November brings us a time to reflect and think upon peace.
We observe Remembrance Day at WMA by discussing it’s meaning, and by crafting Poppies and other peaceful symbols in our classrooms. Maria Montessori was a champion for peace and for equal rights. The essentials of education for peace are built into the Montessori curriculum at every level.
By creating a peaceful environment we allow the children to find inner calm, to be able to concentrate for extended periods of time, and to become self-disciplined human beings.
At the preschool stage when children are in an absorbent state of mind, they are exposed to the Continents of the World, and the Peoples of the World, thus providing the basis for a global view of life and humanity’s part in it. We promote cooperative play as opposed to competition and talk about respecting ourselves, our environment, and each other. These themes continue through the elementary years with more in depth studies, projects, and discussions.
Dr. Montessori designed her method of teaching with peace at its core. When she was developing this method in the mid-20th Century, Dr. Montessori saw that education was the most powerful and universal way through which to reconstruct society; a way to transition from war to peace. She not only designed a curriculum that teaches about peace, but an entire method of education that is guided by it.
By creating a peaceful environment we allow the children to find inner calm, to be able to concentrate for extended periods of time, and to become self-disciplined human beings.
– Ms. Sarah
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