State of Grace
Maria Montessori believed strongly in thanksgiving—and not always in the usual sense:
"No object must be made use of without the thought that some unknown human produced it….Their effort and their sacrifice for us must always be present in our minds.
—The Child, Society, and the World
Gratitude is a fundamental part of Montessori. It begins simply with Practical Life lessons of grace and courtesy in the Primary classes. In Elementary "Cosmic Education" is the goal: educating students about the size and scope of the universe; about how many inter-related parts contribute to our food, clothing, lifestyle, culture. All modern societies and economies rest on a web of relationships with everyone willing to do their part. Community service is a large strand in the Faith North Middle School where each student does 100 hours of community service. As young people, they are experiencing the web of relationships that sustains them.
Gratitude and gracias both come from Latin gratia; the root being grace. Gratitude places us in a state of grace: peace, contentment, acceptance, and belonging.
Visitors to our campuses often comment about the peace and grace; the feeling of the physical space as well as the classrooms environments, seeing them as some sort of mysterious paradise. They merely exist in a state of grace.
I am so grateful for our amazing school community. I look forward to seeing you at one of the many fall celebrations we have planned. Check Volunteer Spot for your opportunity to be a part of our web.
Happy Fall!
Susan Engdall