I wanted to take a moment to talk about the spiritual preparation of the adult. To me, this is one of the most important parts of Montessori. During my oral exams on of the examiners asked me what the most important material in the environment was. In that moment I panicked, I saw every material on the shelf and had no idea which was the most important material. Seeing the look on my face, she answered her own question, “you”! The adults in the environment are the most important tool. The children are constantly observing our interactions with the environment, other adults and most importantly other children.

Spiritually preparing to work with children isn’t something I thought about much at all until becoming the guide of Children’s House 2. There are a lot of conversations about self care when working in education, specifically early childhood education. To me, spiritual preparation feels even deeper than self care. In her book, The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Montessori said that ”the real preparation for education is a study of one's self. The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more than the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character, it is a preparation of the spirit.”

Adults finding peace allow us to maintain unbiased observations. It supports our interactions with children being based in respect. There is so much that can happen throughout the day. If we have spiritually prepared, each moment and interaction is reflective of that. Spiritual preparation can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths prior to entering the environment. My spiritual preparation has evolved so much throughout my time at CHMS. Each morning I check in with my body and notice how I am feeling I reflect the best ways I can be gentle to my body. I take moments to breathe as I move through my morning routine. Just before I leave my house I take a moment to listen to an affirmation. My favorite affirmation to listen to is “I am enough” by Coax Marie. My morning routine has allowed me the time to enter the environment settled, emotional available and ready to meet each child where they are. 

Molly