Principal’s
Desk
Principal’s Message
Not-for-profit • Established 1972
Marilyn Herriot
Fall 2008
Where can we look for inspiration when we hear of a new crisis daily?
There’s one thing that I do that brings back perspective and allows me to feel a sense of gratitude for life. I observe the children! Sometimes I just catch a glimpse of them going about their work. Other times I simply pause for a time, to watch the life of the class unfold. What I witness inspires our smiles, laughter and hope for the future.
Dr. Montessori answered those who could not understand how social life is nurtured in a Montessori school, where children often work individually, by saying, “what is social life if not solving social problems, behaving properly and pursuing aims acceptable to all? [It is not] sitting side by side and hearing someone else talk....[Our children] live always in active community” (Absorbent Mind, p. 224) In a Montessori class, each unique personality is fostered within a mixed-aged grouping spanning 3 years. A three-year-old meets those slightly younger, just older and a year or two older than herself. What a variety of potential friends to interact with and to learn from! The young are the world’s most skilled observers and learn by watching and imitating. The older children are effective peer teachers and appealing role models for the younger ones.
Montessori teachers model the ways of the class culture as they circulate giving one-to-one lessons. They also demonstrate social behaviours, such as, how to walk around someone’s rug without disturbing the work or how to politely interrupt. Techniques are shown and then practised by the children. Older, second and third year students have these social habits ingrained and the younger ones learn by imitation. continued
