Fall Art for Toddlers

Two things I often encounter in homes and classrooms is a fear of messes and a need for adults to see a cute or pretty product. These two mistakes in parenting and teaching manifest most clearly in art and food prep. Today, let's tackle art.

Art is messy. Childhood is messy. Adults have to be able to allow this. Dr. Montessori knew that children need to have two main things in order to learn at maximum capacity: freedom and experience. When we take away either of these two things, it is difficult for true learning to occur. As adults, our job is to prepare the environment for successful exploration.

When setting up art we want to give them experience in many media (crayons, paint, etc) and many tools (brushes, sponges, nature, etc). Not all media and tools will be a hit with all children, but we cannot find those that our children like if we do not provide the experiences.

For my classroom, I use a very loose theme approach. I use colors and provocations that match what the children are seeing around them. So, in the fall I use oranges, yellows, browns, and reds primarily. These change approximately monthly, depending on student interest. I also use fall to explore the color orange, I generally have a work out that has red and yellow and the children can mix the colors to create orange. Sometimes it is a dough work and sometimes it is a paint work. This is the color mixing work I currently have by my easel. They use the paintbrush at the easel to stir and then then can use the paint at the easel. I have a pumpkin beside the easel as a possible still life inspiration.

Because Montessori is mixed age, I also make sure that the work can be explored at many different levels. So my youngest could fingerpaint, while the oldest could potentially use a still life provocation. Applying this criteria to the leaf work pictured above, the children could use the leaves to paint with, paint the leaves to create a print, put the leaves on paper and use the brush to paint the edges (shadow paint), or however else they may want to explore the material.

Apple Stamping

You can use a stamp pad or paint with this work. The apple can be also cut longways to see if the print turns out the same or differently. The apple can also be left whole and they can roll it on paper in the tray and leave "apple tracks". Older children tend to stamp with the apples to see the apple shape on the paper. Younger children like to use the apple as a tool to apply the paint, they rub the apple all over the paper.

Dough

One of the differences between art in a Montessori environment and art in a conventional preschool is that we place special emphasis on the mechanics of art. This is not done through instruction; however, it is done through the prepared environment. When we prepare the work, we do so in a way that they are able to hone in on a specific skill. So rather than a tub of dough cutting tools, we narrow this down. This work has 3 tools only: dough scissors, a rolling pin, and a leaf cutter. I put the dough into rolls for the benefit of my youngest children. The dough scissors are the best way that I have found to introduce scissor use. They learn the mechanics of the scissors and the scissors only cut the dough, so it is very safe. The dough is stiff on its own, so the problem that crops up when cutting paper (the limp paper that is difficult to control while cutting), is eliminated. Older children can work the dough, roll it flat, and use the leaf cutter.

Leaf Rubbings

In this work the children can use the crayons (I prefer triangle crayons because they encourage a better grip) to see the veins of the leaves. The leaf is under the paper and the child rubs with either the point or the side. The effect is better with the side, but that is difficult for the younger students as their grip strength is not quite there, yet. Alternatively, they can trace around the leaves, color the edges to create a shadow shape, or use the leaves as still life and draw the leaves.

Cork Stamps

I have a fabulous set of leaf stamps (from Kid Made Modern). They are about a child's full hand size, so they seem to really like them. You could also set this up with paint and a stiff paintbrush, so they would paint the paint onto the stamp and then stamp on the paper. I always try to make sure that I give the language of "maple" and "oak" when they are using these.

Preparing the Environment for Cleanup

This is a key part of the art lessons. The children should be able to mostly clean up after themselves, and we need to make it so that the cleanup is not overwhelming for them, and us! One key component of this is the amount of material provided in a work. Enough paint to do the work, but not so much that a spill would be a disaster. I never leave out all crayons, oil pastels, etc. I just put out a few colors to choose from. We also have a cleanup space in the classroom, so that the children can clean up their own brushes. We do not have a source of running water, so we have a bin with a pitcher. The brushes go in the bin, the child gets a pitcher of water from our water cooler, pours in in the bin, then uses their hands to get the paint out of the brushes. Then the brush is wiped dry with dedicated brush towels (these do become stained, so we have specific washcloths for just this purpose). Then return the brush to the work. Dump the bin water into the waste water bucket, which I empty after class. This does not 100% clean the brushes, so I do need to clean them at the sink with running water after class. But it does make them usable for another student. An apron or the option of removing clothes (honestly what my students prefer) allows for clothes to stay clean and dry.

