This week as I drove home from School, the sun set over the ocean and the sky turned a wonderful shade of pink. I felt lucky, I am lucky and I remind myself everyday.
Montessori and other well-known theorists such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau placed a huge emphasis on the natural world in education. Often we see nature entwined within Montessori’s philosophy. Parts of a flower, the timeline of life, the seed, the root, etc. Nature is awe-inspiring and can captivate the most sceptical of audiences. With her focus on sensorial education, nature seemed the logical route to focus on. As Maria Montessori once said, “The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the earth.”
Children should be able to feel, smell, taste and hear the natural world around them. During the absorbent mind stage of a child’s development, this is ever more important. Children start to learn the names of objects in their environment. They understand how they look and what they feel like. Their senses are ignited in nature and this inspires a sense of automated learning.
Not all those who are in school today are lucky to enough to have the simple luxuries of fresh water and clear air.
Have a wonderful week ahead, and take care. ❤️
