Beyond Wishes for Peace: Reflections and Resolutions for 2014

The pause that quietly exists between the exhalation of one year, and the inhalation of the next, is a favorite moment of mine.  There is something magical about the cusp of a new year, as it is ripe with potentials and possibilities -- for ourselves, our community, and our children.  It is an opportunity to reflect on where we are now and where we want to be in the future; to consider how closely aligned our daily habits are with our future vision, and to resolve to incorporate new actions to bring us closer to where we want to be. 

Where We Are Now...

I believe we live at a crucial juncture in history.  Due to the pace and scale of change in our globally interconnected world, we are increasingly bumping up against the limits and potentially dire consequences of the prevailing paradigm that is based on competition, conquest and consumption. 

The prevalent view of "life as a machine" has caused us to seek understanding by breaking things into parts, create plans expecting predictability and linear progress, attempt to maintain order by exerting control (domination), view people/the environment in terms of production and use, and continually search for better methods of measurement.   A relic of the industrial economy, this paradigm is crumbling as our population grows, resources dwindle, and we transition to a knowledge economy.  Society desperately needs an alternative worldview ... which is exactly what Dr. Montessori gave us.  Not only did she provide us with a vision of a “genuine community of all mankind”, she also gave us a map (“The Method”) for how to get there.  

The great task remaining before our community is to unite and bring this transforming education into the lives of more children!  

On the local, state, and national level, more and more people are joining the movement to collaboratively move Montessori education forward, ensuring that it becomes an educational option available to all children.  The momentum is growing to strengthen our community’s ties, and coordinate our advocacy, public awareness, and research efforts.  These are exciting times!

Where We Want to Be...

As the winds of change blow in our world, and uncertainty about the future grows, Dr. Montessori’s vision of peace shines like a Northstar; a beacon guiding us towards a new way of being in the world. Might the visceral longing we share for a "different form of society on a higher plane" suggest that in addition to developing "the spiritual life of man" we must also "organize humanity for peace"? (Montessori, xii) 

I am fueled by the belief that the Montessori community* has an essential role to play in shifting humanity’s trajectory towards a more just, harmonious, and sustainable future.

I believe this because Montessori education embraces “Life” (in the sense of the dynamic energy and innate wisdom which orients leaves towards sunlight and guides migratory animals on heroic journeys), rather than trying to control or contort it.  In doing so, Montessori education embodies an alternative worldview that not only whispers the wisdom of our ancestors, but is being substantiated by discoveries in modern science and a growing number of fields (including quantum physics, biology, and chaos theory).  

Science is now describing “a world of interconnected networks, where slight disturbances in one part of the system may create major impacts far from where they originate...a world that knows how to organize itself without command, control, or charisma...[with no] independent reality that exists without our observations...[in which] the ‘basic building blocks’ of life are relationships...and we are all ‘bundles of potential’.” (Wheatley, Pg 170)  

Few, I believe, are better equipped to help humanity navigate the transition to the paradigm of living systems and fluid reality, than Montessorians, who, in their quest to “aid life”, have grown experienced in trusting its wisdom and cultivating its creative energy. 

Montessorians understand what modern science is confirming about our “participatory universe” -- that “all life participates in the creation of itself, insisting on the freedom to self-determine.  All life participates actively with its environment in the process of co-adaption and co-evolution.” (Wheatley, Pg 163)   The emerging worldview, which is foreign to many, is rather familiar terrain for Montessorians.  Through our work with children, we anticipate the awe and wonder of Life, and recognize that change takes its own path, emerges in its own time and often comes in seemingly sudden bursts.  We appreciate the value of indirect preparation, and the focus on cultivating conditions rather than controlling outcomes.  We understand the role of differentiation, integration, and interdependency in complex living systems; we know that the whole IS greater than the sum of its parts and that relationships are everything.  Great change will happen as our increasingly unified Montessori community, aware of our destiny and “guided by nature”, recognizes the fractal landscape of this world (in the sense that the shape we see at one magnification will be similar to what we’ll find at all others), and uses this understanding to leverage our expertise in aiding the development of life of an individual child, to aid the development of the collective life of humanity-as-an-organism.

