Joyful Village

Announcing the next session of Joyful Village! Come join us to build community this winter!

1 place left for Friday classes!

"The child brings us a great hope and a new vision. There is much that we teachers can do to bring humanity to a deeper understanding, to a higher well-being, and to a greater spirituality."
- Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind p. 66

Wow! Dr. Montessori saw the child as a true agent of peace and the role of the teacher as nurturing their natural drive for harmony. How can all of us adults encourage children's peaceful nature?

Providing examples of how to solve conflict is essential. It is never too early for children to learn language to express themselves and their needs in a positive, but assertive way. My daughter tells her younger brother, "I need space! Leave me alone!". Even though I wish they could play together all the time, I am glad when I hear her expressing herself with words rather than violent actions.

"A child is a discoverer. [They are] an amorphous, splendid being in search of [their] own proper form."
Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood p. 99

What a wonderful image of a child! How do we give them interesting environments in which to discover and find their proper forms?

Nature is the child's best teacher and provides a wonderful setting for discovery of the self and the world. Indoors we can offer simple, orderly environments with plenty of objects the child can safely explore. Rotating objects frequently keeps the child engaged.

There are currently 18 spots available for the first session (Aug 7-Oct 13)!

"The child seeks for independence by means of work; an independence of body and mind. Little [they care] about the knowledge of others; [they want] to acquire a knowledge of [their] own, to have experience of the world, and to perceive it by [their] own unaided efforts."
- Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind p. 91

How do we allow children to experience the world for themselves, beginning at birth?

This could mean laying an infant on the floor next to a mirror so they can explore the environment visually. It may be going on a toddler walk where the toddler sets the pace and is free to stop and investigate as they wish.