With everything happening in the classroom and in the world, I’m reminded of the words of Maria Montessori: Averting war is the work of politicians; establishing peace is the work of education (Educaiton For Peace, p. 24). History starts from a couple standpoints in our curriculum: everything is made of atoms shared in the world over time, and that every living creature has fundamental needs that must be met for successful continuation. Some fundamental needs are easy to see: food and water. But when we talk about the early humanoids of our planet we see that some of our human fundamental needs are ones that we may not recognize: needs like art, spirituality, and community. This time of year we celebrate so many different holidays that help fill those needs. From Bodhi Day on December 8th through New Year’s Day, my class counted 19 days that are special to different communities in our world. That’s not including National Horse Day and Bathtub day – which some in our community chose to recognize. Again, to paraphrase Montessori, “The work of education is peace.”
Much of our day is spent in recognizing the needs of others and establishing responsible actions in ourselves. From peace education and understanding our own emotions to recognizing inequity and standing up to help change it, Montessori brings peace large and small. In the Lower Elementary ages, we recognize that dignity, safety, peaceful interactions, fresh air and good food are all part of human needs, human peace, and human “justice.” We practice every day to ensure everyone in our community has physical space and an opportunity to use all the materials in class. We take time to ensure everyone has dignity as they move through their day. We also take the time to point out when someone needs to have their dignity or peace restored. We take the time to talk through how to do it and to try different, meaningful, ways to solve the problem as we see it or as it is presented. In Upper El, the children have a chance to move outside the community we are in to look at the world outside our classrooms.
Maria Montessori was a reformer. She was Italy’s first female doctor and provided this beautiful education environment to low-income children exclusively and proved it worked by observing the children for years before the Montessori Method was recognized as the exemplary learning experience it provides. She was a social reform advocate for women and children, and she rooted her peace education on those foundations. I’m proud to share her peace and spread our recognition of the dignity in meeting the fundamental needs of those around us.