Page 7 - TMS Observations Magazine ~ 2018 (Flip Book)
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Teaching Peace in contact and a warm, kind greeting. Some teaching of Peacekeeping, our students
the Classroom mornings a child might share news. Per- also learn peaceful resolutions to con-
haps her grandma is visiting, or it’s her flicts. Our Peace Table is a gentle, collab-
Maria Montessori, borrow- birthday. In that case, loving attention or orative means of teaching the ability to
ing from William Word- an extended greeting feels right. Some- discuss concerns and reach calm conclu-
sworth, often referenced times the conversation may continue sions.
“the child as the father of with a caring peer. As the children begin When I observe two or more students
the man.” In Education and Peace, she to choose and settle into their work, it’s who need guidance I invite them to join
says, “Adults must above all be educated common for somebody to ask for guid- me for a conversation in a quiet space. We
to acknowledge this fact so they may ance about a prior lesson, in which case a gather the Peace Table, the peace booklet
change their behavior toward the genera- teacher offers help. and our peace camel. Once comfortably
tions that come after them.” Going on, I have found that when a child resists seated, and holding the small wooden
she encourages us to see that we have picking up when his work is finished, camel, I begin by reading from the book-
the opportunity not only to teach an aca- or when he insists that a mess is not his, let. I explain that we will listen to each
demic curriculum, but a moral and social rather than insisting on compliance, the person speak, without interrupting, as
one as well. In fact, she urges us to hold gentle phrase, “I can help,” instantly re- each child explains his or her perspective
this opportunity as an obligation. Con- laxes the child, who is grateful for the about what happened. From there, each
sidering “culture” as a modern-day syn- help with a task that, for whatever reason, child agrees they heard the other speak
onym for education (or knowledge) she previously seemed overwhelming. Hav- and offers what they could have done dif-
says, “from another point of view, school ing modeled this for some time, I now see ferently. Then they share what they could
would seem to be the place where man students scurrying to help others when a do differently in the future. There is no
develops through acquiring culture. But handful of pencils drop, the money box awkward, forced apology, and in my ex-
culture is a means not an end. Properly falls, or somebody trips on the fraction perience, the children are so relieved to
understood, this fact makes the work of pieces. be heard that spontaneous hugs are often
teachers, professors and parents much These virtues, and others, are for- shared.
easier and completely changes our ideas mally taught during our class “rings” (or Our process does not try to prove
about education.” meetings). The children are invited to “right” or “wrong;” it does not dispute
An education at a Montessori school share their definitions of a particular vir- perspective or even dig for facts. Instead
includes a curriculum of our time and tue. Building on their definition, I offer it respects each person’s truth and what
place. A child learns to multiply, to thoughts about its meaning. We love to each can do differently next time. It is
grammatically analyze a sentence, and read stories such as “George and Martha,” kind, respectful, and sincere. Over the
the characteristics of solids, liquids and or those from William J. Bennett’s The course of a year, I give lessons to the older
gases. But following Dr. Montessori’s vi- Book of Virtues. The children and I share students, training them to become Peace
sion about the importance of children as examples of when we have seen the vir- Table Mediators, empowering them to
our society’s future leaders, it is our com- tue in action, and then we agree to look mediate, and preparing them to become
mitment and promise as teachers to lead for examples throughout the day. That af- leaders of the future.
classrooms in which the vision of Peace is ternoon and the next days, we share our Considering culture as a means to an
modeled and taught. observations at subsequent class rings. In end, we guide our children along their
Believing in each child’s ability and setting our intention to find examples of path, modeling and teaching the charac-
desire to live peacefully, each day we kindness, care, love or helpfulness, teristics we hope and believe will point
strive to model the characteristics of a we teach ourselves and our children to them toward a successful, happy life. At
Peacekeeper: love, kindness, care and seek and observe behaviors we aspire to The Montessori School, we have defined
helpfulness. Teaching these virtues in emulate. Simply put, it’s “looking on the those characteristics as love, kindness,
the classroom is done both informally bright side.” Once we can observe these helpfulness and care, which we inten-
and through thoughtful, prepared les- characteristics, we hope it becomes all the tionally teach both informally and formal-
sons. more natural to practice them and make ly alongside our academic curriculum.
Every morning our students are wel- them our habit. —Carla Samardzija
comed with a firm handshake, direct eye In addition to informal and formal Lower Elementary Lead Teacher
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