JANUARY 2018
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break and holiday season. I am excited to see all the children again and hear their stories. Just a reminder as we get ready to head back to school after the break; please make sure your child has their snow pants, waterproof mittens, jackets and boots. We will definitely be playing in the snow as often as the weather permits!
It’s that time of the year when we starting looking ahead and planning for the next school year. Our P1 community elders will be looking towards joining the elementary community and the 2nd years will be working towards stepping into their shoes as the new leaders of our community. This is a time of great change, responsibility and important decisions. While the children decide on their work and lessons, the parents are contemplating their placement for the next year. One of the most common questions I get asked at this time of the year is the merit of continuing in the Montessori Primary environment as opposed to transitioning to traditional kindergarten.
The benefits of the three and sometimes four-year cycle of a Montessori primary community lies in the way the child naturally learns. A child learns by observing the world around him and getting the information that he needs. When the child first enters the environment, he looks to the older children, the leaders of the community, to gain information about the expectations, guidelines and materials in the environment. As a careful observer, he absorbs and classifies all the information he gains from these elders to learn and develop. Then he begins to explore the environment as he has seen the older children do, connecting with the materials and gaining what he can from the lessons he receives. He watches the elders eagerly, as they work on their exciting lessons, waiting for the day when he too will be able to participate in those activities. Guided by the elders, he continues to work on his own lessons with the promise that they will lead him to the lessons they are working on.
In his third or fourth year, this dream finally comes to fruition. It is now his turn to work on those exciting materials that he observed his elders working with. Every lesson that he has had in the past two or three years, has given him the tools and information necessary to successfully navigate these extensive lessons. It is also his turn to be the leader, the elder who mentors the new younger children, allowing him another opportunity to familiarize himself with the expectations and guidelines of the social environment. As he assists the new child with his lesson, the mentor is able to solidify his own grasp on the lessons he has already had thereby confirming the information for him. As he takes on more responsibility with leadership, collaborations and self-guided learning, the child in his kindergarten year is able to learn more about himself and what he is capable of. The child’s self-esteem and confidence grow leaps and bounds in a familiar and safe environment with the guidance of a familiar adult who has watched him grow and develop.
I look forward to seeing many of you at our Looking Ahead Meeting on January 18th and at your individual observations. I am happy to answer any questions as we watch your child blossom through their primary years.
Archana