Don't be afraid of art! In addition to the obvious creativity that comes from art, it also builds hand strength for writing. And, who knows, you could be the inspiration for the next great artist or a life long hobby and love of the arts!

My Own Childhood Handiwork

Handwork is one of many important life skills, what we call Practical Life exercises, that will benefit the child as they grow up. We start as an infant with a threading work, rings on a vertical dowel, and progressively grow the child's sewing ability. In addition to the obvious usefulness of the skill, it strengthens the fingers for writing and other fine motor work and as well as develops concentration, coordination, order, and independence.

A main part of my first Montessori training (3-6) was about examining my own childhood and education as a child. To breakdown our own barriers to optimal education, and then build us into the greatest guides we can be. Through this self-examination I found that much of the way I was raised at home (not my formal education) was very Montessori. I wonder if this was due to my parents specifically, our socioeconomic status (bouncing between poor and very lower middle class), the time I was growing up, or the place I grew up (small city edge of Appalachia). Probably a combination of all of these things. What this meant in practice was that I had what we would now call a "free range" childhood AND I had chores and learned how to take care of my environment very early. Sewing was normalcy in my world. My grandmother sewed many of my clothes as a child, I made Barbie clothes with her. It is interesting to me that this is now an extraordinary thing.

This cross-stitch sampler was one of my first major sewing projects. My mom was an avid cross-stitcher, so she taught me the basics and bought me the pattern and supplies. My dad was a woodworker. He made the frame, but he let me mount my finished sampler. Notice that it isn't framed exactly straight. After my Montessori training, I loved looking back at this and seeing how they guided me, but let me make "mistakes" in my work. How important!

Below is some resources for sewing and weaving. Enjoy!

Infant Threading (Rings on a Vertical Dowel)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/610674225/natural-wooden-rings-on-a-vertical-dowel?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_c-toys_and_games-toys-learning_and_school&utm_custom1=2c3a1352-78fd-421b-83ed-efa4d87627e8&utm_content=go_304504475_22746218315_78727449275_aud-537409439012:pla-106551513395_c__610674225&gclid=CjwKCAiAz7TfBRAKEiwAz8fKOJTg-6Nmgm3X1KaByJspNI5USSntE15XpSfFbsL60tb_Znd-O_fFvBoCIvQQAvD_BwE

Sewing in the Montessori Classroom

https://www.montessoriservices.com/sewing-in-the-montessori-classroom?q=sewing%20in%20the%20&nsearch=prm_link

The Work of Wool: A Montessori Handwork Album

https://www.montessorihandwork.com/shop-1

Sewing and Weaving Activities

https://www.montessoriservices.com/practical-life/sewing-weaving

Veer's Classroom and How We Montessori At Home

Veer, who is 4.5 years old, attends a local Montessori preschool everyday for half a day. I strongly believe that it is in a child's best interest to have a non-parent have a prominent caregiver role in a child's life. Children respond differently to non-parental adults, and they benefit from a broader base of experiences that other adults can provide. They benefit from having other adults around that have different expectations and rules. So, while I am trained in birth through Kindergarten, I do not believe it is in my child's best interest for me to be his primary teacher if there is another viable alternative. I also am a firm believer that Montessori only "works" in a fully implemented Montessori classroom. He must be in a mixed age classroom, it is vital to the philosophy.

We are privileged that we have an extra room in the house that we can use as a home classroom. His home classroom has specific rules for me:

1) I do not replicate work that he does at school. There are no Montessori materials in his home classroom. Yes, I am trained in them. Yes, I even own them (as I used to own a preschool). However, I do not want them to be presented differently than they are presented at school (different training programs use slightly different methods for presentation). I do not want Veer to not choose to work with materials because he is confused about how he should use them. I also do not want him to use the works at home and not use them at school when he has older peers to model work for him, and younger peers that he could be a model for. Time and time again I notice that when children are provided Montessori materials at home, they do not use them in the classroom. In their minds, the "academic" needs are met at home, so they use school to meet social and play needs only.