Great change will happen when our increasingly unified community leverages our expertise in aiding the life of an individual child, to aid the collective life of humanity-as-an-organism.

Resolutions 

(Daily practices to transform ourselves into the change we wish to see in the world)

I feel called, as I believe many of us do, to work in community to help humanity transition to this new paradigm that embraces the creative force of life since "the forces that create the world are precisely the forces that must create peace”. (Montessori, 115)  Yet, such a grand task is intimidating and humbling.  What can I really do to make a difference?

*Believe  If the beating of a butterfly's wings can affect change, then with hope for a better world, I commit to making small consistent steps each day to create impact.

*SHOW UP!!!  In this participative universe, nothing is more important than connecting with others in conversations that matter!  I commit to carving time to connect with other Montessorians.

*Go with the flow  Although I don't know how I am going to help, each day I will commit to chipping away at whatever I can to get this work done.  This is the world of emergence -- once we are in relationship with each other and eager to participate, problems and opportunities will emerge and suddenly each of us will clearly see the unique gifts we have to offer.
*Build our virtual central nervous system Our community will be as strong as we are connected and united.  Through technology, we are capable of universal connection, but we need to choose to participate in the collective body.   I commit to joining and growing networks, and to encourage others to join me in linking up with our larger community.

*Go slow to go fast  Valuing indirect preparation and the primacy of relationships, how can I attend to the wholeness of others?  "What makes community building so complex is that it occurs in an infinite number of small steps...It calls for us to treat as important many things that we thought were incidental." (Block, 9)  I commit to inquiring more about the lives of the people with whom I interact before "getting down to business".
*Banish the "empty echo"  Almost all of us have had the experience of what I call the "empty echo"-- when you put yourself out there, reaching out to others, and hear nothing back.  And as lonely and disheartening as it is, I know there are times when I play a part in the silence.  "I see you" are some of the most meaningful words we can say to one another.  We don't need to agree with each other, we don't need to join every event, but we can acknowledge each other's overtures.  I commit to noticing, acknowledging and appreciating the efforts of others.

*Pay attention The Mindfulness Community considers compassion a skill we can cultivate by noticing, "Who do I pay attention to? Who do I ignore? Who becomes 'the other'?"  I commit to observing and reflecting upon where I put my attention.

*Hold our attention at two levels simultaneously (Wheatley, 141).  Just as when we work with a student in our classroom, we attend to the immediate interaction while remaining aware of the entire room, so too, is it important to be aware of our own specific sphere while remaining aware of the happenings of the broader community.  "Transformation unfolds and is given structure by a consciousness of the whole." (Block, 19) I commit to learning more about what is happening regionally, statewide and nationally by staying connected with colleagues and resources.

*In the safe cocoon of community, allow vulnerability to dissolve my ego, and emerge as a fearless learner There is a learning curve to figuring out how to be together and work together, to leverage diversity while building cohesion.  I commit to stretching myself, embracing my mistakes, and iterating as I go.

*Explore structures and tools that focus on "establishing the conditions".  Dynamic Governance, Open Space Technology, Collective Impact, collective creating, World Cafe, and more ...  I commit to read and experience different structures to learn more.

*And when I bump up against the feeling that I just don't have enough time for this work, I commit to remind myself how much I care for my children -- for all children -- and the world that sustains us, and remember that I don't have time NOT to do this work!

Wishing our community a wondrous 2014!  May it be a year in which we greet each other as fearless learners, discoverers of new ways of being, and agents of change who are ready to work together in the realm of magic and possibility!

(*I define the Montessori community as anyone who feels a visceral connection to Montessori education, regardless of their role or title.)

Have other ideas for 2014 Resolutions to move us towards a more peaceful world?  Please share them with our community by using the form below.

A Prepared Environment for Optimal Group Development? Considering Dynamic Governance for Montessori Organizations

Our ability to provide quality Montessori education for children is greatly influenced by our ability to work together, as a school, faculty, Board, or student/family/regional/statewide organization.  Recognizing the essential role the prepared environment plays in a child’s development, the Ohio Montessori Alliance (OMA) has spent a year considering and experimenting with structures that align with Montessori principles, to support our organizational development.  What follows is a reflection, and an invitation... 

