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Montessori, M. (2007) To Educate the Human Potential Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
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Montessori, M. (2008) The Child, Society and the World Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
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Montessori, M. (2012) The 1946 London Lectures Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
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Montessori, M. (2019) Citizen of the World Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
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Barbara Isaacs has grown a beautiful garden of practitioners during her 35-year Montessori career, explains Hannah Baynham
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The constant gardener Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
Montessori tribute
“The teacher … must be like the flame which heartens all by its warmth, enlivens and invites”
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(Montessori, 2007: 253)
Barbara and her granddaughter Ffion picking fruit together
The GUIDE I had scheduled a tutorial to see Barbara Isaacs. In my hand was an assignment with a low mark of 52%. I was invited in to her office, sat down and was quick to the defence. Barbara listened patiently and when I had finished asked, “Do you feel this is your best work?” “No,” I responded sheepishly, to which she replied, “Hannah, if you focus on the learning, rather than just on the marks, you may find you’ll enjoy it more.” I walked out of the office reflective, questioning the way I had approached learning my entire life. To me this was my first Montessori aha moment; when I realised I was a product of an education system, and that part of deeper learning is unlearning. Montessori’s focus on the process, rather than the product, helps children to reach their true potential, and as a teacher in training it helped me too. This was one of the many times that Barbara challenged and patiently guided me to think deeper, and I know that this has been the case for many Montessori teachers whom Barbara has taught. She has been a guide in times of searching, encouraging and expecting better from us, and of us. A guide is a role model, who gives you the keys to open your own doors. Whether it was in our assignments, our work with children, accrediting schools or in training future teachers, Barbara pushes us to see our potential and believe in ourselves. Barbara was born in in the former Czechoslovakia, in the town of Uherské Hradiště, on October 9, 1949. Her father, a pharmacist with whom she shared a love of gardening, died when she was only nine years old, and so she was raised by her mother. Aged 12, she was sent to boarding school in another town where she stayed until she graduated. Barbara always dreamt of visiting England, and so at age 17 she went to London for a holiday, which is when she met a young girl in Hyde Park, who said she was an au pair. Barbara looked up the meaning of this and vowed to return to London to do the same job. During the Prague Spring, Barbara was scheduled to leave for London in September 1968, but on August 20 the Mo ntes s o r i I nter n atio n al
Russian tanks rolled in and everything changed. Her mother quickly took her to Prague to get a visa and put her on the train to Vienna. Barbara recalls meeting a girl who had no money, so she took out her ten pounds and gave the girl five, so they would both have something. The Red Cross greeted the girls in Vienna and helped Barbara to arrange to fly to London. “I had to stay two days in a refugee camp, which was luxury in comparison to what people are experiencing today, but I learned very quickly about the anxiety that that situation brings,” she reflects. Arriving at customs in the UK, Barbara spoke little English, but understood quite a bit more. The customs officer told her that she needed to go to school every day if she was to become an au pair. When the first family that employed her said they could only let her attend school two days a week, Barbara said, “That’s not right!”, so the family asked her to leave. Barbara was quick to find a new employer and her “first child”, Tanya, whose family soon became her surrogate family. “I was an au pair for them for three years,” recalls Barbara. “They influenced how I understood life; not quite English life, as they were South Africans, but they had a more open lifestyle. I had to work incredibly hard, but they were also very kind. They had a house in Portugal where we went every spring and summer, and they always took me travelling and out for dinner. I was like a member of their family.” After three years of working as an au pair, Barbara got a job at N.R. Omell Gallery in Duke Street, in St. James in London. It was as at this time that she met her husband, Tony, in a yoga class, and they were married in 1974 at Old Marylebone Town Hall. She worked at the gallery for many years and enjoyed learning about the art
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Montessori tribute
She notices qualities that need nurturing and helps to cultivate these, encouraging them to blossom, and as a result has grown a beautiful garden of dedicated practitioners
world in England. “She became something of an authority in 18th- and 19th-century marine painting. She was well respected, not that she would ever mention it,” explained Tony via email. When the father of the family for whom she had au paired died and left her money, Barbara knew she wanted to use it wisely. “He loved children, and Tanya had gone to a Montessori school, so I decided to put the money towards training as a Montessori teacher,” she remembers. She started her training full time at Montessori St. Nicholas in January 1983, spending weekends working at a café. She did her placement at Montessori St. Nicholas Nursery and Rainbow Montessori and completed the course a year later when she was five months pregnant with her first child, Adelle. At her graduation ceremony in December 1984, Barbara was invited to teach the Practical Life curriculum at St. Nicholas, and so began her career as a Montessori teacher trainer in the following January.
Barbara and Hannah in Ankara, Turkey presenting to UNICEF
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The mentor I once had an opportunity to move to Dharamsala in India, to help transform a traditional school into a Montessori kindergarten for Tibetan refugees. I was unsure if I was ready for such an enormous task having only just finished my Montessori training, but when I asked Barbara what she thought about the idea, she responded, “Go to Dharamsala! The best way to learn is to do.” And so I went and set up the school, fundraised for Montessori materials and trained teachers. Six months into the project, I invited Barbara to come and lead a workshop for the teachers. It turned out to be an amazing week, at the end of which ten Tibetan women did a practical assessment and received a certificate from Montessori Centre International (MCI). This was empowering for many of the women, as it was their first Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
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Children in Dharamsala in PHOTOGRAPHS: ADELLE ISAACS, MERVE UZUNALIOGLU, Kim Yeshi
India, where Barbara led a workshop for Tibetan teachers at Norling Crèche and Kindergarten.
time earning any type of qualification. The project was an intrinsic part of my understanding and belief in Montessori. Since then, Barbara has been alongside all of my career decisions, and having her as a mentor has really encouraged me to take chances. She often sees what I’m capable of far before I do. I know this is one of Barbara’s super powers - to see people’s potential. She notices qualities that need nurturing and helps to cultivate these, encouraging them to blossom, and as a result has grown a beautiful garden of dedicated practitioners. Barbara worked as a tutor at Montessori St. Nicholas for five years before she was approached by Lesley Britton to be Principal of the London Montessori Centre (LMC). (Britton founded LMC, which in 1998 merged with Montessori St. Nicholas to become MCI). Barbara requested instead to be the Deputy Principal, to enable her
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to gain experience. Britton agreed and encouraged Barbara to pursue a degree, which resulted in her studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Adult and Continuing Education and Training at the University of Greenwich. In 1991, with the help of Helen Prochazka, founder of Montessori Partnership, she fulfilled her dream of running a nursery. They found a hall in Wantage in Oxfordshire and after moving her family from London, Seedlings Montessori Nursery was born. Barbara worked one day a week in the nursery while studying for her degree and working at LMC. “The nursery is what I consider the golden times. It was this experience that kept me going,” Barbara reminisces fondly. The contact with the children and the support of her husband and friend, Pip Titheridge, who helped to keep the setting running, made this an important part of Barbara’s career. Her De ce mb er 20 20 13
Montessori tribute
children, Adelle and Danny, would come to help after school, and so it became an extension of their family. Barbara was involved in the nursery until 2010, when she realised the commitment of working at MCI in London needed all of her attention. After completing her degree, Barbara vowed never to study again, as she didn’t feel she was particularly academic. But when the Times Educational Supplement announced that Professor Tina Bruce, renowned academic and play theorist, would be leading a master’s degree in early childhood education, Barbara realised this was an opportunity not to be missed and registered. But studying again was a challenge. “I’m not sure how I managed it, but if you want something you will find a way,” she says. She successfully completed her master’s degree within two years, despite fears about the standard of her dissertation. Barbara wrote her first book, Bringing the Montessori Approach to Early Years, in 2007. “I did it for my mother, who thought I was ridiculous for becoming a teacher. I did it to prove to her I could do something,” she explains. Barbara’s second book, Understanding the Montessori Approach, was published in 2012 and has since had two editions published. It continues to be a widely used textbook in Montessori training, as it is easy to understand and brings Montessori to life. T h e c o l l e a gu e In 2017, I landed my dream job as an academic tutor at MCI in London. I returned to the building where my Montessori journey began and worked alongside those who had trained me. Like Barbara, my first lesson was in Practical Life and I prepared for weeks. I was so nervous, my students clapped encouragingly at the end of the lesson, happy that I had made it through. Sitting in the staff room, I was able to see how the college ran from the other side. Barbara continued to be such a strong presence in all of this. Every morning she would make sure to visit the different offices, greeting everyone and checking in and offering advice and encouragement where needed. 14 Dece mb e r 2020
I was so grateful to be a colleague and to continue to learn from her, but I also realised that she could also learn from me. In a peer observation of one of her sessions, I offered some feedback and was instantly terrified that I had overstepped the mark. She graciously reflected on my comments, agreed with me and made changes. Since then, we continue to challenge each other, discuss issues in depth and learn alongside one another, as well as from our students. This co-constructing of knowledge has really empowered my understanding of Montessori. During the days Barbara was in college, I knew I wouldn’t get much work done because of all the conversations, brainstorming and laughter we shared, but these moments form some of my fondest memories of working together. I know I can say on the behalf of all of my colleagues, students and graduates at MCI
Hannah, Barbara and Ffion in Oxfordshire
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To become a grandmother was like falling in love again. It is such a privilege to be able to see a child’s capacities unfold
Montessori Europe, which is a role she undertakes alongside her work with online group Montessori Musings UK, and her own personal blog, Montessori Granny. She was also one of the creators of Montessori Everywhere, a 12-hour online global summit that ran in August and which she describes as one of the most exciting things she has ever done. During one of her webinars, I recently asked Barbara if she had any words of wisdom for teachers, to which she replied, “Continue to learn from children. They are our future. They hold so many treasures; so many secrets. Continue to learn and continue to serve the child. It’s the best journey I have made in my entire life.”
that Barbara was the heart of the college. But of all the job titles that Barbara has had over the years, the most valuable is that of grandmother. In 2017, Barbara’s first granddaughter, Ffion, was born, which led to Barbara deciding to work part-time at MCI, so she could spend days “grannying”. To the delight of everyone, Barbara would often share pictures and moments of her time with Ffion with all of us. She says fondly, “For me to become a grandmother was like falling in love again. It is such a privilege to be able to see a child’s capacities unfold, and to be able to sit and see what she is doing. It is a gift from life.” Her second granddaughter, Seren, was born in January 2020 and Barbara continues to enjoy her granny days with both girls. Having spent 35 years in Montessori education, Barbara’s career is anything but over. After resigning from MCI earlier this year, she was elected President of Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
Friend During lockdown, like many others, I enjoyed seeing Barbara regularly through her hosting of MCI’s Talking Montessori webinars. Then, when Covid-19 restrictions relaxed a bit, I went to Oxfordshire with some colleagues to enjoy a socially distanced walk with her. It was lovely to see the small village where she lived and to talk in person again. I have visited Barbara a few more times since then and spent time with her family. We have walked the White Horse Hill walking trail, poked around her allotment and jumped on the trampoline with Ffion. She has fed me some lovely lunches and, as always, we have enjoyed a good laugh together. Montessori continues to bind us, but I’m learning more about who Barbara is beyond Montessori. Secretly recording our chats for this article, I listened to her story, the steps of her journey and her hopes for the future. I haven’t been able to highlight her entire career here, as there is far too much to cover, and as a tribute, I feel I have fallen short, but these voice recordings are something I will treasure forever. Barbara will continue to be many things for me, but above all I feel extremely fortunate to be able to call her my friend. Hannah Baynham is the Early Years Educator Diploma Course Leader at Montessori Centre International
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Bringing back Montessori to Montessori In part one of a two-part series, Philip Snow Gang reflects on the essence of Montessori education in this exclusive extract from his new book This article is a condensation of the second half of chapter nine, Bringing Back Montessori to Montessori, from my new book, Educating for Right-Action and Love: Extending and Expanding the Montessori Vision. It was written as a response to a letter I received from Ada Montessori after the death of her husband and Maria Montessori’s son, Mario Sr. She said, “I only feel that
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Mario had the real gift for pointing out the essence, and I am afraid people may lose themselves in the details.” During the first half of this chapter, I searched for this essence by tracing Maria Montessori’s life, where she continuously revealed essential keynotes from early on and through the 1930s, but more so during her years in India, from 1939 to 1946 and from 1947 to 1948.
