Grace, Courtesy & Montessori

This is the time of year when we spend a good deal of time thinking about gratitude. Thanksgiving provides an opportunity to pause and give thanks for those things that have meaning for us. Stories and appreciations are shared. You may think these things have nothing to do with a Montessori education. Please think again.

One of the foundational elements of the Montessori philosophy is "grace and courtesy." Dr. Montessori emphasized the importance of what my mother would have called "good manners." We may think that teaching our children to say "please" and "thank you" is the equivalent to Montessori’s lessons around grace and courtesy. It is that and so much more.

As we enter the season of giving of course we want children (and adults) to use these social niceties. However, we also want them to notice others, extend a helping hand when needed, and to care for others. A good example of this is the collection held by the Upper Elementary students for Faithful Friends Animal Society. Because of your generosity and support, WMS was able to share hundreds of items to further their work- from pet food to collars, toys and pet beds. The animals, workers and families adopting animals benefited from the drive organized by the Upper Elementary students in Diane Rineer’s memory. 

Thanks to the WMS community, we all had the opportunity to share Dr. Montessori’s lessons of grace, courtesy, kindness and compassion. Thank you all for supporting this effort and reinforcing the importance of these lessons!