The secret of a good start

After over twenty years in private and public Montessori learning environments on two continents, I have a secret to share with you.

Believe it or not I still look forward to the start of a school day with the same level of anticipation, having long ago accepted  that every day is something of a fresh start, a new opportunity waiting to unfold. Indeed, we must plan the presentations and prepare the environment, but life will in effect take over with the arrival of the first student.

We guides sit on our tiny chairs behind the classroom door having little context in which to place the children. Some have been awake since the crack of dawn. Some are not morning people by nature and need a little extra encouragement to place both feet on the floor. A number of them might have had the pleasure of a good dream, or the terror of a nightmare. Many of those may not even remember which, but have nonetheless absorbed the emotional responses that were triggered as a result.

I am usually a little envious of the children who experienced the luxury of spending the first hour of their day at a relaxed and leisurely pace. Let us remember, however, that others are drawn into the rushed atmosphere of a tense household from the moment their eyes open. All of these humans gradually congregate in the cloakroom, and subsequently in our midst. For me, this is where the fun begins.

It is true that we all have our own approaches to the morning transition to work. For some adults, the unknown carries with it too much potential chaos. In an effort to “get off to a good start”, they rationalize their need to organize, to advise or to control. This is well-intentioned, of course, but lacks a basic trust in the child’s ability to adapt and to engage productively. Should we mention that we might have different interpretations of the term productive?

To be fully productive, in a manner that is consistent with Dr. Montessori’s philosophy, the child needs to experience a sense of connection with their chosen occupation. The productivity lies in the satisfaction gained from a task that meaningful to that child. We cannot define this as being something that is intellectually challenging. In fact, it might be something so simple, so familiar, that its meaningfulness is experienced in its very familiarity. What is important is the fact that it has relevance in the life of the child, and that it is spontaneously and independently chosen.

The beauty of Montessori classroom life lies in its spontaneity, and for this very reason. Take an extra morning breath tomorrow, and be prepared to trust. Maybe your six-year old will select the binomial cube instead of the long chain of seven. Perhaps her best friend will gravitate towards the art shelf  instead of the labels for the map of South America. Do not interfere. These choices might determine how the rest of the day goes; they might provide the means for meaningful connection in a way that is alien to any task directed by an adult, by a check-list or even by a peer.

After over twenty years in learning environments, this much I have learned. It was part of my secret, until now. It is part of why morning transitions are so pleasant for me to observe.

Try it, won’t you?

Sit and watch.

Trust, and see the development of connection.