Tag Archives: grace and courtesy

“Shaping Peace Together” at MCA

Peace before me; Peace behind me
Peace at my left; Peace at my right
Peace above me; Peace below me
Peace unto me; Peace in my surroundings
Peace to all; Peace to the Universe

Most of us think of September as the end of summer and start of a new school year, celebrating Labor Day as the month’s main holiday. However, around the globe, September is known for something different – it is the month in which the International Day of Peace is celebrated. Established in 1981, September 21st has been designated as the date when “the United Nations invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.”  Each year, the United Nations adopts a theme for their peace celebration, and this year’s theme is “Shaping Peace Together”.  At MCA, this very idea has long been the foundation of our peace curriculum, following in the footsteps of Dr. Maria Montessori who dedicated herself to peace efforts. The work continues today, as we all strive for peace in our homes, peace in our communities, and peace in our world.

As the school year begins, Montessori classrooms work very hard to establish a peaceful community by focusing on respect for self, others, and the environment. Teachers know that one key to external peace is having internal peace and that one method of instilling inner peace in children is by showing them respect. At its core, Montessori education focuses on respecting children, as we ‘follow the child.’ In the classroom, teachers observe their students, looking at and attending to the interests and needs of each individual.  Children’s work is valued and their needs are considered. Students in Montessori classrooms learn that what they do matters, what they feel matters, and what they say matters. The primary lessons shared in class relate to those three factors and move children towards doing good work, acknowledging their feelings and the feelings of others, and expressing themselves kindly, clearly, and respectfully. This in turn helps promote feelings of being centered, confident, and capable. Children show respect for themselves in the work choices they make at school, in the self-care activities they practice and learn, and in they way they come to understand their feelings. These small but important steps help children feel at peace within themselves.

As children gather this sense of self, they then can begin to extend respect beyond themselves. They learn simple Grace and Courtesy lessons in sharing greetings, asking for help, contributing to circle time discussions, and making their needs known. As they grow in their communication and social skills, they form friendships, manage disagreements, and acknowledge differences. Inner peace and respect for self moves outward as children begin showing respect for others and creating a peaceful environment for all. Moving forward on this path, the classroom community very quickly begins to collectively take ownership of the beautiful materials they share, the space they inhabit, and the kind of feelings they want to sustain while working together. The classroom becomes a place where a peaceful community works together.

At each level, from toddlers up through Upper Elementary students, these basic lessons about respect and peace are built upon year after year, further cementing this important foundation. The beginning of every school year at MCA is all about “Shaping Peace Together”, by planting the seeds of peace and respect inside of each individual child and growing these values so they can be shared with peers, teachers, and the classroom environment. Ultimately, the goal is that peace and respect spread and bloom beyond classroom walls and into our homes, communities, and the world. We see the promise of peace each September when we welcome our students. And we strive to continue Dr. Montessori’s peace efforts as we celebrate the International Day of Peace and promote peace in our world not only on September 21st, but each and every day.

You may enjoy reading some of the following books centered on the theme of peace with your families at home:

A Handful of Quiet – Happiness in Four Pebbles by Thich Nhat Hanh

Can You Say Peace? by Karen Katz

Maybe – The Story about the endless Potential in All of Us by Kobi Yamada

Peace is an Offering by Annette LeBox

Somewhere Today – A Book of Peace by Shelley Thomas

The Peace Rose by Alicia Olson

And for parents of older children, you might like to explore the United Nations site at https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-peace, which presents various ways to engage in the International Day of Peace and includes information about its virtual event for students on September 17th, a summary of which follows as taken from the website:

Online Student Observance
This year’s International Day of Peace Observance will be a virtual event under the theme “Shaping Peace Together”, to be held on 17 September 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EDT. The online Student Observance will begin with a dialogue between United Nations Messengers of Peace and young people around the world on the United Nations Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire and the importance of coming together peacefully to turn the COVID-19 crises into an opportunity for peace and inclusivity. The Peace Bell Ceremony will follow, featuring the participation of the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly and the Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations. There will also be a performance by the Universal Hip Hop Museum.

Peace

By Alex Chiu

“Peace is every step,” wrote Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, author, and peace activist. In his many books, he offers suggestions for how we can find peace in any and every moment, especially the most hectic ones! This sage one would probably love spending time in a Montessori classroom where he could see that peace, indeed, is in every step the children take at school. Within everything a child does in the Montessori environment, there is an underlying lesson which helps to build the foundation of living mindfully, joyfully, and peacefully with ‘every step’.