The potential for the Ohio Montessori Alliance (OMA) was birthed through dialogue...a quiet truth that existed within each of us that transformed into a palpable presence within the safe space and energy created by the group -- “We are all in this together, and working together is necessary for real change to happen”.   The magic of Life is that you never know how it will express itself through a particular form or being, and so we waited in wonderment of what would unfold, and set about the task of nurturing our development.  

Montessorians excel at establishing conditions that enable Life to flourish...the question before us was, "How can we transfer our shared knowledge of the critical role the prepared environment plays in an individual's development to nurture the development of our Montessori-community-as-an-organism?"

Considering structures for our prepared environment, we quickly recognized that traditional hierarchical organizations are based on the same understanding of the world as is conventional education: “Newtonian images of the universe [where] we manage by separating things into parts, we believe that influence occurs as a direct result of force exerted from one person to another, we engage in complex planning for a world that we keep expecting to be predictable, and we search continually for better methods of objectively measuring and perceiving the world.”(Pg 7) This recognition echoes the words of Edward Deming, who, “revered around the world as a pioneer in the quality management revolution...would often say, ‘We will never transform the prevailing system of management without transforming our prevailing system of education.  They are the same system.’” (Pg xi & xiii)  This system and its underlying assumptions has served a phase of humanity’s evolution, but is not accurate or comprehensive enough to help us interact with change and each other, at the pace and scale necessary for the Earth’s survival.  

An alternative paradigm for understanding Life is emerging through discoveries in a variety of fields (quantum physics, biology, chemistry, partnership studies, chaos and complexity theory, systems thinking, etc), that echoes the indigenous wisdom of our ancestors, and aligns with the truths observed by the scientific mind of Dr. Montessori.  This paradigm focuses on holism and integration, rejoices in complexity and interdependence, and recognizes “relationship [as] the key determiner of everything”. (Pg 11)  It is in this paradigm that the OMA sought an organizational structure to serve as our prepared environment.

For the past year, the OMA Board has been experimenting with Dynamic Governance, “a decision-making and governance method that allows an organization to manage itself as an organic whole” [Pg 2].  Based on equivalence and Systems/Complexity theory, Dynamic Governance (DG) seeks to leverage the creative forces of self-organization, which allows the overall organization, as well as each of its members, to “achieve their full potential”. (Pg 20)

Some benefits of DG-as-a-prepared-environment include: 

   *establishes a “power-with” governance structure 

   *maximizes inclusion and efficiency

   *builds autonomy and enhances alignment

   *fosters engagement, productivity and commitment

   *encourages creativity and innovation 

   *creates energy and harmony around decision-making

Although we have only “dipped our toes” in the DG waters, we have noticed that, similar to how the prepared environment shapes the development of the child's brain and personality, the practice of engaging with others within the structure of DG seems to guide and shape our optimal development, as individuals and an organization. 

A little over a year into our growth, I’ve had a chance to glimpse the form of Life that seems to be unfolding within the OMA:  This past week I fumbled.  As one of the leaders of the OMA, I missed an important detail; dropped a major ball.  With full trust in the safety and wisdom of the group, I sent out an SOS -- sharing my failure and seeking help.  Within an hour, support and resources appeared, and multiple solutions emerged where none had seemed to exist.

I believe the structure of DG has helped the OMA organize for change by building our capacity to manage crucial conversations, cultivate a learning culture, tap the group's collective intelligence, harness system's thinking and the healing power of inclusion, embrace complexity, and develop a “win/win”, “both/and” approach to decisions-making.

Striving for real and sustainable impact, the OMA Board has committed to a two day training in Dynamic Governance with John Buck, by embedding it within our Annual Meeting, an opportunity we wish to share with all interested individuals and organizations throughout the Montessori community...

If you are someone who is excited about Montessori education (parent, administrator, directress, student, alumni, grandparent, etc), we welcome you to join us at the OMA Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio, on October 26th and 27th, to:

   *gather and grow as a community,

   *deepen our connections, as well as our understanding of the work before us, 

   *better understand this new paradigm, and consider ways to leverage Montessori Education, Dynamic Governance and “collective impact”, as complementary tools for architecting a new culture, within our schools, faculties, Boards, and student/family/regional/statewide/national organizations...and perhaps, the world.