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M o n t e ss o r i b o o k s
“The children, with their simplicity of action, work in harmony with the cosmos. We [adults] must enter into harmony and take up our own Cosmic Task” (Montessori, 1935, 21st Montessori Course) “The revolutionary movements of our days are a sign of the great crisis from which “the universal consciousness” of humanity is about to be born” (Montessori, 1946/1989:110) I asked Vedic astrologer, Drupada MacDonald, what it might have been like for Maria Montessori coming to India for the first time in 1939. This is his response, “As a western born person, who visits India often, I don’t have to think too much about my answer. It is common in Indian culture not to just talk about God, but to talk to God. God is the nearest of the near and the dearest of the dear and lots of people have very real relationships with this consciousness. Whether you call it divine mother, heavenly father, Krishna, Rama, Ganesh, Hanuman or the infinite light and/or love, it is all of these and more. I am currently in Assisi (Italy) where one can still feel the energy that St. Francis awakened some 700 years ago. It is tangible. He was one saint with many followers that created a movement that touched this land, and society. That energy is still living. In India, every place has had many many St. Francistype beings over the last 4000 years. Who knows how
many. Thousands? Millions? You can feel it in the “air” if you are sensitive. I would guess that Maria Montessori was filled with spiritual inspiration in India. I know that I sure have felt it when there” (MacDonald, 2019). Although she traveled throughout Europe and visited North and South America, Montessori had never lived close to nature for an extended period. Of course she had short periods of time in natural settings. Her grandson, Mario, Jr., told me that in the summers they would live on a farm in the eastern part of Germany. In fact, he explained that her ideas about erdkinder [children of the earth] were born observing her adolescent grandchildren work the farm. But India would be the first time she actually lived in a natural setting for a prolonged period. Walking and being in nature, she viscerally experienced the cosmic flow-through she talked about in 1935. India was an extraordinary experience for Montessori. During those 1935-36 lectures on cosmic education, the ‘cosmic’ she referred to was earth-based: one that demonstrates how all organic and inorganic entities are interconnected and interdependent. In India, she gained insight into how lessons might be developed for children over six years of age. At the same time, the framework for her contribution to humanity expanded, incorporating the idea of cosmic consciousness. In her book, The Absorbent Mind, Montessori points to Western philosophers Henri Bergson and William
Kodaikanal in India, where Montessori was filled with spiritual inspiration
PHOTOGRAPH: ISTOCK
India would be the first time she actually lived in a natural setting for a prolonged period. Walking and being in nature, she viscerally experienced the cosmic flow-through
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Montessori with children in India (top) and Dr Philip Snow Gang (above)
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Led by intuition, insight, inspiration and the science of observation, Montessori created learning environments for children that met their physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual needs. So, how might one create a learning environment that extends the inner development of the earlier years? Since the capacity of the imagination is in full blossom, might this be a time to invite children into an exploration of the universe and cosmic consciousness itself? What experiences might enable them to be in awe of their inheritance and realise that each human being has a responsibility to contribute and to give back? In order to strike the imagination of the learner to explore culture and science, the teacher of the elementary age child is a good storyteller - a Renaissance person with a passion for learning that crosses all disciplines. This teacher knows the art of asking the right question at the right time. Montessori explains: “Since it is necessary to give so much to the children, let us give them a vision of the whole universe. The universe is an imposing reality and the answer to all questions. We shall walk together on this path of life. All things are part of the universe and are connected with each other to form one whole unity” (Montessori, 1948: 9). Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
PHOTOGRAPHS: ASSOCIATION MONTESSORI INTERNATIONALE, SARAH DENAE, KATIE TODD, ISTOCK
Maria
James as sources of inspiration. One of their common explorations was the notion of cosmic consciousness. During the India years, Montessori was hosted by the Theosophical Society and embedded in a Buddhist and Hindu culture. This gave her an opportunity to observe cosmic consciousness from an Eastern perspective. In The Absorbent Mind she refers to the Bhagavad Gita by saying: “One is tempted to say that the children are performing spiritual exercises, having found the path of self-perfect(ing) and ascent to the inner heights of the soul. Their work, in its development, reminds one of the principles to be found in the Indian book of wisdom, the Gita” (Montessori, 1949: 270). Montessori ends The Absorbent Mind with, “Love is conceded to humans as a gift that is directed for a certain purpose and a special reason and, in that, it resembles everything lent to human beings by the cosmic consciousness” (Montessori, 1949: 296). From the very beginning, she knew that when children are engaged in meaningful activity/work as well as authentic relationships with nature, they not only learn the how, what, and why, but they also develop personality attributes like appreciation, gratitude, and empathy.
M o n t e ss o r i b o o k s
And she continues, “If the idea of the universe be presented to the children in the right way, it will do more than just arouse their interest, it will create in them admiration and wonder … The child’s mind will no longer wander but becomes fixed and can work. The knowledge … acquired is organized and systematic; their intelligence becomes whole and complete because the vision of the whole has been presented and their interest spreads, for everything is linked and has its place in the universe on which their minds are centered. The stars, the earth, the stones, life of all kinds form a whole in relation to each other and so close is this relation that we cannot understand a stone without some understanding of the great sun! No matter what we touch, an atom, or a cell, we cannot explain it without knowledge of the wider universe. What better answer can be given to those who quest for knowledge? . . . How did the universe come into being and how will it end? . . . What am I? What is the task of humans in this wonderful universe? Do we merely live here for ourselves or is there something more for us to do?” (Montessori, 1948: 9). In a recent cosmic story presentation about bacteria and blue-green algae given to children at Nova Montessori School in Christchurch, New Zealand, one six-year old girl, Georgie, had a very personal experience. As the guide, Pauline Matsis, describes the event, she asked the children, “What might be the giving back of the bacteria, of the blue green algae; and, what might be the giving back of each of you?” Later that day, six-year old Georgie visited her in the office. She had drawn a picture of bacteria, and in her own words, and from her own heart, had responded to the moral of the story with these words: “A lot of Bacterea is good. But some Bacterea is harmful. But without Bacterea we would not be here. Bacterea made us become on erth. Bacterea is very very clever. And it is allso very very small. We can not see it without a Micrescop. An Bacterea is very very intresting. I like Bacterea. It is so intresting. I like haw Bacterea got us on erth. I like Bacterea so much.” Pauline asked her why she found bacteria so interesting. As transcribed by Pauline, this was Georgie’s reply: “They did so much for everything and everybody and every animal and nothing would be here without them…” During 1942, with the war expanding to Asian soil, Montessori shifted from Adyar in the north to the Kodaikanal hill country of southern India. Christina Trudeau, author of Montessori’s Years in India, interviewed Lena Wikramaratne about Montessori’s time at Kodaikanal, and came to the conclusion that the “setting of Montessori’s living arrangements” could be called “mystical” (Trudeau, 1984: 86). Trudeau continues, “the beauty of the Kodaikanal hills, dotted with eucalyptus Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
Bringing Back Montessori to Montessori by Dr Philip Snow Gang is an excerpt from his new book Educating for Right-Action and Love: Extending and Expanding the Montessori Vision, to be published in December 2020 © by Philip Snow Gang. All rights reserved. (Information about the book may be found at www. ties-edu.org/ dagaz-press)
and pine trees to protect a lake, streams, foliage and an abundance of natural life . . . was an environment conducive to cosmic ideas” (Trudeau, 1984: 86-7). Without the didactic apparatus that they could not acquire from Europe because of the war, the outside - nature - became the primary learning environment. Accompanying Mario into that natural world was Lena Wikramaratne, who had been following Montessori’s courses since the first one at Adyar. They worked with the children outside and then would share their findings with Maria Montessori. Mario Montessori, Sr. says “We saw purpose in everything that existed: nature’s equilibrium was maintained. The rain - why did it rain here and not there - the atmosphere, the sun; each had its role to play” (Kahn, 1979: 45-53). The children received lessons in response to their observations. To understand more deeply, the teachers and children would take what they had observed and learned in nature and create materials - charts, nomenclature - that explored the biological and geological discoveries they encountered. Throughout To Educate the Human Potential, Montessori describes the content of contextual stories that children between six and 12 years could be presented. These stories plant seeds for even further exploration to answer “big” questions - all set into motion by a flaming desire to understand how nature works. This is the generative question: In what ways does nature show us how the biological need to contribute is a comprehensive context throughout the natural world? In order for the earth to be self-sustaining, every entity has a cosmic task to “give back.” Now the follow-on questions are: What is humanity’s cosmic task? What is your cosmic task? DR philip snow gang is a Montessori educator and the founder and Academic Dean of The Institute for Educational Studies
References l
Kahn, D. (1979) The Kodaikanal Experience: An Interview With Lena Wikramaratne NAMTA Quarterly (Vol 5, Issue 1)
l MacDonald, l
D. (May 2019) Personal correspondence
Montessori, M. (1935) 21st Montessori Course London, Victoria Goldsbrough’s manuals
l
Montessori, M. (1948/1973) To Educate the Human Potential Madras, India: Kalakshetra Press
l
Montessori, M. (1949) The Absorbent Mind Madras,
l
Montessori, M. (1989) The Child, Society and the
India: Kalakshetra Publications World Oxford: ABC-CLIO l Trudeau,
C. (1984) Montessori’s Years in India
[unpublished doctoral dissertation] Chaminade University
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Montessori research
Favourable environment Montessorians have a duty to help remedy the adverse effects of Covid lockdowns on children’s health and wellbeing through outdoor learning, says Katie Parsons
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Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
The more time children spend outdoors, the better their mental health
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The lockdowns that have been enforced around the world in a bid to control the Covid-19 pandemic have impacted us all, especially children and young people, so we must focus on the immediate but also lasting impact that these events have had on them during 2020. Even though schools remained open on a smaller scale in the UK during the most recent lockdowns, many children have ended up missing out on months of their education. A UK winter lockdown is looking as though schools are going to try to remain as fully open as possible to all students as the situation with Covid-19 evolves. However, this period of uncertainty will impact our children and young people in a number of ways. There has already been discussion surrounding the psychological distress that Covid-19 is having on our children and young people (Brooks et al., 2020; Dalton et al., 2020; Holmes et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020). Drawing on research into past disasters and epidemics, studies into the impact of Covid-19 have highlighted the psychosocial and social detriments to health and wellbeing this current pandemic will have (Jackson et al., 2014; Nafisah et al., 2018). Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, children and young people were already experiencing anxiety disorders, which many people have argued are at an alltime high (Sadler et al., 2017). Turning to the impacts of Covid-19, Wang et al. (2020) have recently discussed how the effects of home confinement during a pandemic can have negative impacts on children’s physical and mental health, drawing parallels with extended periods of time away from school such as weekends and school holidays (Brazendale et al., 2017). Time away from school has been correlated with children and young people being physically less active, having much longer screen time, less balanced diets, and irregular sleep patterns (Wang et al., 2020). Aligned to these views, children’s play is known to be a release and a way of children exploring and making sense of the world around them. Play has been shown in several studies to support coping with change, as well as building resilience and reducing stress in situations such as hospitalisation, natural disasters and exposure to war zones (Chatterjee, 2017). Moreover, studies have also shown that outdoor play is even more important and can further increase mental resilience and emotional health as well as physical health, with Piccininni et al. (2018) showing that the more time children spent outdoors the better their mental health became, especially if the time spent outdoors De ce mb er 20 20 21
Children have the right to information about their immediate and global world and they have the right to participation with these issues that the environment faces
