“The child who has felt a strong love for his surroundings…”

"The child who has felt a strong love for his surroundings and for all living creatures, who has discovered joy and enthusiasm in work, gives us reason to hope that humanity can develop in a new direction.

"Our hope for peace in the future lies not in the formal knowledge the adult can pass on to the child, but in the normal development of the new man." 
   

— Dr. Maria Montessori
Education and Peace, page 58

The future is being born anew with each generation of children. As Montessorians, we draw continual inspiration from the children we work with, and learn to see the world fresh through their eyes. The Montessori classroom environment helps nurture that inborn impulse for peace and love that belongs to every child. We can take some satisfaction from our own efforts, and we do dare to hope that, child by child, generation by generation we are bringing forth a better humanity.

Thoughts for the day:

• What might be the characteristics of the "new man" that Dr. Montessori refers to?
• Dr. Montessori refers to a love and perhaps connection of the child to the life surrounding her. Can you find an analogue to this idea in your own spiritual tradition?
• Why does Dr. Montessori believe that "normal" development, and not knowledge, will bring about this new human consciousness?

Our next professional development classes begin soon! We offer a great number of courses to advance your career, whether you are an experienced teacher, an assistant or just an interested Montessori parent.

One recent student said:

The Special Needs class from the Center for Guided Montessori Stories was an exceptional learning experience. The information the class delivered, in the form of videos and written manuals, was both a practical and applicable addition to my experience as a classroom teacher. The class challenged me to question what I know about myself and children even as it provided me with valuable insights and new skills that I was able to use almost immediately with my class. Thank you CGMS!

 Candy Proctor   

Now is the time to visit our website at http://www.guidedstudies.com/cgms/prof_dev/ for more information.