We hope you will join us!

Exploring "The Map"

Have you had a chance to explore "The Map" of the Montessori movement?  Approaching this dynamic and interactive tool is a journey of discovery.  What is it?  How many ways can it be used?  What possibilities does it hold?  Although the answers to these questions are probably limitless, here are some personal discoveries/reflections...

Orienting
Inundated with work in our own spheres, it is all too easy to miss the early exponential growth of the Montessori movement that is occurring all around us.  The Map, at its most basic level, visually frames the many monumental initiatives, giving us a chance to see ourselves in context of our community, and witness our evolution.

Building a Public Repository of Our Collective Knowledge
Montessorians committed to children and working tirelessly for change is nothing new, but the unprecedented collaborative commitment of our community is.  The "crowdsourcing" technique of The Map empowers us to build a public repository of our collective knowledge, that we can continue to organize and develop.

Engaging Our Social Brain
The Map enables our our entire community to "be on the same page" -- literally!  This shared focus activates our social brain to become alert and attentive.  Recognizing our interrelationship with others can help us (1) more effectively communicate visions for what is possible, (2) cultivate connections with others with similar passions/interest, (3) share resources/information which will shorten our learning curves, and (4) coordinate efforts that will magnify the voice and presence of Montessori in education dialogues.

Generating Purposeful and Unified Action
If the unprecedented collaborative commitment for cooperation signals a new ability for our community to act as a unified organism, might The Map be a metaphoric brain? Perhaps this is a stretch, but worthy of consideration, so we don't overlook a potential capacity.

Similar to a brain, The Map brings information acquired by our various parts, to be stored in a central location.  Accessible for all to view, this new knowledge will build on, and be shaped by, what each of us knows.  Once integrated with our current needs and past memories, The Map endows us with the ability to plan, coordinate, and execute purposeful and unified action.  Recording the findings/reflections of these efforts back into the map, where they can be further processed, integrated, and acted upon by increasingly more individuals, makes the Montessori-community-as-an-organism capable of more rapid learning and ever greater and more refined movement.

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Perhaps the Map as a metaphoric brain is an overly simplified idea, but concepts about brain development may still offer guidance for our collective growth:

      *If you don't use it, you'll lose it:  The potential of The Map will only be realized if we commit to making it purposeful and meaningful.  If we do not constantly input, refer to, and act upon information in this repository, The Map will fade into obscurity.

     *Development depends on activity:  Our motive for action is great!  The world desperately needs an alternative vision for our children and our future.  Dr. Montessori provided such a vision, as well as a roadmap for how to get there! But, since Montessori education currently reaches only about 2% of the population, there is much work to be done.  The more we get involved and engage with others, the stronger our network of relationships will grow, and the more effective and refined our efforts will become.

     *The beginning years are foundational: Recognizing that "as the twig is bent, so grows the tree", Montessorians invest much time preparing the environment for a child's optimal development.  Similarly, it is essential that we intentionally establish communication/decision-making/governance structures that foster curiosity, engagement, respect, lifelong "fearless learning" and group flow.

     *Connections matter:  The development of The Map will be greatly influenced by how many people know about it, and link together through it.  But, just as the number of neurons are not as important as how they are connected, the way in which we reach out to, and work with, one another, will greatly influence our collective intelligence.

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Orienting, building, engaging, generating -- what other possibilities do you discover when you explore The Map?

Organizing for Change

“If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together.”

                                                                            ~African Proverb

Working together is indeed powerful ... but it can also be quite difficult, especially when we consider the complexity of the problems we seek to address, and the diversity within our community.  Our ability to aid life and transform society hinges on our ability to stay cohesive despite these challenges. 

