Our most recent Parent Education night was a joy to put together and a delight to carry out. We decided to do a Silent Journey and Discovery for the parents of our Primary (and Toddler) environment. The evening began with a time to just observe the Primary casa through the eyes of their child. Even though the parents didn't move around the room on their knees, it was fun to watch them bend down to the level of the tables and shelves and hold back the urge to open the boxes on each of the shelves.
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| Pink Tower and Brown Stair | | | | |
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Once we returned to our discussion space, it was interesting to see how many of the parents were just itching to be able to start working with the materials! So, we prepared them for the discovery. Before the parents arrived, I had set out about twenty of our materials on tables, floor tables and rugs, each with their own card. Each card listed the name of the material and a description of what to do on the inside. Some said, "Find a guide and ask for a lesson", others said "Explore" or a lengthy description of what to do.
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| Cylinder Blocks, Blindfolded |
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| Map of Africa |
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| Table Washing |
Throughout our time together, it was a delight to observe the parents as they worked and to see how much they are like their children! During the discussion after the discovery, all of the parents shared a definite confidence and joy for having chosen a Montessori education for their children.
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| All 4 Cylinder Blocks |
When asked, "How was exploring the primary environment compared to your own school experience?", the parents shared the following: "It's such a peaceful working environment!" "I can see how this environment creates an enjoyable learning experience."
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| Metal Insets |
"It's not a fight to get my children up for school in the morning. They can't wait to get to school!" "I can see why my baby sister loves school so much more than I do." "My child is more pleasant to be around and more well-rounded as a result of being in a Montessori school."
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| Skip Counting |
And then, when asked, "What did you learn?" parents shared: "Here, they are building a solid foundation for later learning." "They develop skills more than the traditional reading, writing and arithmetic. They are actually learning problem solving, which is so important for life. You have to be able to know how to solve problems in order to take on new challenges."
At the end of the night, instead of feeling exhausted after a day of work and a parent education night, I felt rejuvenated and excited that we have such a wonderful group of parents at our school. I think they would all say to you, "Come and see!"
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| Table Washing |
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| Wood Polishing |
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Phonetic Object Box
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