2) Classroom time is freely chosen. I do not require, or even ask him to go in there. I do not ask him to be in there a certain length of time. When he wants to, he goes in there to work.

3) The works I create in the classroom serve both him and I. I create works that I know are of specific interest to just him. This might not necessarily be useful for his teachers to do because they do not have other children with the same interests. This also gives me practice to create works that I can use when I go back into the classroom (which I fully intend to do once Veer is in school full-time). Yes, I am using my child as a guinea pig. Also, I super love creating works.

4) His classroom also gives me a chance to practice my observational skills. It is truly a skill that needs honed and improved. It is the key to teaching in a Montessori classroom. We just had a parent-teacher conference, and we are seeing the same things that he is ready for both at home and at school. This tells me that both of our observations are fairly accurate.

Veer loves his time in his classroom and loves to give his Dad presentations on his works in his classroom. Stay tuned for a post about Veer's coffee parties!

My Child Doesn't Listen To Me

Originally posted on my Moonlight blog February 1, 2018

Hi,

I’m newbie for Montessori method. I’ve been trying to calm and follow my child lead for a month (now she’s 11.5m). However, she doesn’t really listen to me. E/x: she put the slippers/shoes/papers (wipes) in her mouth. I tried to tell her that is not right and dirty, and showed her the teething toys or her favorite toys for her to do. But, she didn’t listen to me keeps doing the same way.
Besides that, throwing food makes me frustrated even she doesn’t have any bits whole day. I told her couple times that it’s not right for her to throw the food, if she doesn’t like it, she can leave on the table. Then, she did again, I warned her by calming voice 3-4 times that I will take the food away if she keeps doing that. Even I take the food away, she starts to cry because I take her food. I really don’t know what I should do in both situation?
She’s also energentic kid, always moves around. She’s very attached my husband and I, even we try to babysit her in distance, she’s crawling to us and want us just sit there. When i sit with her and challenge her the stacking rings/ put clothes to the closet/ rolling balls or feeling different balls. She doesn’t like it and starts to yell. I don’t want she depends on me much.

Please help 

Two things you said stuck out to me.

You mention “following the child”, but not quite in the same way we mean it in Montessori. It does not mean doing what the child wants, it means doing what is developmentally appropriate to the child.

And the second thing is that you are frustrated in trying to get your daughter to do things.

Your answer will come, and an ease in your stress, when you stop trying to get her to do things. Rather, set the boundaries and stick firmly to them.

So, in the case of putting inappropriate items in her mouth, stop asking her to stop. It is impossible for her to do so, it is a part of this stage of development. Instead, block her attempt to put the item in her mouth (or do not allow her to have the item at all). No words. If you can, switch out the item for one that is appropriate to put in her mouth.

Same with the food, do not ask her to stop throwing the food. When she throws it take it away and say “I can see you are done eating. Next time, you can just leave the table.” No chances, set the boundary and hold it.

For the depending on you, she needs to have activities that meets her needs and interests. Without observing her it is difficult to advise, but a general guideline is look at the things she does naturally, especially the “naughty” things. Those are her needs. So give her activities that meet those needs in a more productive manner. You will likely have to wean her off of your interaction. You can do this by getting her engaged in an activity and then when she is concentrating on it, quietly withdraw and begin your own work. As time goes on and she builds confidence she will begin to choose activities of interest on her own.

Diwali Celebration

Last Wednesday, November 7, was the Hindu holiday of Diwali. Our family celebrates this Festival of Lights every year by lighting all of the lights in the house (even in the closets!), having dinner, a puja (prayers and aarthi (offering lights to the gods)), we take the aarthi tray into each room and turn off the lights, then exchange gifts, and do sparklers outside.

