Montessori Consulting

Yesterday was our last school day of this year. Bittersweet hardly describes how the day played out. We were so busy in the morning getting last minute rehearsals done for our variety show. It was even pointed out to me that we had skipped one of the acts because I had inadvertently left it off the program. Oops. I made a quick fix and reprinted the programs, but the show would have to go on without practicing that one act.

As usual, we gathered in the classroom just prior to the show, having completed last minute cleaning of the shelves and feeding of the animals. We sang “Make New Friends, but Keep the Old.” I got out our “heart” bear that we use when taking time to speak to one another from our hearts. I started off the circle by sharing that I was sad to see everyone go, but looking forward to my trip to Massachusetts to see my daughter and her family.

Then the students started to fall apart. That certainly wasn’t part of my plan in the last few minutes before our performance! The class was filled with gut-wrenching tears as student after student came to realize that our community was changing forever. Normally, children understand that the “seniors” will be moving on. That is part of the natural order of a multi-age class. This year, though, we had several who were leaving before their time.

That isn’t the way it is supposed to be. And our tight community of students was feeling the effects. As one dad put it: “those little children with their hearts torn apart realizing that their best friends are forever lost.”

I found it hard to maintain my composure as I distributed the gifts to the students. When my voice cracked, I thought I was going to be completely lost, but I pulled it together.

Montessori is more than academics. It is more than learning to get along. It is more than reaching into the children and helping them develop to the best of their abilities. It is community. It is families. It is stability. I am forever thankful that I ended up here, in this community, even when it changes. I cherish the full catastrophe of the emotional attachment that results in the sadness I feel when children leave.

During arrivals children and parents exchange many loving gestures as they leave one another for the day. As a teacher collecting children from the cars in the arrival line, I am often the incidental recipient of these protestations of love. It always brightens my day, even though I realize that the love is not directed to me.

This morning, two moms were sitting on the bench as their children were getting changed out of shoes into slippers. One child finished before the other and went to a mom giving a warm hug and kiss. Only it was the wrong mom! No matter. It was just a little extra love to share.

Some families car-pool, too. And those children share love with moms and dads besides their own when it is a different family bringing the children.

I’m going to miss all the shared love as the children disperse for the summer.

Share the love. Share it often. Share it with many.

At this time of year the rising first grade students each spend a day in the elementary class for some orientation and to gain confidence about moving up. It is a joyful time. Elementary students take pride in being mentors to the younger students and the “new” students gain a sense of prestige and importance.

The kindergarten students have already made many forays into the elementary before their big day. They have two passes for making trips into the elementary. One is for selecting lessons from the elementary for taking back into the early childhood room. The other pass is for staying in the elementary to do lessons. During the actual day-long visits, the pass for staying in the elementary is removed so the guest has a place of honor that isn’t reduced by the appearance of additional kindergarteners.

The visitors look so young, so small compared to the older children. It is amazing to think that by August they will fit right in as they move up to their new position as elementary students.

How many adults have a dread of fractions? I know that when I am doing the teacher classes in the summer we can be sailing along until we reach fractions and then horrible cases of math phobia emerge.

This morning a second grade child was adding fractions and reducing them with gusto. At one point he said something I love to hear, “I think I see a pattern.” Finding patterns in math is one of the processes that I encourage. But a moment later he said (he was talking to himself, but I could overhear him), “No, this one is different.”

Then he got excited. “This one doesn’t reduce.” He came to me for verification and was nearly gushing with excitement. “Six sevenths won’t reduce because of how big it is. There isn’t another fraction that is the same. Look. Six sevenths has to stay six sevenths.”

A little later I heard him say that fractions are easy. Yes they are – when using the Montessori tools that allow the concepts to become clear.

The end of the school year is approaching. I see many of the children pushing themselves to meet personal goals. I’m going to miss sharing this joy of learning with them during the summer months.