Observations

Observations, tours, and annual appeal photos are upon us again this year.  When this time comes, it is always a bit of a shock for all of us to have people enter our environments simply to watch.  As people walk through our classroom for a tour or parents come to sit down to observe, my role is to model for the children how we continue our day as people join us.  I rarely engage with visitors as they enter, unless I'm showing a child how to maneuver around a crowd or showing visitors to their seat.  The children often just continue their day as if nothing is new. 

The other day, a tour group went through our classroom, the first one of the year. I hadn't prepared the children by letting them know this would be happening. So I wondered what would happen.  I kept working, and a few of the new children had surprised looks on their faces; but when they noticed how everyone else continued on, they did as well.  So much wonderful work was happening! I was happy for potential families to see what a Montessori classroom looks like.  As the group walked by into the atrium, I overheard a woman say, “This is fantastic!” In that moment I realized, yes, this is fantastic! All of these young children moving around our space, -- working independently, cleaning up messes, chatting with friends, resting in a rocking chair, working with the Good Shepherd, observing the toads, singing in a small group, or having a lesson.  Every day is a new day working with young children. Some days are amazing, and some days you wish you could start all over. But when you see a 5-year old showing a younger child how to put their jacket on with no adult guidance, or a 3-year old cutting cheese for this young community, it helps you remember what all of this is for. 

As you are enjoying your time in your child's classroom, I hope that you see the beauty of Montessori in the short time that you are visiting.  All of you went on the tour of our school before joining CFMS, and my hope is that you joined us because you had that same “fantastic” moment. Now, as you observe, your child is here, and you have a different perspective.  Watch what your child is doing, but keep in mind all of the children are your child's community. These are the children your child is talking with at lunch, playing with on the playground, working with in the classroom. So watch what they are working on as well, and see the potential of what your child will work with at some point.  You might end up seeing the classroom at a time when it is not peaceful and “fantastic;” but watch in those moments how problems are solved and how disagreements are made right.  Watch how the adults react to situations, or watch as the children deal with problems on their own. Enjoy this small window into your child's life at CFMS. I hope that what you see and hear is just as exciting as you hoped it would be. 

Lindy Rivera