This peace education begins on the very first day of school when teachers introduce lessons on Grace and Courtesy. They model the use of simple words and actions that demonstrate respect and regard for self, others, and the environment. Children learn the polite way to greet people. They are shown how to carefully walk around the work rugs of their classmates and how to move throughout the classroom slowly and with care. Vocabulary for interrupting someone or asking for something is provided and practiced. All of this early groundwork sets the stage for a classroom community whose members can work together and enjoy one another, while at the same time promoting a peaceful, safe, warm environment in which the children can learn and grow.

After these early Grace and Courtesy lessons, the children begin their exploration of the Montessori materials, making their way to the Language, Math, Cultural, Practical Life, and Sensorial areas. All of these areas of the classroom are filled with enticing ‘work’ for the children to do, leading them to wonderful academic discoveries. But mastermind that she was, Dr. Montessori incorporated ‘secret’ lessons into the materials she developed. In addition to teaching an academic skill, each activity is also a lesson in mindfulness and part of Montessori’s goal of education being a vehicle for peace in the world.

When using any of the Montessori materials, children must navigate through several steps. These include setting up a work space (either at a table or on a floor work rug), retrieving the material from the shelf, performing the tasks required to complete the work, returning the work to the shelf when finished, and then cleaning up the work area. The children’s movements must be planned, precise, and peaceful in each step. As they traverse throughout the classroom, they must negotiate the other people and furniture in the environment. When attending to their work, they have been shown how to use the material purposefully and carefully. The children understand that the care of the materials benefits the whole class, and they want to make sure things are taken care of for themselves and for everyone in their classroom. The beauty of the materials captures their attention and inspires their interest and careful consideration. Children take their time as they work. They aren’t rushed to complete one thing in order to move on to another. Instead, they are in charge of their work time which is safeguarded in an uninterrupted work cycle which facilitates their investigation of the materials and allows them to explore without being hurried along to the next activity. They enjoy the work that they do!

Many Montessori classrooms also include a special Peace Table where children might be found raking sand in a Zen garden, observing seasonal items from nature such as seashells or pinecones, or balancing a collection of smooth stones. Even the youngest Montessorians engage in these peace activities either at a Peace Table or in their other lessons chosen from across the curriculum. As shown in the lovely photograph above, some of the children in one of our MCA 2 ½ – 3 ½ classrooms took time to create beautiful ‘nature mandalas’ using a collection of items from nature in combination with pretty glass seashells and stones. Providing children with such opportunities allows them to observe nature, to make a connection with the materials, to mindfully take time to create a pretty display, to sit peacefully, and to take delight in the work that they completed.

Peace, indeed, is every step in the Montessori way. We take heart in knowing that Montessori education continues to promote peace in the development of our children, and we remain hopeful that the children will live out these lessons of peace as they grow and move about in our world. We wish everyone a joyful, peaceful 2019!

Growing Up with a Grateful Heart

 

By Alex Chiu

Your spouse passes a dish from the dinner table to your son. You bring a tissue to your daughter when she is sniffling while watching TV. Your mother brings your child a birthday gift. As parents, our almost kneejerk response when any of these things occur is to immediately prompt our child with “What do you say?” Sometimes we do this even before the child has had a chance to process that someone has done something kind for him or her. But what do we really accomplish with that prompting? Generally, children will give the required “thank you” response you are seeking, but is there a real sense of gratitude behind those words?

To nurture a true grateful heart, we must make gratitude a daily practice with our children. It’s important for them to understand that there is so much we can be grateful for—big and small— and recognizing this at an early age helps children grow up with gratitude as a matter of course. Why is this important? Research indicates that having a sense of gratitude can help people reduce feelings of sadness, stress, and loneliness. In his article “7 Surprising Health Benefits of Gratitude”, author Jamie Ducharme outlines how gratitude can help people become more patient, reduce overeating, combat depression, improve relationships, improve sleep, and generally make you feel happier (Time Health, November 2017). And Ann Morin has her own list of seven benefits (seven must be a lucky number!), adding that gratitude can lessen aggression, improve empathy and self-esteem, and promote better physical and psychological health (“7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude That Will Motivate You to Give Thanks Year-Round”, Forbes, November 2014).

