A world seeking peace needs an education system that empowers individuals with self-worth and respect for others. This caring way of nurturing our youth has a power made of compassion. Here are 5 educational essentials inspired by Maria Montessori’s vision that can help you, parents, empower your parenting skills!
Freedom
Children who are given the freedom to choose, explore, and discover freely are naturally happy. Their hearts are open, embracing and respecting their own freedom and the freedom of others. When given freedom, children learn happily because learning is their passion as much as growing is their goal. Control tends to limit while guidance invites to develop. Montessori presents a way to control the environment around children while liberating the potential in children.
“Unleash a child’s potential and you will turn them into the world.” ~ Maria Montessori
Independence
Children crave independence from the moment they are born! The independence of a child is one of the most important keys to growing an individual with an driven mind and a happy heart. Let’s remember the precious image of the spark of joy in their eyes when they took the first step. Overcoming life’s challenges, no matter how simple or complex, is at the heart of a child’s growth. When children practice without external rewards but with a true sense of accomplishment, they naturally build their self-esteem. Having faith in our children’s hidden potential and letting them independently experience it for themselves, will and think for themselves from an early age, is one of the best gifts we can give them!
“No one can be free unless they are independent.” ~ Maria Montessori
Honor
In a well-prepared Montessori environment, children are trusted to explore. They are continuously prepared for success through challenges so they can discover their own hidden potential. As a result, their self-confidence grows through the respect of the adults around them and develops through developing their social skills with others.
“Children are human beings who must be respected, higher than us because of their innocence and the greater possibility of their future” ~ Maria Montessori
Experience
Experience gives independence and self-confidence. Allowing children to experience through hands-on activities is an interactive way of learning. We call this experience smart work, self-improvement work. Children develop inner strength, perseverance and respect for themselves and find joy in just being who they are in the moment!
“Education is a natural process carried out by children and is not obtained by listening to words but by experiencing in the environment.” ~ Maria Montessori
Love Intelligence
Children come into our lives to remind us of a forgotten truth: unconditional love is the power, the creative force of life.
“Isn’t it the characteristic of love, of sensitivity that allows a child to see what others don’t? It gathers details that no one else sees, and appreciates that special, ostensibly hidden, quality that only love can discover? Because the child’s intelligence is assimilated by loving, and not just by indifference, he can see the invisible. This active, passionate, conscientious and constant absorption of love is characteristic of children. ~ Maria Montessori
Image Credit : Acornschool