When working together to create change, it is helpful to:

DEVELOP DEEPER CONVERSATIONS

Tap our Collective Intelligence:  A group can be amazingly intelligent -- smarter than its smartest members -- IF we maintain:

     *Diversity (in approach, thought processes, experience and resources),

     *Independence in thinking (ensuring that no one is dominating others), and

     *Decentralization (“flatter” network structures tend to be more flexible and  innovative).   [The Wisdom of Crowds]

Anticipate Crucial Conversations:  A Montessorian’s task to “aid life” touches on the sacred.  So although diversity can increase a group’s intelligence, when it comes to the ideas we care most deeply about, diverse opinions can feel profoundly threatening and trigger our “fight or flight” response, causing us to respond with violence (by attacking each other’s ideas and feelings), or silence (disengaging from the conversation).  By anticipating crucial conversations as part of our process, we can better prepare ourselves, and effectively manage these moments. [Crucial Conversations]

“Go Slow To Go Fast”:  There is part of us that wants to see change happen QUICKLY! so we are eager to “get down to business”.  However, investing time and energy to make sure the entire group is looking at the same thing (problem) in the same way (all perspectives are expressed and understood) by (1) making all information explicit, (2) giving as much attention to the process as the content, and (3) fostering a “win-win”, “both-and” culture, can embed ownership and alignment within the process, ultimately making the group more coherent and effective. [The Collaborative Operating System]

VALUE SAFETY & INCLUSION

Prioritize the NEED FOR SAFETY: How can groups leverage the power of diversity, even when the stakes are high and emotions are running strong?  Monitoring feelings of safety enables us to recognize when we are in the midst of a crucial conversation.  In “real time”, we can make “repair attempts”, by letting the other person know we care about his/her best interests and goals (mutual purpose), and that we care about him/her (mutual respect), thereby reestablishing safety so collaborative work can continue. [Crucial Conversations]

Invest in Building a “Pool of Shared Meaning”: When ideas, feelings, and opinions are openly shared, a group develops a “pool of shared meaning”.  The more information that is in that pool, the better decisions the group can make.  Developing a rich pool of shared meaning requires an investment of time, but it ultimately serves the group’s effectiveness and efficiency, by helping us move beyond “your way” and “my way” so that we can discover “our way”. [Crucial Conversations]

Create a Community of “Fearless Learners”: To accomplish something we have never done before, requires us to travel through “the land just beyond proficiency”.  Whether it is struggling with a camera during a videoconference, having difficulty accessing google docs, or stretching ourselves to stay engaged in a conversation that feels threatening, we will need to grapple with feelings of incompetence, frustration, and vulnerability.  Anticipating the learning curve normalizes and depersonalizes the awkwardness.  Establishing a culture where learning is supported and mistakes are embraced will nurture personal and collective growth, as well as group cohesion.

Define Who “We” Are: In her book, Children Who are Not Yet Peaceful, Donna Bryant Goertz illustrates the healing power of inclusion.  The mindfulness community considers lovingkindness/compassion to be a skill set we can develop by reflecting on: What are we paying attention to? Whom are we paying attention to? Whom becomes the other? Whom do we ignore? By observing and being aware, we train our attention to include or exclude.  Improving our ability to monitor our attention gives us the potential to harness the healing power of inclusion.

CONSIDER STEERING SYSTEMS

Leverage the Power of Systems Thinking:  Dr. Montessori understood systems! (The power of Montessori education lies in its totality and interrelationships; it can never be replicated by piecemeal copying because the synergy of Montessori education is created by the way all the parts work together.)  Montessorians can leverage the power of systems to shift our community from fragmentation to cohesion (until we do, time and energy shortages will remain one of the greatest obstacles to collaborative work), anticipate “delays” (collective work to promote public awareness and affect policy will ultimately lighten our individual loads, but there will be a time lag between these actions and their consequences, which, unrecognized, might lead to discouragement), and harness collective impact efforts to create a unified voice for policy change. [The Fifth Discipline]

Welcome Chaos: Today’s rate and scale of change, and degree of complexity, require more innovative, adaptive, and self-regulating systems.  There are many organizational tools and structures that harness the group’s dynamic capacity to self-organize (a concept that has many parallels to the child’s drive to self-construct), including  Dynamic Governance/Sociocracy, Open Space Technology, World Cafe, and Appreciative Inquiry; by inviting in chaos (in the sense of “having many possibilities”) they allow innovative solutions to emerge. [Mapping Dialogue]