So how can parents help their children (and themselves) learn the practice of gratitude? Let’s count some very simple ways to express gratitude at least four times throughout the day:

1. First thing in the morning: Begin the day by sharing one thing you’re grateful for that morning. Warm water to wash your hands, the sun shining, fuzzy pajamas, breakfast—model a sentence of gratitude and invite your child to think of what he or she is grateful for that morning.
2. On the way to school: Comment about one thing you see that makes you feel grateful. Recently, for me, it was having all green lights on the drive to school! But it could be anything—a car that functions, the beauty of the changing leaves, a favorite song that comes on the radio. A simple recognition of “I’m so grateful that song came on—it really brightened my mood!” is a great way to share your gratitude with your child.
3. At home after school: Express your gratitude to your child when he or she is helpful, kind, or considerate to you or any other family member. But be specific and add on to the usual “Thank you”. If your child remembers to put toys away before coming to the dinner table, you might extend your gratitude by saying “Thank you for remembering to clean up—that really helps me and shows me that you’re responsible and that you care about taking care of your toys and our house!” Invite your child to think about who has done something since coming home from school that he or she would like to thank.
4. At bedtime: Have your child share one thing about the day that he or she is truly grateful for—it could have been time spent with friends, learning a new skill or concept at school, the yummy dinner you made, snuggling with the dog, anything!

It may take some time for this habit to take hold, but if you take the initiative in sharing what you are grateful for on a regular basis, your children will very likely follow suit. And then the entire family can reap the many more than seven benefits of a grateful heart!

For a list of fun gratitude activities for the whole family, including how to make a ‘gratitude box’, some gratitude prompts, gratitude games, and even gratitude apps you can download, check out: https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/gratitude-exercises/

More information and resources on gratitude, including those used as references in this article include:
http://time.com/5026174/health-benefits-of-gratitude/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2014/11/23/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-of-gratitude-that-will-motivate-you-to-give-thanks-year-round/#13d897b9183c
https://tinybuddha.com/

And some lovely children’s books with a gratitude theme you might enjoy:
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? by Dr. Seuss
Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Jake Swamp
Splatt Says Thank You by Rob Scotton
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

Celebrating the International Day of Peace

By Alex Chiu

Once again, The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) will be joining with people worldwide to celebrate the International Day of Peace on September 21st. “Peace Day”, as it is sometimes referred to, began in 1981 when the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to have “a day devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples”. In 2001, the organization officially chose September 21st as its fixed date for the celebration of Peace Day, and the tradition continues on today.

Each year, the UN chooses a theme for the celebration, and this year’s theme is “The Right to Peace”. In our homes, in our schools, in our communities, and in our world, we hope everyone aspires to peaceful living. However, we know that peace isn’t always or easily achieved. Still, peace is something that we can all work towards with effort, practice, and guidance. Learning how to be peaceful is central to what we hope to pass on to the children we serve at MCA not just on September 21st, but every day.

Montessori education, at its core, incorporates peace education across all areas of the curriculum. From the very beginning of her research and educational practice, Dr. Montessori sought ways to educate the ‘whole child’. Every aspect of Montessori’s work was geared toward helping children in order to help the world because she believed that children were the ‘promise of the future.’ Most of us would agree with that sentiment today, and thankfully, we have Dr. Montessori’s guidance and time honored traditions to know how we can work best with children to facilitate a more peaceful world. Montessori’s educational methods and the materials she so carefully constructed aimed at providing children with ways to develop important skills and to work through challenges. The Montessori philosophy incorporates the essential ingredients needed to foster not only discovery and learning, but also peace within the child, peace within the classroom community, and ultimately, peace in the world. From Montessori’s teachings and example, we know the importance of preparing an environment for children where they learn about order, self-discipline, grace and courtesy, respect, kindness, empathy, problem solving, character, and global awareness, in addition to their academic lessons. This type of learning, this way of addressing the ‘whole child’, certainly is a path to peace.

And so we celebrate both the International Day of Peace as well as the values of Montessori education this September 21st! As is tradition, everyone at all three MCA campuses will participate in singing “Light a Candle for Peace” at 9:30AM. Should you like to mark this special day in a very simple way, you might consider taking a moment of silence at 12:00 Noon to join in the efforts of the organization Pathways to Peace to create a “Peace Wave” along with millions of others around the world to honor and inspire the work we all are called upon to do in order to be peacemakers.

As Dr. Maria Montessori said “Times have changed, and science has made great progress, and so has our work; but our principles have only been confirmed, and along with them our conviction that mankind can hope for a solution to its problems, among which the most urgent are those of peace and unity, only by turning its attention and energies to the discovery of the child and to the development of the great potentialities of the human personality in the course of its formation” (The Discovery of the Child).

May we all work together to create a world where everyone everywhere is able to enjoy and exercise their ‘right to peace’. And may we all help our children learn how to carry on this important mission. Wishing you all a happy Peace Day!

For more information about the International Day of Peace and other peace initiatives, check out these websites:

http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/
www.singpeacearoundtheworld.com
http.://internationaldayofpeace.org
pathwaystopeace.org

Nurturing the Spirit of Charity and Goodwill

By Alex Chiu

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “charity” as “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity” and “generosity and helpfulness, especially toward the needy or suffering”. We seem to hear more from charities during this time of year, with Salvation Army bell ringers on every corner and more envelopes than we can carry from the mailbox requesting donations for various groups. It is in December when more people are inclined to volunteer or make a contribution, opening their hearts and wallets a little more easily.