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is associated with nature (Annerstedt et al., 2010). My research into the impact of Covid-19 on children’s access to the outdoors and their wellbeing during lockdown started to formulate as I sat outside with my three children in March. Licking cold lollipops after a warm and sunny hard day’s work of building a new vegetable patch for our garden. Our garden was now looking the best it had in years after I had wracked my brains for age appropriate activities and skills to teach my children, aged three, 10 and 11, while we were stuck at home. I found that turning to the outdoors always provided me with the best solutions. This made me think and wonder whether other families and their children had the opportunity to access the outdoors to relieve some of the pent-up pressure that staying at home was creating. I started to trawl through social media channels, looking at pictures posted of daily walks, bicycle rides and what I hypothesised was a sudden increased interest in nature and the outdoors in many of the posts. Could lockdown have created a chance to stop and pause and reconnect people with our environment? I changed the direction of my PhD research to explore these questions. I sent out four separate nationwide surveys and distributed them over social media channels to explore how children and young people were being impacted in terms of their experiences of lockdown, focusing on how they were accessing the outdoors. These
questionnaires were for children themselves, for their parents, for teachers and for members of the childcare workforce. The set of four questionnaires was designed to give me an overall picture, with the child at the centre and the “gatekeepers” at the side. These groups of adults are often known as gatekeepers as they have the keys to unlocking children’s access to the outdoors, an important role that we often forget we have. I had over 700 responses with a range of outline results, including an indication that Covid-19 was having an impact on the wellbeing of children and young people, with 57% of parents saying that they had noticed a change in their child’s personality during the restrictive periods of lockdown. Supporting wellbeing So, what can you do as guides to aid children’s learning while also supporting their wellbeing through the pandemic and beyond? My answer would be first to look at yourself, look at your practice and your preferences in how you use your environment. Do you encourage the use of the outdoors as much as you do inside? Do you engage in learning opportunities in the outdoors as much as you do indoors? Can you create a curiosity and wonder about the outdoors and nature, and see the many learning opportunities that are inherent? Try to look at your own relationship with the outdoors and explore how being outdoors makes you feel. In my previous work Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
Montessori research
(Parsons and Traunter, 2019) I have shown how important parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of outdoor learning can be in promoting outdoor learning. So, I ask, do you remember your own feelings of opening the doors on a Friday evening after a stressful work day and taking a big deep breath of air, of your feet pounding on the pavement grounding you to the earth with every step? Do you remember the colours of the sky, the leaves and the flowers and the feeling of the hot or cold air on your cheeks, or is that just me? Many children do not have the opportunity to do this, to build up experiences of the outdoors as they are often moved from school to home without the opportunity to explore the outdoors or simply acclimatise to the many of its elements. If we do not show them the beauty around them, they will be forever blind to its wonder. This general disconnect with the outdoors and our environment is not our fault, but has been a trend that has grown over decades. Over 1.8 million families in the UK are currently living in overcrowded accommodation and one in eight of those households have no gardens (Judge and Rahman, 2020). Add to this that natural green spaces to play have not been easy to access for many during lockdown, due to closures or restrictions, and we can begin to understand the disconnect occurring. Children are also one of the most vulnerable groups to be impacted from environmental harm, such as air pollution, water pollution and climate change impacts. Only recently the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
Unless children start to build a relationship with the outdoors and their natural environment, their motivation to protect the future may not emerge report stated that global terrestrial biodiversity has been reduced by about 20% over the last century (IPBES, 2019) and insect abundances across Europe have reduced by between 38% and 75%. This will impact children’s lives for years to come, and unless they start to build a relationship with the outdoors and their natural environment, their motivation to protect the future may not emerge. As guides you can help to build this relationship, so that children can begin to exercise their own rights in relation to the environment. Children have the right to information about their immediate and global world and they have the right to participation with these issues that the environment faces. Most importantly they have the right to access effective remedies, so they can become involved in the solutions, be that through social action, through activism or through future career prospects. You have a role to play in fostering their future and their engagement with the environment, so as you would with a flower, plant the seed, nurture it and let it grow to show the pure beauty that it holds from within. Katie J. Parsons is a PhD researcher at the University of Hull
References l Annerstedt,
M., Norman, J., Boman, M., Mattsson, L., Grahn, P. and Währborg, P. (2010) Finding stress relief in a forest Ecological Bulletins
(Bulletin 53) pp33-42 l
Brazendale, K., Beets, M.W., Weaver, R.G., Pate, R.R., Turner-McGrievy, G.M., Kaczynski, A.T., Chandler, J.L., Bohnert, A. and von Hippel, P.T. (2017) Understanding differences between summer vs. school obesogenic behaviors of children: the structured days hypothesis International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (Vol 14, No 1) p100
l
Brooks S.K., Webster R.K., Smith L.E., et al. (2020) The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence The Lancet (Vol 395, Issue 10227) pp912–20
l
Chatterjee, S. (2018) Children’s coping, adaptation and resilience through play in situations of crisis Children, Youth and Environments (Vol 28,
l
Dalton, L., Rapa, E., Ziebland, S., Rochat, T., Kelly, B., Hanington, L., Bland, R., Yousafzai, A., Stein, A., Betancourt, T. and Bluebond-Langner, M.
No 2) pp119-145 (2019) Communication with children and adolescents about the diagnosis of a life-threatening condition in their parent The Lancet (Vol 393, Issue 10176) pp1164-1176 l
Holmes, E.A., O’Connor, R.C., Perry, V.H., Tracey, I., Wessely, S., Arseneault, L., Ballard, C., Christensen, H., Silver, R.C., Everall, I. and Ford, T. (2020) Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science The Lancet Psychiatry (Vol 7, Issue 6) pp547-560
l
IPBES (2019) Global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. E. S. Brondizio, J. Settele, S. Díaz, and H. T. Ngo (editors). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany
l Jackson, C., Mangtani P., Vynnycky E. (2014) Impact of school closures on an influenza pandemic: scientific evidence base review London: PHOTOGRAPHS: ISTOCK
Public Health England l Judge, L. & Rahman, F. (2020) Lockdown living Housing quality across the generations Nuffield Foundation l Bin Nafisah, S., Alamery, A.H., Al Nafesa, A., Brazanji, N.A. & Aleid, B. (2018) School closure during novel influenza: A systematic review J Infect Public Health (Vol 11, issue 5) pp657–661 l Parsons, K..J. & Traunter, J. (2019) Muddy knees and muddy needs: parents’ perceptions of outdoor learning Children’s Geographies, DOI: 10.1080/14733285.2019.1694637
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VOICE of the TEACHER
Seasonal change Like nature, children have continued to adapt
“Look at the bird!” Violet gasped, arms extending in front of her, eyes bulging in amazement. “It’s the blue heron!” The children turned toward the sight of the graceful bird flying low across their path towards the reeds in the shallow waters. The students had seen the great blue heron on other visits to the park, but it had never flown this close to them before. Its long legs trailing behind it, the heron seemed to be moving in slow motion. Each child held their breath, mesmerised by the vision of the slender, bent neck and the huge wings beating slowly and steadily. In that moment, I remembered why we had come to the park, and just how lucky we were to be there on that lovely autumn day.
One of the greatest challenges during the shutdown was creating an educational experience that was true to the Montessori methodology 24 Dece mb e r 2020
Seven months prior to our avian encounter, we were beginning our two-week spring break, blissfully unaware of the challenges that the next few months would bring. The number of people infected with Covid-19 was on the rise and, like the rest of the world, we were thrust into a shutdown situation. Everything that we had ever trained for as Montessorians was seemingly thrown into question. How could we teach without materials? How would we follow the child with our new online format? How would we meet the spiritual needs of each child when they were stuck in front of a computer? The answer was unsurprisingly Montessorian: adaptability, resilience and, most importantly, connectivity. S u rv i va l s k i l l s Long before adaptability and resilience became the buzzwords of the decade, Montessorians had been honing these vital skills of survival in a continuously changing world. We learned from the best: Maria Montessori. Our Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
PHOTOGRAPH: Elizabeth Roschman
and thrive in 2020, says Elizabeth Roschman
founder developed her pedagogy as a direct result of observing and adapting to the needs of the children that were in her care. She further developed her educational philosophy in response to the political and cultural climate in which she found herself living. There is no doubt that her peace education and work in developing the rights of the child were directly influenced by her experiences in turbulent times. If Montessori were alive today, there is no doubt that she would have some visionary approach to teaching in these unusual times. Not only are we faced with a global pandemic, but once again, we find ourselves in an uncomfortable political climate that is increasingly authoritarian. Add to that the climate crisis, and we find ourselves teaching a growing population of children suffering from anxiety. When we found ourselves facing the challenges of a shutdown, therefore, we knew we had to adapt.
Spending time outdoors helps children to find the means to meet their academic, social and spiritual needs
I n t e r a c t i v e l e ss o n s One of the greatest challenges during the shutdown was creating an educational experience that was true to the Montessori methodology. I found myself creating interactive lessons in presentation format that I could screen-share with my students. I drew on my experience of materials-based presentations in the classroom environment to develop engaging virtual presentations. For example, I recreated the two dimensional plane figures and the blue solids on the screen and asked the students to help me sort them by shape, number of sides or number of vertices. I also drew on conventional methods of teaching to fill in the gaps when Montessori methods were limited by the format. The same important principles applied, however: whatever I was teaching, I had to ensure that I was teaching to the child’s level and meeting the needs of each individual as best as I could. The children clearly valued the connection time with their teachers and peers. They looked forward to virtual circle times when they could see their friends. They eagerly attended their one-on-one time slots, and we shared so many wonderful moments, despite the geographical distance between us. When the time finally came for the new school year, nothing could prepare me for the joy that I felt at seeing them all in person. Preparing to reopen Leading up to the new school year, much of our preparation was centred around the logistics of social distancing and finding ways to ensure that the environment was clean and safe. We wondered how the students would react to teachers in full face masks and shields, and the necessity of wearing their own masks while inside. We put away some materials that would be difficult to clean, moved the chairs and tables apart and split the student population into smaller groups, so that
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we could keep our cohorts separate and safe. Armed with personal protective equipment, cleaning schedules and a list of outdoor learning opportunities, we opened our doors with trepidation. The first few days were the most difficult, of course, as we went over the expectations and adjusted to the new reality. The students were so excited to see their friends again, but they had been without a fully structured schedule for so long that relearning the daily routine was especially challenging. As always, however, our students proved just how adaptive and resilient they could be. O u t d o o r e d u cat i o n Spending time outdoors has been, as always, key to helping each and every child find the means to meet their academic, social and spiritual needs. As part of our weekly outdoor education program, each Friday we visit the 127-acre oasis that is our extended classroom. We start our excursion with a gratitude circle, during which sincere, heartfelt thanks are never in short supply. The botany, zoology and science curricula are easily woven into the adventures that we take along the trails into the ever-changing forest. Autumn in Toronto is extraordinarily beautiful, as maple leaves turn to fiery red, sumac to stunning orange, and poplar, birch and willow dress in hues of yellow. “It smells so good here,” a child murmurs next to me along the trail. Gone is the sterile scent of disinfectant. In the forest, the world is as it should be. The cycle of the seasons continues and the birds take up flight in migration. We know that there is a long, cold winter ahead of us, full of uncertainties. In spring, however, the flowers will bloom again, as if to signal the hope that comes with renewal. Our students are like those flowers: resilient and strong enough to weather this storm. They are a new generation full of life and hope for a future full of promise that we need to nurture. As a teacher, mother, and member of the global Montessori community, I have a new appreciation for these moments of clarity and a stronger determination to be the guide I need to be. Now, more than ever, I understand the importance of Montessori’s statement that “the child is endowed with unknown powers, which can guide us to a radiant future. If what we really want is a new world, then education must take as its aim the development of these hidden possibilities” (Montessori, 1995: 4). Elizabeth Roschman is Lead Teacher in the Elementary Community at The Clover School in Toronto, Canada
References l
Montessori, M. (1995) The Absorbent Mind New York: Henry Holt
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Butterfly effect Racism must be addressed so that children can flourish, transform, grow and spread their wings in the world, says Koren Clark 26 Dece mb e r 2020
Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
Montessori insight
“The concept of liberty which should inspire teaching is … universal: it is the liberation of a life repressed by an infinite number of obstacles which oppose its harmonious development, both psychic and spiritual” (Montessori, 2007: 11)