“Begin with the End in Mind”: We will be most successful in creating a harmonious world in which everyone’s needs are considered if we align our process with our desired outcome.  How can we “prepare our environment” so that we can become adept at the skills which will enable our community to tap our collective intelligence, foster safety, manage crucial conversations, build pools of shared meaning, cultivate a learning culture, harness the healing power of inclusion and systems thinking, welcome chaos, and develop a “win/win”, “both/and” approach to decisions-making?  Dynamic Governance (a/k/a Sociocracy), offers a communication/decision-making/governance structure, that ensures that the needs of ALL members are considered (not just the majority), and creates harmony among members, while cultivating innovative thinking and leadership throughout the organization. Similar to Montessori education, Dynamic Governance was developed by a scientist who viewed his workplace as a laboratory and believed development is driven by purposeful engagement within the environment. Both Montessori education and Dynamic Governance incorporate cycles of work and self-correcting processes, encourage creativity, promote lifelong learning, harness the power of self-determination & self-realization, support complex development by allowing for differentiation and integration, and have a larger vision for the betterment of society. [We the People: Consenting to a Deeper Democracy] 

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Humanity is grappling with the limits and potentially dire consequences of our current model of competition, conquest and consumption, and desperately needs an alternative vision.  Dr. Montessori provided a vision for a global community and a peaceful world, as well as a method to bring this vision to fruition!  What remains for us, is to organize our community and cultivate the unified cooperation required to bring this transforming education into the lives of more children!

The Birth of the "Montessori-Community-As-An-Organism"?

Might the unprecedented collaborative commitment of Montessorians throughout the nation (including Ohio) signal the birth of the "Montessori Community-as-an-organism"?  

My consideration of the "birth of the Montessori-Community-as-an-organism" began recently, while rereading EDUCATION AND PEACE, and reflecting on Dr. Montessori's concept of "humanity as an organism", her belief that "mankind must organize", and her notion of  "the universal cooperation required of humanity for continued progress".   I am deeply moved by her words, believing that there is an urgent need for such organization, but wonder, "How CAN humanity organize itself???" The means are there (we are capable of universal connection, communication and identification) but the commitment and the will to work together has yet to be expressed. Without the motive for unified action, it seems that despite our capabilities, humanity remains unorganized. 

The Montessori community has been growing and doing amazing work to help children and the world since 1907, but might the unprecedented, collective commitment for cooperation signal a new ability to act as a unified organism, whose mind (ideas and beliefs), will (intention to defend and serve the child) and body (each individual member of our community connecting as part of a unified whole) are now aligned and engaged?  I wonder, if so, can we apply our understanding of child development to nurture the development of such an organism?  How?  What would that look like?  (For me, I see many parallels between the child's energy for self-construction and an organization's drive to self-organize, and the essential role of purposeful activity for the development of both types of organisms.) 

These are some thoughts and questions I'm considering -- what do you think?  There are likely hundreds of different perspectives on this idea, each of which will deepen our understanding -- so please share yours!  I value the chance to process ideas, deepen our "pool of shared meaning", and learn from you on this and other topics!

Channeling Horror Into Hope

Shock waves triggered by the Sandy Hook shootings continue to reverberate.  Through this horrific incident, the atrocities and pain endemic throughout the world have erupted in a place, and in a way, that slices through the sense of distance and safety that once was felt.

Humbled by vulnerability, we seek reassurance from tougher laws and tighter security.  But is this the extent of the change we hope for and need?  

The part of humanity that longs for peace has been awakened.  Connecting with this yearning, might we transform this tragedy into a catalyst for societal change?  A "slumbering humanity" has been aroused by the tremendous suffering caused by the present devaluation of life in all its forms.  The devastation that surrounds us can reduce us to despair or compel us towards meaningful action. 

Rereading Dr. Montessori’s work, as well as  Molly O’Shaughnessy’s paper, The Century Forward: A Vision of the Montessori Movement for the Next Century, offers comfort and inspiration, and establishes Dr. Montessori’s vision of education and peace to be as relevant and necessary as ever.  

