We are all living in a world that was unimaginable only 18 months ago before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic. This has affected everyone who lives on this planet, whether through the death or disabiliting health of a partner, relative or friend, the lose of a job or business or the inability to see love ones in a care home or abroad.
The importance of compassion and empathy form an essential part of Montessori pedagogy and is fostered from the youngest child through the role modelling of adults in the community whether this is from the Guides, Assistants, Parents or other grown-ups who maybe involved in the school.
The real world Montessori environment where everyone deserves the same level of deep respect and emotionally stability, provides time for compassion and empathy to be supported on a daily basis. We provide time to stop and ask a student to look at a friend's face, posture or reaction and to ask, 'what do you think they are feeling' and how would they feel in any given situation. It is this time that is so important in developing these personal attributes that they will need in life, no matter what challenges they might face in the future.
It is this ability to place your self 'in someone else's shoes', not matter what your own circumstances are that promotes a sense of love and care that stands out from the ordinary and which instills peace that we all need in today's world.
Whilst this level of emotional development is also capable in a conventional school, it is not so easy to achieve given the consent drive and time restraints to achieve content memorisation in pursuit of grades and rewards. In a Montessori School, this forms an integral part of daily life.
At mont21 school, we aim to educate the whole child in preparation for life. To learn more, visit www.mont21school.org