No doubt, we all feel a little lighter when we’ve done something to help someone else. Scientific studies have shown that volunteering and making charitable contributions of time or money can affect how we feel—people who are charitable tend to be happier, and even, according to some studies, healthier. So, if it makes us feel good to help others, why so often, do we set aside the needs of others until December rolls around? How do we keep this spirit of charity and goodwill alive throughout the year not only within ourselves, but in our children?

Think about that first Merriam-Webster definition again. In what ways do we foster “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity” at home? First, it comes from how we treat our own family members, showing respect through our words and actions at home. We then must have the same expectation of our children to show respect to us, their siblings, and other relatives. Words do matter. So do actions. When our children see and then emulate respect at home, this then naturally trickles into their interactions with friends, neighbors, store clerks, classmates, teachers, colleagues, etc. For Montessori students, it’s reinforced daily with Grace and Courtesy lessons as well. In addition, as Maria Montessori herself said, “There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for the individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community.” The Montessori classroom is an extension of that environment of respect which is developed in the home.

Next, think about the second part of the definition: “generosity and helpfulness, especially toward the needy or suffering”. Again, as the old adage acclaims “Charity begins at home”. How can your child show generosity and helpfulness at home? Very simply, they can do this by participating in the necessary tasks of daily life—tidying up, helping with mealtimes, sharing with siblings, or offering to do something for someone else who may be tired or busy. Parents who model this type of generosity and helpfulness, and who encourage their children to follow suit, have already laid the foundation for spreading that goodwill beyond their homes, where their children will realize that their acts of charity, however big or small, can benefit ‘the needy or suffering’, too.

This year, it’s been impossible to ignore the many needs of people suffering both in our own country and around the world. The many natural disasters, resulting in fires and flooding, have devastated so many areas near and far. Sometimes, even for adults, seeing the news repeat the details of such events can be overwhelmingly sad and disheartening. However, as we have seen with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, these disasters have actually brought people together working for the common good. And even our youngest children can learn that there are ways that they can help.

At The Montessori Children’s Academy, we recently held Bake Sales at each of our campuses, with all of the proceeds benefiting Montessori schools affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The students learned about how the schools were damaged, and class discussions led by the teachers allowed the children to process what it must be like for children just like them to not be able to go to school following such a strong storm. The empathy of the students permeated into their beautiful posters which were displayed at the Bake Sales, and the overwhelming response of parents, teachers, and administrative staff to contribute items as well as purchase them to support this great cause was heartwarming. In all, MCA raised more than $3,000 to support Instituto Nueva Escuela in its efforts to provide disaster relief to Montessori schools and their families in Puerto Rico!

In addition, MCA annually chooses an organization to support through various charitable endeavors throughout the entire school year. This year, we are supporting Paws of War. From September through June, our MCA students will learn about this organization and participate in several activities in the hopes of raising awareness, as well as funds, for the good work that they do. Earlier this fall, the students were treated to an in-school assembly where a Paws of War representative shared information about how the organization trains rescue dogs to become supportive service dogs to military veterans. The children had the opportunity to meet one veteran and his canine partner, and they learned firsthand how this partnership has improved the life of both the rescued dog and the serviceman. Doubly good work! Over the course of the next several months, MCA students will continue to learn about the programs and brainstorm other ways they would like to help.

At home, children learn respect and the value of helping family members. In school, there is a natural extension of this in the multi-age Montessori classrooms, where students help one another every day. Our Montessori children quickly come to learn that it feels good to help others. As a school that promotes awareness of a different charity each school year, our students also learn about the variety of larger needs in our communities. Whether it is by helping a classmate tie his or her shoelaces, making posters for a bake sale, or collecting money to support an organization such as Paws of War, they see that there are so many ways they can contribute to their communities and help others each and every day. And when a sudden disaster strikes, such as the hurricanes of this past fall, they see that their school families can combine efforts to help with those needs as well. Charity then is something that becomes a natural part of the children’s lives. Most importantly, they see that charity isn’t a one-time, December event. The children find that charity comes in the words and actions that they share daily, showing their “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity”.

This holiday season, everyone at
The Montessori Children’s Academy
extends our warmest wishes for
Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All!

*For more information about or to make a contribution to Paws of War, please visit their website www.pawsofwar.org. For more information about Instituto Nueva Escuela, please visit www.en-inepr.weebly.com and the GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/puerto-rico-montessori2montessori to help support the disaster relief efforts for the Montessori community in Puerto Rico.