A Blog For Me?

It feels like a important moment here. I'm typing an online journal that people may actually read. It already feels kind of strange.

Actually, I love to journal. That part of my Montessori training, observing and journaling, was one of the easier things for me. In my own way though, I'm a private person. Like a turtle with a tough shell, I perfer to be able to hide my thoughts and feelings away. :)

I guess I'll see how this goes. I'm Sarah, and I teach at a little Montessori school in Richmond, VA.

I had a great day today training with Ms. Marcia and Ms. Tina. While the winds and rain shook the trees outside, we discussed the importance of grace and courtesy and control of movement. Maria Montessori waxes most eloquently on how the personality can express itself through refined movement. According to Maria, in order to organize your mind to learn, you must first learn to organize your body's movements.

I like how the grace and courtesy curriculum takes nothing for granted. Even the most basic routines, like blowing your nose or closing a door, are included as an important part of the child's acclimation to classroom life. We will practice social relations: how to get someone's attention, how to listen, how to take turns, how to apologize, etc. etc. Through these lessons, the foundation of respect is forged. Soon they will spontaneously create a community with each other. "I sliced a banana. Would you like a piece?" They will proudly offer a serving to a friend. "Yes, please. Thank you." "You are welcome." I am such a lucky person that I get to see these moments that make you believe that people are capable of living civilized and at peace!

St. Ignatius of Loyola once said, “Give me the first seven years, and I’ll give you the man.”

Here's my Montessori quote of the day:
“And so we discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being. It is not acquired by listening to words, but in virtue of experiences in which the child acts on his environment. The teacher's task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child.”Dr. Maria Montessori: The Absorbent Mind

I look forward to meeting all these little people on Tuesday!