Quick crash course on Diwali (keep in mind, different parts of India have different stories surrounding the celebration or that coincide with Diwali, this is the most common). The Indian epic poem, the Ramayama, is the story of Prince Rama rescuing his wife Sita from the Demon King Ravana. Diwali celebrates his homecoming after the rescue. The diyas (lights) are all lit to help them find their way home. It is celebrated on the darkest night between mid-October and mid-November. Diyas are lit and small pujas are offered for five days, but the main celebration is on the third day.

We prepared for Diwali this year in a bit of a weird way, so pardon me that my works are not set up precisely. We decided to take an impromptu camping trip before Diwali, as it was the last two days before the campground we like was keeping the water turned on. So we took the materials we needed to use to make the decorations along with us and made the decorations in the RV. Currently, my son Veer is 4.5 years old and my daughter Arya is 11.5 years old.

Door Hanging

My idea was to take some brown packing paper that came in mail orders and they would draw flowers and such on it, mimicking the look of a traditional door hanging:

One of the keys of being a Montessorian, though, is being flexible and not pushing our ideas onto our children. Veer wanted to draw a huge scene that he said was his Diwali story. Three lava monsters that his made-up superheroes WaterMan and FireMan have to defeat. So this idea of mine went a different way than I thought, but he had a lot of fun with it!

Flower Making

I had these precut flowers around and lots of glitter glue. I originally had thought to decorate the flowers and glue them to the door hanging, but because the door hanging went another way, I thought we could use the flowers to make a door hanging. Veer did not want a hole poked into all of the flowers he made, so we left a couple off.

Diya Holders

Arya decided to get in on this one. We just molded clay around tea lights. 

Rangoli Patterns

Sand art designs range from small and simple to large and very complex. For Veer I had pre-printed simple designs. He did not "stay in the lines" for the work, but that is totally fine. I let him put the glue and sprinkle the sand where he wanted. He chose to use every color. For Arya, she chose to use pictures and imitate them.

Finished Works

We snuck over to Dadi and Dada's house (that is the paternal grandparents) in the afternoon on the third day and decorated the doorstep. This invites the gods in.

Celebration!

HAPPY DIWALI!

When to Discipline (The 4 Ds of Discipline)

Originally posted on my Moonlight blog, October 5, 2017.

The four Ds give a rough guide on when to step in and guide the child. When these four items are not in question, ask yourself why you may be having the urge to step in. Perhaps it is because you were always disciplined for those things. Perhaps it is to get an outcome that you desire. As caregivers, we always need to look to ourselves and understand why we are doing something.

Decorum: These are things at the caregiver’s personal tolerance level. Much of these types of things say much more about the caregiver than the child and their behaviors. This would be things like noise level, “politeness”, manners, etc. Before enforcing discipline with these issues, really check within oneself to see if you can change your own tolerance level. After assessing yourself in these situations, if you still find that the behaviors are intolerable, these are infractions that are best handled not in the situation, but rather in modeling and lessons on how to properly comply. In Montessori we call these “Grace and Courtesy” lessons. As adults, we can tend to assume that children should instinctively already know how to do these things, so we forget that these are lessons that need explicitly taught. When children make decorum mistakes, and we decide that these are things that really are important, we need to teach a lesson showing them proper behavior. For example, if a child is being loud, we can play a game with the children in which they must whisper. This helps them develop the muscles for whispering (PCA and TP muscles) and gives an example of what quietness sounds like and why it may be important in certain situations. It may also be appropriate to tell the child how you honestly feel about something. Not in a punishing or belittling way, in a factual way, like “That loud talking is making it hard for me to hear others.”

Disrespect: The next level of infractions are things that many would categorize as disrespectful. Noncompliant behaviors, rudeness, and inappropriate behaviors would all be in this category. This is another time when immediate intervention is often not necessary, but rather modeling and lessons. These are times when we are role playing kindness, community, and helpfulness.  Respect can also be built by community-building activities, such as caring for shared spaces together, breaking bread together, and seeing respect between the adults around them and between adults and children. In order to teach respect, it is very important for adults to treat children with the same respect as they treat adults. If you wouldn’t say/do something with/to an adult, then do not say/do it with a child. It may also be appropriate to address the incident at the time, “I see your cousin’s face and it looks sad. Let’s say that in a more kind way.” Then offer an alternative, appropriate, way for the child to get their message across.