On this winter solstice, as I reflect upon the closing of one year, and prepare to greet the possibilities of the next, I notice an inner shift ... from horror to hope.   Dr. Montessori believed that mankind must organize to achieve "the universal cooperation required of humanity for continued progress". (Education & Peace, xii)   Looking back at 2012, the unprecedented collaborative efforts to make Dr. Montessori's vision of education and peace a reality, signify that mobilization is underway; glimpsing ahead, I realize its potential is unlimited!

Reaching Out Beyond the “Montessori Choir”

“There seems to be a lot of sharing in smaller circles -- Montessorian to Montessorian;  you know the expression, ‘Preaching to the choir’.”,  lamented a colleague.

The truth of her observation hit home.  The Montessori method is so complex and distinct that it often seems overwhelming to try to break it down and translate it for others ... so we tend to talk to people who already understand.

If it makes us feel better, we are not alone. The “Curse of Knowledge”, as Chip and Dan Heath coined the term in their book, Made to Stick, is a common ailment.  Once we have learned something, it becomes hard to imagine NOT knowing it, and therein lies the difficulty of sharing concepts with others.

But if Montessori education is ever to be justly recognized and appreciated, we must endeavor to reach out beyond the “Montessori Choir”; to connect and share with those who do not yet understand Dr. Montessori’s work.  But how? 

Below are some of the ways Montessorians ARE reaching out to connect, within and beyond our community.  Help us grow a list of creative strategies by adding your ideas and experience in the "Comments" section... 

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Sheryl Morris:  “I'm connected to Google alerts that notifies me of Montessori posts online. (I learned this from Debbie A. Kelley.)  My intent is to help circulate stories about Montessori in the hope that more parents and grandparents become aware and begin making demands of elected officials and public school districts for more public Montessori classrooms.  It can feel like trying to fill a bucket of water with only an eyedropper at a time.  My latest "eyedropper" idea is to see what Montessori books are at my little public library. I intend on buy one or two and donating them. Something easy to read like Tim Seldin's "Raising an Amazing Child." I wonder if the people at the library would consider spotlighting Montessori one week? The idea behind having children discover things for themselves is impacting me this morning. Adults like making discoveries themselves.

Cody Davis Sanantonio, Metamorphosis Montessori: “I conducted an inservice for 15 teachers from another school last week, and their enthusiasm and delight was so contagious. They kept emphasizing how wonderful it was to connect and talk with other Montessorians. I felt uplifted afterward.  In addition to in-service training, I am engaged in educating Montessori families via classes, and home visits where we set up Montessori home environments. I produced a manual for parents which includes explanations of the child's need for order and the child's drive toward independence. The manual explains authoritative parenting and its correlation to Montessori child guidance. Checklists are also a part of the manual that provide parents a structure for setting up home care schedules and chores for children.  I've completed a thesis entitled: The Montessori Principles: Do Montessori Parents Understand Their Significance and Apply Them To Their Family Lives? This was a mixed methods study that provides some interesting data, (that most Montessorians already suspect,) about the comprehension and utilization of Montessori by Montessori parents in the home. Conclusion: We have much work to do. My analysis suggests that many parents still look at Montessori as schooling that ‘is done to the child,’; not a process of unfolding at home and at school. We have hoped for Montessori in the public sector, and see a trend toward Montessori charters...but if we have not educated the families, we have children who are not being fully served, as they may be going home to a totally different set of groundrules and values. Work to do indeed friends!  I also write a blog:  www.amontessorilife.blogspot.com”

Marianne White Dunlap, director of Prairie Flower Montessori School:  “Our school has hosted education students from local universities who have never observed a Montessori classroom. They too are impressed with what they see. For the first time the director of Early Head Start is scheduled to come for a visit. I also try to collaborate as much as I can with Baby Talk, It has its national headquarters here in Decatur. I also try to respond to blogs of progressive educators who have similar views of education and I try to show them how Montessori is similar in many respects to what they are doing...We have to be willing to open our Montessori windows while at the same time staying true to the principles and practices from our trainings.