I am writing this article during the global Covid-19 pandemic, as I retreat in my home and worry that those in the outside world harbour a life-threatening virus. I’m reflecting on a phenomenon that took the world by storm earlier this year: the sight of millions of people rising up to stand against racism and statesponsored violence against black people. This moment, and the intersection of the virus and racism, has raised potent questions for me as a black Montessorian. To what extent is racism like the virus? Can I be an asymptomatic carrier of racism? And perhaps most importantly, how does Montessorian philosophy help me heal myself and my society? Introspection is key to guide preparation in Montessori education, and it is the pathway I chose to work through these questions. We must attend to our social and emotional hygiene: with the virus, we wash our hands; with racism we must examine our values and inner workings. This is a precursor to the social justice work we are called to do. As Montessorians, we should use introspection and deliberate planning to help liberate the child and facilitate his/her journey of self discovery. In the process of introspection, I found that I was carrying internalised racial oppression (IRO) that spread toxins to others. This was apparent in the limitations I was placing on my teenage son. In an effort to protect him from the fate of many black boys like him, I told him not to jog in integrated neighborhoods and to show his face, rather than wear a hoodie. Recognising the racist toxins in those statements, I endeavoured to heal myself and my son. I wanted him to feel good about himself and strong in his body. I encouraged him to tap into the stories of black men throughout the diaspora who felt empowered. I helped him get in touch with his father’s art and to use his artistic imagination to create a better world. If I, who spends much of my life helping others to overcome racism, was carrying such a virus, I wondered how many people carry the virus without noticing it. I also wondered how many folks carried the virus of internalised racial superiority, and who might be silently fuelling our current race wars as super-spreaders, creating obstacles against the liberation of others. Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
h u m a n t r a n s f o r m at i o n The liberation of a life is the purest expression of our humanity and often best exemplified in the young. Montessorians have the privilege of watching this transformation as the young grow into the full expression of their innate essence. This is akin to witnessing a newly formed butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. It expects no repression and no obstacles to its expression. It spreads its wings and flies to fulfil its natural course. In human transformation, many obstacles knock the life force out of the psychic and spiritual development of individuals, and in the process diminish our collective humanity. And in the natural world, many caterpillars never emerge from their chrysalises; many wings are shattered and traumatised before they are able to spread. Humanity is in danger, not just from viruses and racism, but from climate change and massive inequality. We are witnessing the suppression of the young, who are supposed to flourish, transform, grow and spread their wings in the world they have inherited from us adults, but can’t because their wings are weighed down by social and political trauma. Many adults want to simply give the child an aggressive inoculation against the perils
A child fully expressing their innate essence is akin to a newly formed butterfly emerging from its chrysalis
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of society and the toxins it carries. However, our job as Montessorians has never been one of attempting to shield the young from the world, but of ushering in the development of new beings into a world that they will shape in the reclamation of humanity. As educators, we cannot defend the psychic and spiritual development of a child without defending and raising humanity. It takes a child with a liberated spirit to autonomously solve problems on the shelves in their classrooms and in the social conditions of their world. It takes a certain level of liberation to be able to selfactualise in a way that heals us and empowers us to move with purpose, and to attend to our collective cosmic tasks. Addressing these tasks is needed on the current world stage, where our black brothers and sisters have been dismissed, disregarded and treated as if we don’t matter; as if we have no purpose, and can somehow be uprooted from the human family without affecting the liberation of the collective. We have experienced brutal objectification and dehumanisation. The forces of oppression have assaulted our collective sense of moral order. People all over the world have
come together for the redemption of humanity through the defence of our targeted black sisters and brothers. Montessorians should lead the way. Montessori says, “Either education contributes to a movement of universal liberation by showing the way to defend and raise humanity or it becomes like one of those organs which have shrivelled up by not being used during the evolution of the organism� (Montessori, 1955: 14). People around the world who are standing up and protesting to defend humanity against racialised societal toxins resonate with our calling as Montessorians. They stand against individual attacks on our collective psyche, our spirit and our morality. This is the stand we take to protect the integrity and liberty of the child. The self-reflection that Montessori requires of us might be difficult because internalised racial oppression and superiority are hard to spot and often asymptomatic. However, it is important to see these elements in ourselves before we attempt to detect them in the children. Our job as Montessorians is that of self-reflection and an understanding that our societal landscape is loaded with both obstacles and opportunities that form our
We need strong wings to help destroy oppressive social structures
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Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
Montessori insight
When we validate and affirm the richness of the diversity around us, we create the conditions for healing
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personhood. We need to understand not only the root causes and functions of oppressive forces that shape our reality, but also where mountains of power and privilege dominate our landscape. Then we can see the personal effects of internalised racial superiority, or internalised racial oppression emanating from this landscape. As Montessori says, “An ordinary teacher cannot be transformed into a Montessori teacher, but must be created anew, having rid herself of pedagogical prejudices. The first step is self-preparation of the imagination, for the Montessori teacher has to visualize a child who is not yet there” (Montessori, 1946: 67). Montessorians’ self-reflection work is essential to the development of the children who are still creating themselves, and who hold the promise of being fully liberated. Bell Hooks says, “the classroom is the location of possibilities” (Hooks, 1994: 207). Once Montessori guides can get rid of their prejudices and imagine children who are free enough to reach their full potential, they will soon recognise that they need to create an environment that upholds the sanctity of this possibility. This is important, because frequently true liberty is most often aspirational. Aspirations are cultural wealth that motivate and steer both the guide and the children to that healing place, away from the mark of racial trauma that has been left on the world and towards fulfilling our universal needs. Windows and mirrors We meet these needs through the use of windows and mirrors in our curriculum design. When we reflect on who we are as educators, it is much easier to know when to hold up a mirror that allows the children to see their individuality reflected in our global narrative, and when to open a window that allows them to see those who exist outside of their dominant narrative. A balance of windows and mirrors gives us equal doses of humanism and individualism, thereby creating spaces for empathy and liberty to reign supreme in our learning environments. It takes a fine-tuned eye and conscious intention to attend to these universal needs and to break through our own barriers, prejudices and social conditioning to white supremacy. We must also recognise the social capital held by many culturally diverse children. As Montessorians, we are so accustomed to manipulating and changing the content (material) to fit the needs of children, that oftentimes we forget to Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
change our purpose to fit the needs of the culturally diverse children we serve. Montessori says, “The needs of mankind are universal. Our means of meeting them create the richness and diversity of the planet. The Montessori child should come to relish the texture of that diversity” (Montessori, n.d.). Racial trauma occurs not only when children see their people massacred, but also when we don’t relish that diversity. It occurs when our children fear alienation, persecution and hate; when they face those who disregard and disrespect their language; when they have to work double time to be acknowledged; when they are policed and censored for being who they are and for expressing themselves; when they are exhausted by the effort it takes to be seen and acknowledged; and ultimately when they are expending all of their energy in trying to prove, defend, and define their humanity. When we validate and affirm the richness of the diversity around us, we create the conditions for healing. We can shift the culture of our classroom and align our environments. We align not only with responsive books and materials, but also with a new way of listening and responding. We create space for cultural expression. It is then that we will find our interactions with parents and children alike will be fulfilling and healing. Montessori has a wonderful way of centring the commonality and the individuality in all of us, thus centring our humanity. We can only recognise that a threat to the liberation of one of us is a threat to the liberation of all of us when we have been introspective enough to heal ourselves. It is then that we become more empathetic and see ourselves in each other; then that we realise the truth in the Zulu term “ubuntu”, which translates as, “I am because we are”. Together we can be the newly formed butterfly with intricate and strong wings, prepared to help destroy oppressive social structures on our path towards our long-awaited liberation. Koren Clark is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of KnowThySelf and Educational Partner at the Wildflower Foundation in the US
References l
Hooks, Bell. (1994) Teaching to Transgress New York: Routledge
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Montessori, M. (1946) Education for a New World Amsterdam: MontessoriPierson Publishing Company
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Montessori, M. (1955) The Formation of Man Amsterdam: MontessoriPierson Publishing Company
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Montessori, M. (2007) The Discovery of the Child Amsterdam: MontessoriPierson Publishing Company
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montessori insight
Cosmic duty The Montessori community needs to support children to fulfil their role as protectors of the universe and displaced families, says Amira El-Aghel Global displacement is at a record high. By the end of 2019, a staggering 79.5 million people had been forced from their home because of factors including conflict and persecution, according to the United Nations. Of these, 26 million were refugees and 30 to 34 million were children. The Montessori community must take a stand and unite to help support families and children who have experienced refugee-related trauma. Displacement is an issue of basic human rights to survival, health, wellbeing and education and demands the attention and support of everyone, especially the Montessori community, because it has a duty to help children fulfil their role as protectors of the universe. Accordingly, we must consider refugees’ plights in the context of the fact that we all belong to one race - the human race - and try to inspire a sense of responsibility in both ourselves and in our children, to help us come together to make the world a better place for all humanity. Montessori was a great advocate of cosmic education and the interdependence of all living beings in the universe, and believed that culture and education had no boundaries or limits (Montessori, 1992). As part of her cosmic philosophy, Montessori saw the world as a highly ordered and purposeful place and believed that all injustices were deviations from that purpose, which could only be rectified, and order and harmony be restored, through children. She saw children as “citizens of the world” and said that, “Education that will lead to a new humanity ... mankind has to fulfil a collective mission on Earth involving all humanity and therefore each and every human being” (Montessori, 1992: 66). This is why it is a Montessorian duty to address and reflect on the current refugee crisis; to raise awareness and to bring about hope and change for future generations. Guides must consider ways to incorporate the crisis into Montessori education as part of their efforts to make children more knowledgeable about themselves and the world around them, and consequently more socially aware 30 Dece mb e r 2020
and ready to take an active role in defending human rights and our planet as they strive for universal peace. Children need to be supported to actively and sensitively engage in education and reflection that addresses the crisis, so that they can empathise with the needs and wellbeing of people distant from them. The Montessori curriculum and environment instils within the child the core values of open-mindedness, tolerance, communication, kindness, compassion and mutual respect of each other’s cultures, celebrations and religions through concrete, first hand experiences, allowing them to learn from one another, acknowledge their similarities and differences and reflect on the diverse world in which we all now live. These experiences may include celebrations of different worldly traditions using food, clothes, music, stories and artwork. Settings may also consider inviting parents and carers of refugee children to come in and share their skills and cultures, which can help their children to develop a sense of self-worth as they celebrate their identity among peers and, consequently, help them to integrate into the setting. Careful consideration must be given to integration, as school environments are critical in facilitating the successful integration of refugee children and adults into a new society. But practitioners can only do this by understanding that refugee experiences are diverse, and that many children have suffered severe trauma, violence and loss as a result of war, which inevitably has a profound impact on children’s wellbeing, leading to unpredictable and challenging behaviours. A caseworker supporting Syrian refugees in Birmingham says that it is common for the children she works with to find it difficult to concentrate due to irritability and frequent outbursts of rage, which for many children can lead to problems with academic performance, inappropriate behaviour and difficulty forming relationships. These problems are often exacerbated by the child’s inability to trust other people.