Disruption: This applies to behavior that not only bothers the caregiver, but is bothersome to some or most of the people around the child. It could be loudness or activity that is noticeably interrupting others or it could be literally interrupting others. In this case, caregivers do need to stop the behavior. However, it should be stopped in the least intrusive way possible. For example, if your child is jumping on the chair in a restaurant you could quietly say to the child, “You have a lot of energy right now. It is bothering other people that are trying to eat. Would you like to sit down and color with me, or go outside where you can jump for a bit?” Try to address the root cause of the behavior, rather than the behavior itself. In the previous example, need for movement is probably a root cause.

Danger: The fourth level of misbehavior is danger. This could be when a child is dangerous to himself, others, or the environment around him or her. This also needs immediately stopped, and if possible, in the least embarrassing way to the child. For example, if your child is banging on a window this could be dangerous to the child, to others that could potentially step in broken glass, and to the environment (the window). In this case, block the child from hitting the glass and say “It is dangerous to beat the glass. Let’s go bang on the drum over here.” Often times in these situations, we need to address the child’s emotional state. Let the child know that all emotions are OK to feel, but it is not OK to hurt someone. “You look mad. You want your classmate to stop using that toy, so you hit her. It is OK to be mad, but I see that it hurt her and she is crying. You can ask her to stop using the toy.” Empathy is not something that comes naturally to children, but it is a learned skill. Helping them to notice that their words and actions effect others will help them build this skill.

Using the 4Ds can be a check on ourselves to make sure that our own actions and expectations are a match with child development.

Types of Parenting

Originally posted on my Moonlight blog, October 6, 2017

By far, the most common questions I get from parents are on discipline. When to step in, when to let it go, how to get them to do what we want. Families often err too much on one side or the other, discipline becomes punitive when they aren’t meeting parental expectation or the child is ungrounded because s/he thinks they have no boundaries. So, where is that line? There are three types of parenting styles that psychologists have defined:

Authoritarian: Characterized by high demands and low responsiveness. Parents with anauthoritarian style have very high expectations of their children, yet provide very little in the way of feedback and nurturance. Mistakes tend to be punished harshly. When feedback does occur, it is often negative. (Definition from: https://www.verywell.com/what-is-authoritarian-parenting-2794955). Research into how authoritative parenting fails is abundant, a very good summary is here: http://www.parentingscience.com/authoritarian-parenting.html.

Permissive: Characterized by low demands with high responsiveness. Permissive parents tend to be very loving, yet provide few guidelines and rules. These parents do not expect mature behavior from their children and often seem more like a friend than a parental figure. (Definition from: https://www.verywell.com/what-is-permissive-parenting-2794957). Research shows how this type of parenting also fails children can be found here: http://www.parentingscience.com/permissive-parenting.html. Not as bad as authoritative style parenting, but still not likely what we want for our children.

Authoritative: Characterized by reasonable demands and high responsiveness. While these parents might have high expectations for their children, they also give their kids the resources and support they need to succeed. Parents who exhibit this style listen to their kids and provide love and warmth in addition to limits and fair discipline. (Definition from: https://www.verywell.com/what-is-authoritative-parenting-2794956). This is the sweet spot. Research shows that by far this is the most effective style of parenting, and here is a good overview: http://www.parentingscience.com/authoritative-parenting-style.html.

So, now that we know what the best type of parent to be is, how do we achieve that? How do we set reasonable limits and expectations, and enforce those? Check out my post on the “4 Ds” of discipline: http://www.themoonlightblog.com/2017/10/05/when-to-discipline-the-4-ds-of-discipline/

Response To MOTHER.LY Article on 5 “Montessori Phrases To Teach Self-Control"

Originally posted on my Moonlight blog,  August 27, 2018

I was saddened to recently read an article on a popular parenting blog that states phrases that the author ascribes to Montessori, and I have seen them used in classrooms when the teacher does not trust the method or the children, but these are not phrases that you would hear in a fully implemented Montessori environment. The title is about helping children learn self-control, but the article is really about the adult controlling the child. This is exactly the OPPOSITE of how Montessori teaches us to discipline.