Regina Kyle:  “I have always found that sowing seeds is one of the most important things we do. I am a very impatient person but I have found seeds I have sown sprouting in the most unlikely places at times. We can't force people to accept new ideas; we sow seeds and we need to find the ways to approach others. I have always been what I call an ‘intuitive Montessorian’ -- long before I knew about Maria Montessori I was following many of her practices.”

Patty Delcambre Said, ArborCreek Montessori School: “I share articles about Montessori in the mainstream on our School's page and on our PTO group page. I think that the more mainstream articles we can circulate the better; social media makes it fast, easy, and inexpensive.”

Paula Leigh-Doyle, Hershey Montessori School: “We are reaching out to our Early Childhood and Education departments in our area and try to accept as many ed-majors for observations as we can. I contacted last year’s CAEYC board member to ask if I can present or have a booth at their annual conference. I told her about OMA of course. As a result I was invited to present to an ECE class at Cuyahoga Community College, ‘An introduction to the Montessori Approach’ next week for the same purpose. I hope to do the same at Cleveland State University again this year also, although I have not presented there for some years. Once I have restored successful connections in these institutions I will invite different teachers from my school to make the presentations there as it is great for their professional engagement to be able to do this also.”

Tammy Chabria, Head of Jane’s Montessori Academy: “For me, a big way I stay in the loop is being a member of Montessori Administrators Association (and their google group), and the montessori_online yahoo discussion group. Plus, I follow a lot of Montessorians on Twitter and Facebook and get the Montessori "newspaper" from Twitter which gives a sum up of the days Montessori tweets. I also get a daily Google alert on Montessori, so notification if the word Montessori has been used on any blogs or in the news. Kind of a hodge podge, I know.” 

Helen Campbell, Grand Lakes Montessori: “We had 55 administrators/teachers from Pace (Professional Association of Childhood Educators) tour the school last Friday.  When they stepped off the bus, they were warmly greeted by 5 Montessori trained guides. We mapped out a walking route so that each group of 11 did not run into the other tour groups, and gave them business cards with our professional emails on the back, encouraging them to communicate with us.  Guides pointed out the following: toddlers converting their classroom into a bedroom, and setting the tables for hot lunch

In the 5  primaries, administrators observed children indoors/outdoors, engaged in  activities, and small group lessons. Some children were preparing to serve the organic hot lunch.  Guides discussed instances of spontaneous repetition we observed and how valuable it is to the young child, serving, setting table, placing napkins, laying out mats and blankets, and the use of real tools and glassware.  All administrators/ teachers were  impressed with bread machines in each class, the handmade language  cards sequencing daily bread making!  When a classroom was empty with children eating on the deck, guests could examine a classroom.  Comments included,“This is the most hospitable friendly stop on the school tour!”, “Children use real tools to serve themselves lunch!  How do you get licensing to okay use of glass in the preschool?”  We encouraged all to email us with questions, and make an appointment to observe in the future.  One surprise benefit was that although the teachers felt nervous showing guests around, they readily warmed up to sharing and seeing how impressed other early childhood professionals were at what we take for granted every day.  At the PACE annual convention for Northern and Southern California on Saturday I felt like a super star.  So many people came up to me and said that they had never had any exposure to a Montessori program before and how impressed they were.  370 participants (and only 2 Montessori schools that I could determine!)  My staff said they would welcome monthly visits from junior colleges, ECE people etc....We can change minds and open up possibilities with only 35 minutes of hospitality!!!

Diane Meves, Montessori Parent:  "As a once clueless parent, my goal is to (a) make other parents aware of Montessori as an educational option, and (b) make it affordable by making it a public option.
I created a petition for Columbus City Schools to adopt a Montessori program as a charter alternative school. We used a good old fashioned pen and paper petition campaign at farmers markets and city social events like Goodale Park's Comfest to drive interest and education. We also moves the petition campaign online with a Facebook page, "Bring a Montessori option to Columbus Public Schools." 

The Montessori Leaders Collaborative: Made up of the heads of AMI, AMI/USA, AMS, NAMTA, IMC, and other Montessorians, the Montessori Leaders Collaborative is working on unified messaging, research, and other projects to turn our efforts into a real movement.  Click here to learn more.