The Montessori curriculum and environment instils within the child the core values of openmindedness and tolerance
Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
Protective environment The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states that supporting children’s resilience requires time, patience and a protective environment, which is why I believe that Montessori settings are perfectly placed to make a positive difference to the lives of refugee children and families. A Montessori setting provides freedom within limits, which come in the form of an ordered environment with clear boundaries known as ground rules. These help refugee children to feel a sense of security and respect, because they understand and know what to expect of the environment and the people in it, and exactly what is expected of them. The work cycle also provides a form of support for the child, as it provides an uninterrupted space in which they can work. This is critical for refugee children for whom transitions are hard. That said, a free flow environment is important, because it allows them the freedom to play indoors and outdoors, and eat or drink when they feel they need to, developing their autonomy, confidence and problem solving skills in the process. It also helps the child to develop a true sense of identity which is critical given that so many refugee children experience a loss of identity and autonomy. Fostering independence is important for any child, but particularly for refugee children, who are typically new to the language and culture of their new environment. They value being able to play, learn and engage freely without constraint, as well as the freedom to make decisions about what to play with, with whom, where and for how long. This freedom allows the child to develop an awareness of their relationship to all that is in their environment, giving them a sense of responsibility in the process. Vertical grouping is also helpful, because children develop emotional intelligence through this approach (Isaacs, 2018). This is perhaps because children find more comfort and enjoyment in learning from their peers about how to develop friendships and, consequently, about trust. Children with opportunities to express their emotions through their interactions and play are able to develop social relationships and emotional wellbeing. Practitioners must use this environment and approach to ensure the best experience for all families. We need to welcome parents and carers into our 32 Dece mb e r 2020
settings and work hard to build trusting relationships, so we can provide them with the support they need. This can be achieved by assigning a key person to each child with whom parents can liaise on a regular basis, allowing them important opportunities to share authentically any concerns or issues that they or their child may be experiencing. Settings should regularly review the extent to which parents and carers feel comfortable confiding in their key person, particularly those parents and carers who they know are suffering any sort of trauma. They should also create flexible settling in procedures to allow parents, carers and children sufficient time in which to feel comfortable detaching from each other. This is especially important for families who may have suffered traumatic experiences during their journey to their destination country. Guides should also consider using flexible procedures to create ongoing opportunities to develop in themselves a better understanding of the traumas of
Children find comfort in learning from their peers about how to develop friendships
Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
MONTESSORI INSIGHT
Refugee children value being able to play and learn and engage freely without constraint
herself, she must learn to observe, how to be calm, patient and humble, strain her own impulses and how to carry out her imminently practical tasks with the required delicacy” (Montessori, 2017a: 161). This is particularly important for children trying to cope with trauma, which will inevitably include trauma relating to the global Covid-19 pandemic in the future. But despite, or perhaps because of, this time of global uncertainty, crisis and division, we must not forget that practitioners are key advocates of change. We must therefore view the world through the eyes of the child, allowing them to be agents of change and inspiration, addressing the world through their voices of compassion, love and humility. We have a duty to provide an education that enables children to rebuild their lives and the world, and to achieve their full potential in the process. My dream is that we can ignite a Montessori movement across the globe that passes on the gift of learning and encourages the children to lead the way, to establish a community in which they all belong - one that promotes world peace. Providing opportunities for cooperation, teamwork, conversation, negotiation, freedom of movement, independence and concentration is key to enabling these children to overcome these traumatic experiences.
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Amira El-Aghel is Deputy Manager at Splash
displaced families as part of their spiritual preparation, so that they can be more prepared to deal with the behavioural issues that they may face among their children. Montessori (2007) talks at great lengths about the importance of the spiritual preparation of the teacher. She believed that the teacher’s attitude towards the child should reflect empathy, personal humility and a genuine desire to serve the child; by believing in their unique potential, they can help them to fulfil this and support their effort of self-construction as a whole. Guides should have no desire to control the children in their care, but rather have patience, trust, humility and respect for the child’s continuous efforts to learn without much adult interference in the prepared environment. A good teacher notices through observation when there is struggle, does not make assumptions, waits and watches and supports when needed, reflecting on attitudes and practices and engages in continuous professional development to best serve those in their care. As Montessori says, “The teacher must fashion Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
& Dash Preschool Playgroup in London, the UK
References l
Isaacs, B. (2018, 2nd Ed.) Understanding the Montessori Approach: Early Years Education in Practice Abingdon: Routledge
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Montessori, M. (1992) Education and Peace Oxford: ABC-Clio Ltd
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Montessori, M. (2007) The Absorbent Mind Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
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Montessori, M. (2016) The Child, Society and the World Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
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Montessori, M. (2017a) The Discovery of the Child Amsterdam: MontessoriPierson Publishing Company
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Montessori, M. (2017b) The Secret of Childhood Amsterdam: Montessori-
l
U nited Nations (UN) (undated), Refugees [online], available from: https://
Pierson Publishing Company www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/refugees/ (date accessed, 12/10/20) l
Education Cannot Wait (2020) UNESCO, UNHCR & Education Cannot Wait call for the inclusion of refugees in the post-Covid19 education effort [online], available from: https://www.educationcannotwait.org/unesco-unhcreducation-cannot-wait-call-for-the-inclusion-of-refugees-in-the-postcovid-19-education-effort/ (date accessed, 9/10/20)
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Montessori insight
Role play is a key coping mechanism for children and belongs in the Montessori setting, says Erin Blessitt
Let’s pretend It’s January 2013 and I am four months into my Montessori diploma, and four months into my new role as a teaching assistant in a Montessori nursery. I’m writing a reflective journal entry, grappling with my observations of children being so absorbed in role play that they don’t want to work. I write that I think they should be allowed to play, but that it feels somehow problematic; it is disruptive and noisy and I can’t see how it fits with the expectation of academic activity. I think about afternoons when we get out the dressing up box, and how that makes it feel separate to my Montessori practice. I reflect on why that may be. It’s now September 2020 and I am the manager of a Montessori nursery, in the office updating Covid-19 34 Dece mb e r 2020
policies. Just outside the door I can hear conversation in our role play area, where a child is pretending to be a shopkeeper. The child invites the teacher to come and buy something, and the teacher says that she would love to, but that she will have to put a mask on so that she can come into the shop. This stops me in my tracks. I am struck by how multi-layered this response is. In one moment the guide is acknowledging the child’s reality, and in doing so is validating, reassuring and making our new world feel a bit more normal for the child. Later on I am in the classroom with two children who are new to the setting. They each have a toy dog and are walking them around the table. Both are silent, but every now and then I notice them exchange glances and Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
Considering the current Covid-19 pandemic as a collective trauma gives strong rationale for placing role play at the core of our offer to children
can rehearse, practice, revise, replay and re-learn: play is a non-threatening way to cope with new learning and still retain one’s self-esteem and self-image” (2015: 17). It’s not a huge leap to see how these games of standing in the shoes of another prompt the beginnings of theory of mind, the emerging awareness that there may be other perspectives, that there may be different ways of being and experiencing the world. Brown and Vaughan (2009) write, “imagining the inner life of others and comparing it to one’s own - is one of the keys to developing empathy, understanding and trust of others, as well as personal coping skills.” What a wonderful and safe way to develop these core capabilities in the child.
then begin to smile tentatively at each other, seeming to acknowledge their shared experience. This connection, this moment of being together, feels vital after the long lockdown we had earlier in the year. The symbolic representation observed in role play is a way of children making sense of, and drawing meaning from, their world. Role play emerges as children reach the stage of development where they realise that their needs and wants cannot immediately be met, and it creates a safe space to work through this disequilibrium that could lead to internal tension. It is a way of resolving understanding that feels safe for the child. Moyles summarises that play “allows children to cope with not knowing something long enough in order to know - they Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
Validating the child’s reality helps to make our new world feel a bit more normal
Tool for therapy There is compelling evidence to suggest that role play can be used as a tool for therapy for pre-verbal trauma. A case study detailed in Conkbayir (2017) relates how a therapist used neuroscience-informed play therapy to support a child who had experienced neglect from her mother. By using non-directive role play tools, the evidence suggested that the therapist helped to create new neural pathways in the brain, and therefore helped the child to establish new coping mechanisms. The conclusion of the study was that the young brain forms new neural pathways in response to play experiences, and that fantasy and symbolic play have a positive effect on the child. Considering the current Covid-19 pandemic as a collective trauma gives strong rationale for placing role play at the core of our offer to children. Failure to actively make space for it is to do children a disservice - it is their tool for reconnecting with their peers and making sense of their lives and their environment over the past year. Historically, our pedagogy has not always been welcoming of role play. Barbara Isaacs (2016) attributes this to ambiguity within Montessori’s writing, and training not discussing the link between children’s role play, the Montessori environment and child development theory. Montessori’s writings on the subject are contradictory and open to interpretation; one reference I found to role play was a description of children pretending to ride in a carriage. She writes, “this is not a proof of imagination, it is a proof of an unsatisfied desire; De ce mb er 20 20 35
Montessori insight
Practitioners can support and encourage role play by providing children with open-ended toys and a dedicated space
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it is not an activity bound up with gifts of nature; it is a manifestation of conscious, sensitive poverty. No one, we may be sure, will say that in order to educate a rich child we should take away his pony and give him a stick” (1972: 256). This indicates that Montessori felt that role play came about to meet unmet needs; that children who have their material needs met have no need to pretend otherwise, and as such do not engage in role play. Yet she also writes highly of the power of imagination, calling it “the truest form of the intelligence of man” (2012: 172). A few years ago when I conducted action research to further explore this unease, a key theme that emerged from practitioner interviews was, as Isaacs said, a perceived lack of focus during training. In my experience, this practitioner inner conflict can be deeply sensed by the child. I was reminded of my early experiences of role play becoming almost subversive when Ainsworth (2020) asked: “Is play going underground?” This question felt apt, as role play, if not given space, can feel as though it emerges in the spaces in between.
I feel duty bound to share that these tensions are not unique to Montessori - Gussin Paley says “our attitude towards the children spinning their webs during school hours is quite explicit. Stop your endless make-believe, we say. It is time to become real schoolchildren” (2004: 39). While this research is based in primary education, it is not inconceivable to imagine that these tensions may trickle down to early years settings and influence practitioner perspectives. Lindon notes the unease that can be felt by practitioners when children are left to play. She states they have been “concerned about judgements that will be made about them: that the children have to have ‘done something’ or ‘made progress’ in their development” (2012: 205). For me, these feel like universal early childhood education and care concerns. If we own and acknowledge the existence of these tensions, we must then ask how we’re able to overcome them. In our setting, once we had observed these tensions and talked them through as a team, the first thing we did was to make space for role play inside (my focus
Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
here is predominantly about the indoor Montessori environment; outdoor role play provision is an equally important subject for another day). By making space, I mean we made a physical space in which role play could belong and be encouraged, and a mental space for practitioners to hold it in regard. Something magical happened when we made space for it: the bubbles of role play that would previously emerge in spaces in the work cycle suddenly had their own space in which the children were in control and could relax without feeling watched and redirected. But of course, role play can happen anywhere, so practitioners need to see and value it wherever it happens in the setting. Calm space In my current setting, our role play area is a simple, calm space with objects based in reality. Sometimes we change the objects depending on interests, but the general provision is some cooking equipment reflecting our children’s home experiences, baby dolls, a cot and some toy dogs or animals. We balance these more directive props with a range of open-ended resources, and we recently adapted our provision for the pandemic by providing masks and doctors’ kits. Initially, we worked out with the children what the ground rules of the space should be, asking ourselves questions such as: “How many children can be in this space?” “How do we feel about noise levels here?” We now find the area generally regulates itself; the children are able to join the space, meet their need and move on when they are ready. When the physical space has been provided, our role is to truly follow the child - sit, give them time, sensitively observe and reflect. Keeping a whole setting
Training on role play can be beneficial, especially where it builds on knowledge of how to sensitively join in play, and acknowledgement that not all children are naturally able to engage in this kind of play without support role play observation diary is a source of joy and a prompt for team reflection, but we must be mindful to recognise the impact our gaze can have upon the children’s level of comfort and involvement. I am always drawn back to how well placed we are as Montessorians to support role play: we respect the child, we follow the child and we trust in the child. In addition to this, we advocate for the child where they are not yet able to advocate for themselves, so we must promote the value of role play to other adults, so that we are able to protect this space that we have made for the child. This is where whole setting training on role play can be beneficial, especially where it builds on knowledge of how to sensitively join in play, and acknowledgement that not all children are naturally able to engage in this kind of play without support. Our role here becomes even more important; we are the scaffolders and the bridge to connecting with their peer group. Fast forward to the present day, and it is October 2020. I am at home with my toddler twins, and for the first time my daughter picks up a cup and holds it to the mouth of her doll. Here we have a new role play journey beginning, and I feel privileged to have a small understanding of why this matters. Erin Blessitt is Manager at The Clifton Children’s House Montessori School in Bristol, the UK
References l Ainsworth, J.