“In our system we obviously have a different concept of discipline. The discipline that we are looking for is active. We do not believe that one is disciplined only when he is artificially made as silent as a mute and as motionless as a paralytic. Such a one is not disciplined but annihilated.” Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

“And so we discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being. It is not acquired by listening to words, but in virtue of experiences in which the child acts on his environment. The teacher’s task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child.” Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

It isn’t that rules should never be in place in a classroom/at home, it is that the environment should dictate these rules rather than the adult forcing them to be followed. I will go through the “rules” mentioned in the article.

1. “You haven’t had a lesson on that yet.”

Somehow, this saying has seeped into many Montessori classrooms, although Dr. Montessori not only never said/wrote this, she actively cheered when students used the work themselves. In fact, MANY Montessori materials are self-correcting and designed precisely to be figured out by the child without a lesson. It is part of what draws the child to the material, the desire to figure something out. And even if a child chooses a work that is above their level, unless the material is being abused, the teacher should observe the child work with the material. This will give a clue to the teacher about what the needs of the child are and how the teacher can help the child meet those needs. Telling the child that they cannot use a work on the shelf is tantamount to placing a hot fudge sundae in front of a starving person and telling them that they cannot eat it. A Montessori teacher purposefully prepares the classroom to be extremely inviting, each material carefully chosen to entice the child and meet their needs. They have a deep and abiding need to choose that material from the shelf. I find that the adult control in this statement is based on a fear the teacher has about not being in control of their environment, or the educational outcomes for the child. This fear prevents them from fully trusting in the child, as Dr. Montessori called us to do.

2. “Thank you for waiting.”

Of all of these “rules”, this is the only one that I use. I do concur with the author on this point.

3. “We sit while we eat and drink.”

There is certainly nothing wrong with this rule if it is what works for your family. I have this rule in my classroom, though not in my home. However, my issue is with the enforcement of this rule. The children sit while eating because the table is set by them and is beautiful. They WANT to sit there and eat. They learn the boundary because when they get up from the table another child is there to sit in the seat for their turn at the snack table. It is also modeled for the child by older children and adults when they receive a lesson on snack or meals. When these are classroom norms, they do not need the external force of the teacher to be applied, rather they are followed by the children because it is how the community works together.

4. “What could you do to challenge yourself today?”

Children are self-constructing. It is not for the adult to approve of what is or is not challenging work. Any work that the child chooses from the perfectly curated shelves that is a Montessori classroom or home is perfectly acceptable and is what that child needs at that time. This is another case of the adult not trusting the child, as Dr. Montessori calls us to.

5. “We walk in the classroom.”

Again, the rule itself is not bad, but rather the implementation of the rule is problematic. The children walk in the classroom because it is modeled, the arrangement eliminates the ability to run, and they have plenty of opportunities to meet their need for running outside. If running should occur, I would calmly walk over to the running child and ask them a question or give them a task to “help” me that stops the running. I would not mention the running at all. Then I would try to get that child outside as soon as I could to facilitate the need for running (or direct them to a running area in the classroom if that is part of the environment). Later, I would reexamine the environment to assess why the running occurred and how it could be prevented in the future. Also, a grace and courtesy lesson or work on how to walk in the classroom the next day would probably be in order.

My general guideline is: If I wouldn’t say it to an adult, I don’t say it to a child. It would be condescending to say, “We eat and drink at the table” or “We walk in the room.” to an adult. Similarly, I would not use those phrases with children. My Montessori trainers would not allow us to turn in lessons if the control of the lesson was to be done by teacher, and that includes grace and courtesy (what we call our classroom rules). The adult should not be in a position of control, but rather be working in harmony with the child.

Perhaps the author thinks that the intricacies of our teaching would be too difficult to contain in a blog post, so she wanted to give some easy go-tos for parents. But doing things that are not Montessori and calling them such does not help our cause. I would prefer the article not be written at all. There is a plethora of adult-controlled parenting advice, should parents want to see that. This article is not needed.

For reference here is original blog post:

https://www.mother.ly/child/5-phrases-montessori-teachers-use-to-teach-self-control

Pardon the Interruption

Hello Followers!

