“The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.”
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori’s birthday was on August 31st, and we want to take a moment to express gratitude for her legacy. One of her contributions was the belief that “the child is the teacher.” Montessori saw children as individuals deserving of deep respect – capable of self-discovery, learning, and development when provided with the right environment and tools.
Montessori challenged us to, “follow the child,” because she believed that the adult should take the role of an active observer and guide. Montessori explained, “(Children) will show you what they need to do, what they need to develop in themselves, and what area they need to be challenged in.”
And Thank You to the learners! These first two weeks have been wonderful!
Observing Spark Studio learners is a gift. The respect, care, concern, grace, and courtesy towards one another, through their highs and lows, are rich with lessons and opportunities.
It is typical for the first few weeks to be daunting and we deeply admire their courage, openness, and sense of adventure. We know that every child arrives with varying strengths and growth areas. Yet, in a space where differences are celebrated and cherished, and agency over self is discovered and affirmed (again and again), the child’s sense of comfort and inner strength grows. In the beginning, a child may exhibit reluctance or even reliance on the adult, yet transformative growth toward independence is ahead.
We hope you’ll enjoy these photos from the past week:
And Thank You, parents!
We honor you for going on this courageous journey with us.
Thank you deeply, for trusting us with your child. Thank you, for extending warmth and understanding in the smallest of ways. Thank you, for this village. We can feel it all, and hope that you can too!