(2020) Reflecting on the Value of Solid Observations of Play [online], available from: https://montessori-
musings.com/2020/10/18/reflecting-on-the-value-of-solid-observations-of-play/ (date accessed 19/10/20) l
Brown, S. & Vaughan, C. (2009) Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination and Invigorates the Soul New York: Avery
l
Conkbayir, M. (2017) Early Childhood and Neuroscience - Theory, Research and Implications for Practice London:
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Bloomsbury l
Gussin Paley, V. (2004) A Child’s Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play Chicago: The University of Chicago Press
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Isaacs, B. (2016) Reflections on Role Play [online], available from: https://www.montessori.org.uk/media/reflections-onrole-play (date accessed, 01/04/2017)
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Lindon, J. (2012, 3rd Ed.) Understanding Child Development 0-8 Years Oxon: Hodder Education
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Montessori, M. (1972) Spontaneous Activity in Education New York: Schocken Books
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Montessori, M. (2012) The 1946 London Lectures Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
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Moyles, J. (ed.) (2015, 4th Ed.) The Excellence of Play Maidenhead: Open University Press
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Philosophy for life Montessori principles and support from her tutor and colleagues have helped Maria Gauci to navigate her training during this challenging year
I support children with additional needs, mainly children on the autism spectrum, in Malta. Last year, our school community embarked on a project to transition from traditional education to Montessori education for our early years children, which is what drove me to learn more about Montessori. My tutor gave me the book Understanding the Montessori Approach Early Years Education in Practice by Barbara Isaacs, which helped me to understand what Montessori is all about. I became totally captivated by Maria Montessori’s philosophy, and as I slowly saw it applied in practice in the classroom, I began to explore its relevance in today’s education and world. Aspects of interest There are various aspects of the Montessori philosophy that really motivated me to learn more, including the requirement for guides to follow the child and prepare the environment to support each child’s interests and needs. I really value the focus on independent learning. I also saw the benefits of vertical grouping, namely supporting the children to learn to thrive as a community. This aspect of community is something that forms part of our school ethos. From a young age, all children learn about “jien għal oħrajn”, which is Maltese for ‘in service for others’, and are encouraged to give service to the community as a whole. My research led to me apply to study for the Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy - Birth to Seven (Early Years Educator) at Montessori Centre International (MCI) in March, and I was accepted for the April 2020 cohort. Challenges My main challenge has been starting my course during the Covid-19 pandemic. I missed my daily practice with the children while the school was closed, and felt stressed as a result of feeling isolated and lacking a daily routine. Thankfully, I’ve been able to overcome these feelings with the help of my tutor and my two colleagues, who are also doing the same course. The course itself and MCI webinars have also helped by supporting me to reflect 38 Dece mb e r 2020
more on my practice and experience the amazing feeling of being part of the global Montessori community. Over the year, I have learnt that Montessori is a philosophy for life that can be applied to help us navigate everyday situations. I have experienced this while attempting to foster order and sense in the classroom in this chaotic, nonsensical world in which we all currently find ourselves living. Interestingly, I imagine this is similiar to the feelings that the children experience when they enter a setting for the first time, which is why an orderly envrionment is so important. Self-Reflection I am gradually learning that reflection is part of a Montessori guide’s daily practice, and that self-reflection is crucial. I am continually asking myself if my daily practice is truly child-centric, and questioning the extent to which the activities that I present will support the children to find a purpose in life, their cosmic purpose. Slowly, I am evaluating whether my intervention will really benefit the child, or if I use my presence to impress or control. This is not an easy process, as there are many prejudices and barriers that I need to overcome in my future journey. An important aspect is humility and the acknowledgement that the child is in fact the teacher, who teaches me continually. All I need to do is stop and reflect on his/her little actions. Peer feedback is also key. Offering constructive feedback and learning from others is a quality that Montessorians should cherish. I am learning a lot from my peers’ feedback, as it tends to give me new perspectives, which will improve my practice with the children I work with. My tutor’s feedback is also helping me to refine my practice and further reflect. I particularly love my tutor’s positivity, because it helps to motivate me in my learning journey. Learnings In this beautiful journey, I actually learnt first about the importance of spiritual preparation and of searching within to become a positive role model. Setting a good Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
VOICE of the STUDENT
I have learnt that Montessori is a philosophy for life that can be applied to help us navigate everyday situations
Community was key for Montessori, just as it is for children at Bishop’s Conservatory
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Junior School in Gozo (pictured), one of the islands in the Maltese archipelago
example to the children is critical, and so I am working hard to achieve this, particularly in the relationships I have with all of my colleagues in the setting. I am also learning that despite all the challenges, every child is a unique gem ready to be discovered. Sometimes all we need is patience and the ability to give support and care when needed. Throughout the course, I am learning continually about the importance of play and how it supports the holistic development of the younger generation. I am becoming increasingly aware about how children use schemas to make sense of the world around them during play. Here, I think that observation is crucial, so that the children can be supported to bloom.
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Finally, I am starting to realise the importance of the outdoor environment. Through direct contact with nature, children are exposed to limitless possibilities to enhance their independence, creativity and social skills. But perhaps of supreme importance for Montessorians everywhere is the need to create a beautiful, prepared environment in which children can unlock their potential and develop into wonderful human beings that create, and contribute to, a better world for all. Maria Gauci is a practitioner at Bishop’s Conservatory Junior School in Gozo, Malta
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Montessori insight
Freedom of choice Children have a right to choose what happens with their bodies, and guides have a duty to respect and support this, as Francesca Liberatore explains As a feminist in the age of #MeToo, a homeschooling mother of two and a new Montessori educator, I’m always asking myself whether I could be doing more to practise respect for the child’s bodily autonomy and consent in the classroom, nursery and beyond. When I started training for my Montessori diploma with Montessori Centre International, I was struck by the reverence and respect that Maria Montessori had for the child. She was radical for her time in introducing the idea of treating the child with the same degree of respect usually reserved only for adults. She likened the adult’s power over the child to “tyranny” (Montessori, 1972: 152) and instructed guides to recognise and correct their own skewed expectations of children before rushing to correct the actions of the child in their care. As Montessori practitioners, we’re familiar with treating the child as a unique person in their own right. This is fundamental to everything we do, and it lays the foundations for so many aspects of a Montessori environment: freedom of choice, emphasis on respect for others and our surroundings, the role of the prepared environment, the principle of non-interference and the importance of the words we use to address the child. But I believe that Montessori’s conception of respect would extend to embrace putting the child in charge of their own body and actions, given how extensively she 40 Dece mb e r 2020
writes about the child’s right to freedom of movement, freedom from punishment and harsh treatment, and independence of spirit and action (Montessori, 1972). But I feel that as an early years practitioner in our current age, I need further information and guidance around the topic of consent, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. At first glance, it may seem that protecting children’s autonomy cannot co-exist with stopping the spread of the virus and following our local guidelines, but I really believe that we can do both. Respectful touching By bodily autonomy, I mean the child’s right to not be touched by others, or if necessary be touched in a respectful way. I also mean the child’s right to do what they desire with their own body. By consent, I mean the child’s right to say yes or no to what adults or other children are proposing they do, and this is not limited to the child’s physical actions, but can encompass the child’s right to their own thoughts, beliefs and feelings. There are many reasons why we may want to support a healthy sense of bodily autonomy in children and an understanding of their right to consent (or not). I believe the most important reason is because it is a human right to get to decide what happens to our own bodies and minds, and this includes children. Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
We should be wary of physically handling the children to get through transitions freely, to communicate that we trust them to know what their body needs. Free snack time in Montessori settings is a fabulous way to do this. But of course, we should gently encourage children to eat and drink if we notice they haven’t done so in a while.
In addition, Montessori’s vision firmly embraces the rights of the child. It is also thought that this could be a preventative measure against sexual abuse (Cassels, 2013). If a child feels they have control over what they do with their body and who touches them, they are more likely to know when it is touched inappropriately, and as they grow older have the confidence to reject or report any unwanted behaviour that they consider to be inappropriate. Supporting the child Montessori-inspired ways to support children to develop a healthy sense of bodily autonomy include talking about how their body is theirs alone to decide what to do with, and then honouring that. We can read books (see book list below), tell stories, support role play around the message that “no means no”, and explain to the child that they can stand up for their own bodily autonomy and tell others “no”. We can model this to them by requesting respect for our own bodies. For example, we can use statements including, “I can’t let you hit me” and “I can’t let you push James”. We can also be mindful about hugging and always seek verbal or non-verbal consent for hugging a child; no child should be made to hug another adult or child if they don’t wish to (AitkenRead, 2015). Similarly, we can support a child to eat and drink Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
We can support a child to eat and drink freely, to communicate that we trust them to know what their body needs
Handling transitions There are many moments during the day when we need children to follow a certain procedure, or expect the child to comply with our requests, such as lining up to go outdoors, sitting down for circle time, tidying up their work, and now more than ever, washing hands, taking temperatures, and other social distancing and hygiene procedures relating to Covid-19. These moments are an opportunity for us to respect the child’s bodily autonomy, but also an opportunity to fail to respect it. Therefore, guides should consider these moments as opportunities to put consent and respect into practice in difficult circumstances, and to model to children how we as Montessori practitioners deal with this. We should be wary of physically handling the children to get through transitions, because when we do this we teach them that their body is not theirs to do what they wish with. Even with babies and toddlers, we could instead always use words first, saying things such as “Let’s go and wash our hands now,” and holding out a hand for them to take if they wish. We could give them time and space to process a transition and allow them to do it at their own pace. We could make it playful, encouraging them to “creep to the bathroom like a mouse” and we could, in many circumstances, entertain the idea that we may have to accept no for an answer. Practitioners should consider children in their care who are not able to give consent, such as those for whom English is not their first language. In these cases, staff may want to learn basic sentences in the child’s language, in order to say things such as, “Do you need a hug?” or “Let’s put our shoes on.” We should also consider how to support children with special educational needs. Using visual cues such as flashcards may help, as might a chat with the child’s parents or carers about expectations in De ce mb er 20 20 41
Montessori insight
We must be mindful about the myriad of small ways we touch children without their
the classroom around consent and autonomy. Parents and staff may be able to give the child basic vocabulary such as “yes” and “no”, to enable them to give or refuse consent. But we will at times need to make judgements about a child’s needs and wants based on their body language, which is where observation is a particularly valuable tool.
consent
giving back control There are so many other elements of giving back the child control over their own body that we can be mindful of throughout each day. Many of them extend from the role of the Montessori educator as one of support for and faith in the child’s inner drive and ability to guide their own development, and the recognition that the child is an individual in themselves and not an adultin-the-making (Montessori, 2007). This should include things such as not taking objects out of the hands of children without first asking, and expecting the child to give the object back or put it away (unless of course there is immediate danger); not picking the child up or changing a nappy without consent or some degree of co-operation; encouraging children to wipe their own noses, or asking before wiping; not photographing without the child’s permission; allowing them to cry if they need or want to; not talking or laughing about children in front of them; not manipulating them through rewards, punishments and 42 Dece mb e r 2020
praise; and being mindful about the myriad of small ways we touch children without their consent - stroking their hair, tapping their head, moving them aside, just to name a few. Some of this behaviour has become so normalised we barely notice, but my general rule is if it would be inappropriate to do it to another member of staff, then it’s in all likelihood not respectful to do it to a child. child safety Of course, child safety is our absolute priority in a childcare setting, and so any talk of respect is only possible if we are also keeping the child safe. There will be times when a guide violates the child’s freedom and autonomy when they take something hastily from their hand, or physically stop them from doing something harmful or dangerous, particularly in the current climate as practitioners enforce Covid-19 measures. Drop off routines might also be impacted due to parents having to part with their child at the front door of the setting. We can develop ways to talk to children about these moments beforehand, during and after the event in question. We can discuss the setting’s ground rules and daily procedures ahead of time and with the child’s caregivers, so the child is prepared. We can use visual reminders in the classroom so the children know what is coming next, and what is expected of them in certain moments of the day. In moments we need to step in, Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
Perhaps now more than ever, we should show children that their autonomy and sense of self does not get thrown by the wayside because of difficult circumstances
we can empathise, offer comfort and explain what we are doing, saying things like, “I see you are angry that I stopped you from running out of the door; my job is to keep you safe, so I need you to stay inside” and “I can’t let you cut Sally’s hair, so I have to take the scissors from you.” The way we handle violations of consent says as much to the child as the way we handle respecting it. Perhaps now more than ever, we should show children that their autonomy and sense of self does not get thrown by the wayside because of difficult circumstances; that, as practitioners and humans, we are able to model calm, compassion and respect even in these tough times, when they are most needed. I feel this is an opportunity to demonstrate how we balance enforcing non-negotiable activities with a Montessori approach that values freedom and independence.