I left this blog a while back to try another endeavor; however, I found that this vehicle was serving my readers better. So I'm back! And, I am back with a second Montessori training in infant and toddler education. Please feel free to send me topics that you wish for me to address, and I hope to be creating content on most days for you. I will post the posts I made from a second blog here, so that you will not miss any of the content I have created over the past few years. Also, feel free to follow me on FaceBook at The Montessori Advisor, on twitter @MontessoriAdvi1, and on IG @montessoriadvisor. Looking forward to serving you better!

Tammy

The Promise and the Hope

I saw this tweet today and it resonated with me so much in relation to both Montessori education as a system and raising a Montessori child in your home. This Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr quote was from "Eulogy for the Martyred Children" in 1963. 

Sadly, in 1932 Dr. Montessori made a very similar speech at the International Office of Education in Geneva. She was, at the time, still living in Italy and it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to work there. By 1934 she would be shut out of her homeland. Dr. Montessori knew in her bones that the way to avoid the horrors of what she was living through in WWII it was vitally important to change the way we educate child and value the child. She knew that adults were powerless to stop wars. In the preface to the book documenting the speech she said, "Education today is still confined by the limits of a social order that is now in the past. Education today not only is contrary to the dictates of science; it also runs counter to the social needs of our time." (Education and Peace, page xii, Clio Edition). She goes on to say, "The individual has grown to adulthood after being repressed, isolated, and led to pursue only his own personal interests throughout childhood and adolescence, under the blind domination of adults who are only too inclined to neglect the values of life and set him only the petty and selfish goal of getting a good job for himself within the social order." (ibid, pg xiii).

How is it in 33 years, two champions of peace are saying the exact same thing? And now, 55 years after Dr. King's speech, peacemakers are STILL saying the same thing? Because we are not heeding the advice of these peacemakers. Most citizens are in the mindset that politics and government are going to be the saviors and prevent wars. However, all of human history clearly shows that this is not the case. Dr. Montessori saw two reasons for this, two flawed definitions in our human understanding. We need to redefine peace and education.

Peace

We tend to think of peace as an absence of war, but what is really occurring between wars is "the forcible submission of the conquered to domination once the invader has consolidated his victory" (Ibid, pg 6). She asks how this can truly be peace, when one group has taken everything another group holds dear? 

True peace, she writes, is "the triumph of justice and love among men, to the building of a better world where harmony reigns." (ibid, pg 8). In other words, we need to be at the point where no one person wants to dominate over another, rather they just want to live alongside one another.

Education

What Dr. Montessori is talking about when referring to education is not "schooling" as we know it. It is not math, language arts, and other academic subjects. It is not memorizing facts. Instead, she is talking about something far more fundamental. Really, she is talking about the way we allow children to exist. 

Education must concern itself with the development of individuality and allow the individual child to remain independent not only in the earliest years of childhood but through all stages of his development. Two things are necessary: the development of individuality and the participation of the individual in a truly social life. This development and this participation in social activities will take different forms in the various periods of childhood. But one principle will remain unchanged during all these stages: the child must be furnished at all times with the means necessary for him to act and gain experience. (Ibid, pg 56, this taken from a 1937 speech at the Sixth International Montessori Congress).

Schooling does the exact opposite of what she describes an education should be. It takes the individuality away from the child, in favor of a common set academic goals, and schools take children out of social life. Children are not permitted to speak to each other throughout most of the school day!

Difference of Montessori Education

In a fully implemented Montessori school, children are working in community constantly. Whether they are cooking, gardening, running a microeconomy together, or studying a work of literature in community. The adult acts as a mentor and a guide, but not as the child's ruler. The individuality of the child takes an important place in the community. THIS is the fundamental way in which a Montessori school sets a child up for living peacefully in the world. When a person has their needs as an individual met, and they know how to successfully work in community, then the things that have historically caused problems in the world do not emerge. Imagine if all humans were similarly content in their lives? 

As Dr. Montessori once said, "Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.” (Ibid, pg 24, this taken from a 1936 address before the European Congress for Peace).