One thing that makes Montessori education stand out from the crowd is that it aims to teach the whole child. Life is not just about reading, writing and arithmetic. Children need to learn how to function in society and in the home. People have a spiritual being inside of them. That psychic life is what we seek to nurture and grow as we teach our children to become curious, to seek knowledge and answers. They need to learn self-control and appreciation for the world around them.
We teach our children to be good citizens who are kind to each other and kind to animals. They learn to work with the Earth and to protect her resources. They learn a strong sense of self-worth and independence. They learn to think outside of the box.
Sometimes I like to think of teaching children in Montessori as being similar to being an osteopath doctor. They are not just MDs who look at the single complaint that you have. They acknowledge how different parts of the body affect the entire body. Sometimes you have to treat a problem in your foot to alleviate back and head pain. With kids, you have to take into account their physical, emotional and mental development all at the same time. One area can easily affect the others, even if on the surface it seems unrelated.
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