encourage each other as practitioners, and promote selfawareness and accountability among all staff. Part of the work is also finding constructive ways to talk to parents about bodily autonomy and consent. We can explain what these terms mean in the context of Montessori and respectful parenting. This can be a difficult subject for many parents, so we should work on ways to communicate these ideas to others in nonjudgmental, supportive ways. Educating the child’s caregivers, as well as the general public, is an important aspect of the Montessori vision. It should definitely be a part of our work as Montessori educators to advocate for the child’s rights not only within our setting, but in the wider community and world. Francesca Liberatore is a guide at Little Land Nursery in Dubai, the UAE
recognising triggers Personally, I often find myself falling short of my expectations, or reflecting on how I could have handled a situation more respectfully. As educators and humans, we need to recognise that we are not perfect and should continue to research, reflect and work on how we can best support children in our care. This may take some inner work on our part, recognising our triggers, being honest with ourselves, and finding ways to stay calm under pressure; basically what Montessori called “a gymnasium for her soul” (Montessori, 1967), where we look deep within ourselves and work on dismantling ego and preconceptions, in order to be a true advocate for the child. Starting a dialogue about this with our colleagues and management might be a helpful way to support and
References l AitkenRead,
L. (2015) 10 Habits That Infringe on Rights of Children (and How
to Change Them) [online], available from: http://lulastic.co.uk/activism/10habits-that-infringe-on-rights-of-children-and-how-to-change-them/ (date accessed, 31/01/2020) l
Cassels, T. (2013) Consent Evolutionary Parenting [online], available from:
http://evolutionaryparenting.com/consent/ (date accessed, 31/01/2020) l
Montessori, M. (1967) The Discovery of the Child New York: Ballantine Books
l
Montessori, M. (1972) The Secret of Childhood New York: Ballantine Books
l
Montessori, M. (2007) The Absorbent Mind Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
l
NSPCC (2020) Pants: The Underwear Rule [online], available from: https:// www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/ underwear-rule/ (date accessed, 31/01/2020)
PHOTOGRAPHS: ISTOCK
Recommended reading
Sanders, J. (2016)
Sanders, J. (2015)
King, K. (2016) I Said No!
Geisler, D. (2014)
Morrison, E. (2018)
My Body! What I Say
No Means No!
Weaverville: Boulden
My Body Belongs to
C is for Consent Los
Goes! Victoria:
Victoria: UpLoad
Me New York:
Angeles: Phonics with
UpLoad Publishing
Publishing
Sky Pony
Finn
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De ce mb er 20 20 43
Budding possibilities The Montessori Group is growing into a stronger organisation that enhances its charitable efforts and honours Maria Montessori’s name, says Leonor Stjepic
44 Dece mb e r 2020
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M o n t e ss o r i c o mm u n i t y
“The world was not created for us to enjoy, but we are created in order to evolve the cosmos” (Montessori, 2007a: 21)
The group is evolving its proposition to support children and practitioners to blossom
The Montessori Group, comprising the charity Montessori St Nicholas and training and qualifications provider Montessori Centre International (MCI), has been going through a series of changes in order to meet the needs of the evolving world around us, and the need to promote and provide a Montessori education that can support people during these global changes that we are all experiencing. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, we were planning how to change our activities so that we can be more effective at achieving the charitable objectives of the charity (the promotion of Montessori), honour Maria Montessori’s vision of a world where the Montessori approach is a force for social change and for good, and honour Montessori’s role as a social activist and pioneer in so very many different ways. The need for social change, for putting the child at the heart of this drive for a better world, is as vital and urgent now as it was in Montessori’s time. We only need to look around us to see a world that is dealing with climate change, the rise of authoritarian government, a global pandemic, economic recession and a lack of courtesy towards others to understand this. Were Montessori able to come back today, she would recognise many of these social issues and no doubt be encouraged to hear young people’s voices from around the world calling for the change that is needed. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is calling for action on climate change; Emma González is calling for stricter gun control in the US; Amy and Ella Meek, 17 and 15 years of age respectively, have created the charity Kids Against Plastic; Malala Yousafzai is campaigning for
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education for young girls; and Marley Dias is founder of the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign (which she started in 2015 at the age of 11 with the aim of collecting 1,000 books featuring black girls as the main characters and donating them to her peers). There is a long list of young people who are not only calling for change but more importantly, are actually doing something about it. Like them, I also started young: at school, raising funds for the World Wildlife Fund before co-founding the Amnesty Working Group for Children, at 18 years of age, to campaign for children’s rights before children’s rights became part of Amnesty’s mandate due to our lobbying. I have spent almost of all of my life working and learning about effective change, so like the young people above, I know that the social change we need can only happen with peaceful, effective action and when we are not afraid to make unpopular or difficult decisions; in short, when we face challenges head on. That is what we are doing at The Montessori Group, with Maria Montessori as our role model. Montessori didn’t sit in the comfort of her home in Rome writing scholarly articles; she set up a school in one of the most challenging parts of the city. She was unafraid to change the status quo and behave unconventionally. To use modern parlance, Montessori did not remain in her comfort zone or in a bubble; she spoke out, took action and made life choices that meant doing the right thing, not the easiest thing. Not everyone can do what Montessori did, but as a group we can try our best to follow her example as an activist. As an organisation, we have a moral obligation De ce mb er 20 20 45
to support our young people in changing the world by creating the world for which they are asking and, of course, we know the most effective ways of doing that: through education and through children. That’s a big task, but one we have to take on. As Montessori said, “An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking: it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in 46 Dece mb e r 2020
which they live� (Montessori, 1992: 30). Our focus in the next five years is to support our children and young people by ensuring that they have access to a Montessori education that can help them develop into the adult changemakers that the world needs. To do this, we cannot remain focused solely on training. We have to use our name and resources to do more through the following initiatives: n Our public pledge (announced in Sept 2020) to
A Montessori approach can provide a joyful experience for children and families
Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
M o n t e ss o r i c o mm u n i t y
PHOTOGRAPHS: ISTOCK
We will speak the truth regardless of how unpopular that makes us and work tirelessly to create social change
ensure that Montessori survives and thrives in these challenging times through a whole range of projects, influencing and support for early years settings n Our social impact projects, including our education for sustainability programme, bursaries and support for communities far and wide n S upporting Montessorian educators through training and raising their status in the eyes of policymakers This is the thinking behind the new International Montessori Institute we have set up in partnership with Leeds Beckett University. Not only will this allow Montessori training to reach a wider number of people internationally than we can support as MCI, but our proposed online, accelerated Montessori degree will be cheaper, so therefore accessible to a wider audience. Our hope is that research done by the master’s degree and PhD students who will gain their advanced qualifications in Montessori education will add weight to the importance of Montessori in the eyes of global policymakers. We will also continue to support families because we believe that Montessori is for everyone. Our Montessori network provides free resources, including learning courses, for Montessorians and also people who are interested in Montessori education, and we will also be providing training materials in other languages. Meanwhile, our new campaign, #ThatsMontessori, will educate the public on the powerful base and joyful experience that a Montessori approach can provide for children and families as a whole, and I welcome anyone who would like to take part to get in touch. Further changes have included relocating our headquarters. Having a beautiful, grade II listed building in one of the most affluent areas of London was not aligned to our values of Montessori as an inclusive pedagogy. Similarly, it was not right that MCI training should only be available to those who can afford to travel to London, so we have sold our headquarters and will take a smaller London base. We will have a network of host centres across the UK and across the world from which MCI training will be available. We are again following the example of Montessori. She did not set up a training centre in Rome and expect everyone to travel to Rome for training. That would probably have allowed her a more comfortable lifestyle, but she didn’t Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
do that; instead she travelled the world providing training to all who were interested. If she hadn’t done this, the Montessori pedagogy would not have the global reach it has today. It can’t have been easy to travel the world as a woman, especially in the days before commercial airlines, but Montessori clearly didn’t believe in limiting herself to what was comfortable and familiar, instead preferring to do the right thing for children. But ultimately at the heart of our strategy is unity. As Montessori said, “We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are a part of the universe, and are connected with each other to form one whole unity” (Montessori, 2007b: 6). Accordingly, we aim to collaborate with our colleagues in the other Montessori organisations, as well the early years sector, community groups, non-governmental organisations and other education institutes as part of our strategy to promote Montessori education around the world. We will use our name and resources to support social impact projects across the world, and to influence national and local government to understand the importance of early years education and early years educators as professionals. We will work continuously to be more inclusive, diverse and humble enough to know that we do not have all the answers. We will evolve to meet the needs of the society around us and the changing world that we are all experiencing, while recognising that we are a small part of a large movement of necessary change that includes many others. Like Montessori, we will speak the truth regardless of how unpopular that makes us and work tirelessly to create social change. Ultimately, we will not be afraid to create change because our children, our students and our practitioners around the world deserve nothing less. Leonor Stjepic is Chief Executive Officer of The Montessori Group
References l Montessori, M. (1992) Education and Peace Oxford: ABC-CLIO l Montessori, M. (2007a) Education for a New World Amsterdam: MontessoriPierson Publishing Company l Montessori, M. (2007b) To Educate the Human Potential Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company
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Imagination station Indie Nivarro combines her passion for Montessori education with her creative flair to make beautiful materials for her daughter’s homeschool environment
My Montessori journey began during the pregnancy of my first and only child. While researching how to cope with a new baby, I came across an article about moms who don’t let their kids have plastic toys. I thought the decision was extreme until I began to understand the benefits of wooden toys, the fact that they are often safer than plastic toys when they are eco-friendly and chemical-free, and that they connect children to nature and the environment. I was as much surprised as I was intrigued by my discovery because I couldn’t believe that it was an area I’d never previously considered. This made me start to question the kind of environment and play space I wanted to provide for my unborn child, 48 Dece mb e r 2020
and it was during this period of reflection that I came across Montessori education. I fell in love with Maria Montessori’s incredible methods and philosophy, including her concept of a simple, yet beautifully prepared environment with carefully selected, wooden toys designed with a specific purpose. The more I went on to read about her philosophy, the more I realised that it would be central to the way in which I raised my child. In short, Montessori gave me a direction, focus and clear vision for my daughter’s future and education. I continued my research once my daughter was born, and tried to implement Montessori practices into aspects of our daily routine and lifestyle, but it wasn’t
The prepared homeschool environment featuring homemade materials and a reading nook
Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
VO I C E o f t h e PA R E N T
I wanted all of Montessori’s materials to support my daughter’s learning at home, but knew that would cost a small fortune, so I decided to make my own
always easy. During the first year of having a new baby in our lives, it was a very difficult and overwhelming experience for which I don’t think anyone can prepare themselves fully. This was exacerbated by a feeling that I was alone in my belief that Montessori parenting was right for my daughter. Sadly, Montessori’s philosophy remains relatively unknown: people have either never heard of her approach or know very little about it, or both. I definitely felt judged about some of the decisions I was making for my daughter, and I found it extremely exhausting having to constantly explain myself to others. Nevertheless, I started to create the environment I wanted and took pictures to capture all the precious moments with my daughter, which included a lot of pictures of the activities I made for her. Soon my camera roll was full of images I didn’t really know what to do with, so I decided that I would start an Instagram page to document our journey. As my daughter got older, I started to look for a local Montessori school for her and was surprised to
A homemade moveable alphabet activity (above), a Tens Board with
find one right here in Muscat, Oman, where we are currently residents. As luck would have it, the school has a training centre, the Montessori Oman Training Center, and runs an Early Childhood Montessori Diploma affiliated with the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE), which I knew I just had to pursue. The prospect of learning everything there was to know about Montessori and having the skills to develop my daughter’s learning throughout her most important years of development was an incredible feeling, and I just couldn’t wait to get started on my new journey. I was like a sponge during my course, absorbing all the information I was learning and implementing it in my home, which resulted in me changing the way I set up the workspace and environment as a whole. I wanted all of Montessori’s materials to support my daughter’s learning at home, but knew that would cost a small fortune, so I decided to make my own versions of the materials I thought I would need at each stage of her development. I was confident in my ability, even on a very tight budget, because of my creative and artistic background as a professional special effects hair and makeup artist, which involved designing and fabricating wigs, costumes and props for various productions in theatre, film and television, as well as avant-garde editorial fashion shoots.
beads (above right) and a homemade water cycle model (right)
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direction change I was thrilled with the abundance of new knowledge and valuable information I was gaining to help me scaffold my daughter’s learning. But things changed when I noticed a deterioration in my daughter’s happiness since being at school, which led my husband and I to make De ce mb er 20 20 49
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Having beautifully prepared materials supports and nurtures my daughter’s interest and love of learning
This is quite low res, can she send another please?
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of finding the perfect Montessori school, so I didn’t have to worry about all the insecurities that for me come with homeschooling, including whether I’m doing enough, whether I know enough and whether I’m capable enough. But once I started to get into our homeschooling rhythm, I realised that I am good enough, and will always be good enough, to guide my child’s education. The importance of having a prepared, beautiful environment in the space in which we spend most of our time helps us to remain calm, peaceful and respectful of its beauty. Having beautifully prepared materials supports and nurtures my daughter’s interest and love of learning. This is fundamental to what I’m trying to do for her, to prepare her for a world in which she will forever have to adapt. I can only hope that she will get to travel the world and explore and experience new countries, cultures, traditions and people from all walks of life, and respect and care about our planet. But ultimately, I want her to be happy and comfortable with who she is.
A dedicated space for creativity (above left) and an earth structurethemed activity (above right)
Indie Nivarro is a Montessori homeschooler and founder of @mylittlemontessorian in Muscat, Oman
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PHOTOGRAPHS: Indie Nivarro
the decision to withdraw her and focus instead on Montessori-focused homeschooling. I do not regret the decision of putting my daughter into a Montessori school; it was just unfortunate that this was just not the right setting for us at this moment in time. Since finishing my course in January 2020, I remain positive and continue to develop my homeschool space with the incredible methods and teachings Montessori has given me. My training has served me particularly well during this whirlwind of a year, during which we have all been forced to spend considerably more time indoors as the Covid-19 pandemic spreads around the world. Silver linings include having more time to plan my monthly themes and materials, and to be more creative with activities. With that, my Instagram following has reached incredible numbers, and I’m overwhelmed daily by the support and comments I get about the work I produce for our themes. This inspired me to start my own website, which I have been working on for some time now and can’t wait to launch. I want to be able to inspire others with my work and make it easy for them to achieve the same results at home with their own children. I didn’t plan on homeschooling. I actually dreamed
Montessori entrepreneur
Children enjoying the reading corner
Social cohesion reimagined Karen Partridge shares the vision behind the community-based micro Montessori setting she’s created at her North London home Montessori International (MI): What prompted you to create a Montessori-based business from your home? Karen Partridge (KP): If you’d told me five years ago that I’d own a nursery, I’d have thought you were mad. But a few forks in the road can radically alter your life. My mother-in-law was an exceptional woman, who founded Manchester’s first Montessori school. She and my husband, who attended the school, lived upstairs. Tragically, she passed away in 2017, leaving a gaping hole in our family and a feeling of regret that I hadn’t made more of an effort to learn her craft. When our son was born in 2018, I swiftly realised motherhood was as beautiful, hilarious and rewarding as it was baffling, lonely and overwhelming. Common to many working London families, we lacked the mythical “village” - the local community and support network that, Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
under different circumstances and times, might have been more accessible. We were spread thin, and without family nearby relied on overburdened friends, unfiltered web forums and patchwork childcare to help us through. I’d worked hard to build a career and rejected the idea I could either be a great worker or a great mum. Surely in 2020 we’re able to be both? I set about finding a nursery that could both allow my son to flourish and provide the community and knowledge we needed as an antidote to the guilt, self-doubt and anxiety that afflicts working parents, forced into unsatisfactory trade-offs. My search didn’t end well, so I set about creating my own childcare setting. The result is Playhood, a micro Montessori nursery alongside a co-working space and a friendly community of parents based in North London. We total eight families, two teachers and an assistant. De ce mb er 20 20 51
Montessori entrepreneur
MI: What was your vision, and how did you ensure you remained committed to this along the way? KP: I wanted to create an early years setting that enabled children to flourish, teachers to express their passion and parents to form a meaningful community. This required me breaking down barriers between these groups to achieve greater equality, which involved challenging the constructs that shape our roles as parents and professionals. For example, the spaces we inhabit - homes, workspaces and schools - are typically distinct. Coming from outside the industry has helped me to question the status quo, but the way in which the pandemic is necessitating people to think differently about their childcare and working arrangements has also helped me to remain committed to my vision and bring it to life. Our community is small enough to experiment with personalised, collaborative educational approaches that meet our collective needs, allows intimate relationships to form and innate knowledge of each child to build and inform our decision making, which explains why the setting feels more like a family than an institution and why we’ve all become good friends. The scale simplifies management too. There is little bureaucracy and I automate most functions, freeing up teachers to focus on the children and realise the potential of their Montessori Centre International education. MI: What was involved in setting up the business? KP: I researched and connected with parents and organisations far and wide. There’s fascinating work being 52 Dece mb e r 2020
carried out by #radicalchildcare, the New Economics Foundation and the Wildflower Schools network in the US. Further afield, I looked at parent-led models from Canada to New Zealand, and closer to home I surveyed 50 local families. These insights really helped me to shape my business case and financial model. I registered as a childminder after completing the required courses, kitted out my garden studio as a classroom, designed the communication channels and recruited for my lead teacher - a post that I knew would be pivotal to our future success.
The open design of the setting (shown above left and right) supports children’s freedom of movement
MI: To what extent did the Covid-19 pandemic impact your plans, and how have you responded? KP: A two-month delay in opening was a kick in the teeth after so much preparation, but things could have been worse. My heart goes out to the owners of other settings grappling with so much uncertainty over the last year. You learn a lot about people in a crisis, and despite being early in our working relationship, Laura (Perfetti, Playhood’s Head of School) was an incredible support and cheerleader to me. Rather than fret about uncontrollable events, we pivoted to support our members virtually. We sent videos, offered individualised Montessori coaching calls, connected parents (who were still strangers to each other) and posted blogs. The solidarity was uplifting, and by the time we launched we felt like old friends. There were tears all round when we finally opened. The longer-term impact of the pandemic has been fascinating. Never has the work-life imbalance parents Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
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Karen Partridge
I’ve seen a surge in interest from parents who, for the first time, can work flexibly and who are therefore looking for smaller settings to enable them to play a more central role in their children’s education
Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori (ILM), with which we have close links. For every child attending the setting, we fund a child to attend ILM. We raised funds for the school’s outdoor classroom and will shortly launch a joint curriculum project connecting our children with ILM’s.
face been so exposed, or the need (and opportunity) for change greater. I’ve seen a surge in interest from parents who, for the first time, can work flexibly and who are therefore looking for smaller settings to enable them to play a more central role in their children’s education. I think this explains why the setting was full before we opened, and why our waiting list grows weekly. MI: How does your funding model work? KP: It’s a simple membership model. Membership includes access to the nursery and workspace. We provide chef-prepared food for both parents and children. Stopping work to share delicious healthy food is key to connecting as a community everyday. We have partnered with a South African school, Mo nte sso r i Inte r n at i o n al
MI: How did you raise your startup funding? KP: Playhood is self-funded. Home-based settings require much less risky investment than a commercial property. In these uncertain times, I’d advocate rethinking our homes and gardens as multi-functional, cleverly designed spaces that can flex for different needs. They provide the perfect base for small, homely and welcoming preschools, able to operate to the same, if not higher, standards than a high street nursery. Never has there been a better time to reverse the downward trend in childminding. MI: What challenges have you met along the way, and how have you overcome these? KP: Aside from Covid-19, which has affected all settings, there have been surprisingly few major challenges. Navigating a rigid regulatory framework with a new model that doesn’t neatly fit a box was interesting and time-consuming, so I had to work with Ofsted and insurers to find a solution. If new models are to emerge in response to this new normal, there must be space and support for them, rather than roadblocks. MI: What would you have done differently, and why? KP: I underestimated the time involved in recruiting De ce mb er 20 20 53
Montessori entrepreneur
Don’t underestimate how huge recent events have been on families. We must all view education through a new lens
brilliant staff and navigating the vagaries of Ofsted. Ideally, I would have preferred to have launched under a socially-driven governance/business structure, such as a Community Interest Company or Certified B Corporation, but the reality was a race against time to launch while my son was young enough to benefit. I’ll revisit these ideas as the setting becomes established.
MI: What is your greatest achievement to date? KP: Tiny moments are often the most memorable. It sounds clichéd, but just watching friendships blossom as the children grow is life-affirming. It’s also felt great to hear that our blog, which is based on coaching that Laura had given our members and focussed on practical Montessori-led tweaks to the home, is making a real difference to the way people live their lives. I’m proud of the connections being made between members. We’ve created a toy library and advice is shared on everything from potty training to city farms, books and choosing a first bike. Commercial partnerships have been established and there is a culture of creative problem-solving with like-minded peers. It’s early days, but it feels like the building blocks of a village are emerging. MI: What would you advise young Montessori graduates wishing to embark on a similar journey and start up their own Montessori-based business? KP: Be clear on your drivers and values because only they will dictate what success looks like to you. Our business is robust, but my North Star is the experiences of our kids, parents and teachers, rather than maximising profit. This clarity has shaped every decision I’ve made. Running a business is not a linear process, so it’s 54 Dece mb e r 2020
important for people to be prepared for one step forward and three back at times, in terms of progress. It’s also key to surround yourself with like-minded people who share your values; they’ll be vital in the tough times. Low-risk, flexible options that don’t require vast startup funding are best in uncertain times. Cochildminding (with other teachers) allows you to work as a team and mirror a nursery setup. This might be a great way to grow a business from small beginnings. It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for grants, startup loans and business support programs, particularly if you are creating new employment opportunities. Finally, don’t underestimate how huge recent events have been on families. We must all view education through a new lens. Seek inspiration and mentorship from outside the sector and continually evolve.
Children busy working in the outdoor space
MI: What are your future plans for the busines? KP: Now that we’ve opened and the setting’s full, my focus has shifted to co-designing with members. The aim is to squeeze as much from the model as possible, so we’re kicking off our work with ILM and developing our workshop schedule and nursery planning sessions (for parents and teachers, of course). I’m also working with a strategist (a Playhood mum) to develop new offers for non-members while seeking funding and partners to support a longer term scaling piece, which will enable other teacher and parent groups to join forces around similar models. But finding the language to articulate and communicate our business model is an evolving process. The term childcare feels detrimental - our teachers are doing (and our parents learning) so much more. Karen Partridge is Founder of Playhood in London, the UK
Monte ssori Inte r nati o nal
PHOTOGRAPHS: KATRINA CAMPBELL PHOTOS, PLAYHOOD
MI: How have friends/business partners/mentors supported you on your journey to success? KP: The most powerful support has come from within the community. Professional skills as diverse as design, education, marketing, strategy, trends, finance and journalism can all be accessed in-house. It’s a formidable work team. It is key that we all have skin in the game; a common purpose. The more we put into the business, the greater the value for our children and us - a powerful incentive. On a more personal level, I work with a coach, who helps me to problem-solve and think strategically.
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Issue 129 – December 2020