Maria Montessori doesn’t believe in High School!
And I think she’s right.
Today Biff told us about Maria’s views on later human development (12-15, 15-18, and 18-24 — whew! I’m fully developed!) She said adolescents want to be financially independent, contributing members of society, who crave respect and responsibility. She thought the ideal high school would be to give them a way to generate income, to live with non-parent adults who respected and guided them in their quest to find a place in adult society.
Her idea (back in Europe in the ’40s and early 50’s) was to have a farm school - a way for them to work and generate revenue to pay for themselves and their education. Where they could learn about life and society. She says they’re in a “sensitive period” for social justice, they’re anxious to right the wrongs in the world, to combat inequalities and disempowerment.
Hear hear, I say! I talked to Biff a little about it after class, and then at the end of my day I suggested to my classmates that I ask Biff to lead a voluntary discussion group at lunch time. We’re so busy learning how to give presentations, we don’t get the chance to discuss the books we’ve read about the philosophy, and implementing it. The others liked the idea, so I’m going to ask Biff tomorrow.
Today was just a great, great day, even though I was late for everything (including feeding the turtle, which is my job this summer).
I was late for Thursday morning prayer with Debby because I missed the last two Thursdays, and couldn’t find her room. There was a third woman who was new, and seemed to be really comforted by talking to us, so I was late in getting back to my room and to breakfast.
There WAS my favorite kind of yogurt, though, so although I was late to math class, I was able to eat breakfast in class, and wasn’t too late.
I was late for Developmental Psych class because I was having such a fabulous conversation with two of my classmates about my household, and the People of Praise, and we were sitting out in the grass because it’s been the first non-horribly-hot day in over a week. But Biff didn’t mind that I got in late - he hadn’t started his lesson yet.
Then I was late to geography because I was retrieving a binder, and getting a fork to eat the salad I’d been too busy talking to eat during lunch. But Joan likes me, and was good humored about it.
I was late getting to dinner because Gray (one of the classmates who’d been curious about my HH) had decided to come see Harry Potter, and needed to leave her backpack in my room, and borrow some comfortable shoes to walk in. But I WASN’T late to the movie, because it turned out to be at 6:30 instead of 6. And it was great. But it was the reason I was late in turning the turtle’s light out tonight.
And crowning it all, (it’s my news if it’s on the internet, right?) One:ten FINISHED THE COMCENTER WEBSITE!!! It’s a picture of serviceability and design, although I haven’t bought anything on it yet. So check it out, and tell them it’s fabulous, because it is, and because they’ve been laboring on it for months.
I’m late going to bed because I was so happy I ran the fastest I’ve run for a long time all around the safe neighborhoods here, and had to write this.
Good night, and God bless,
Claire
July 14th, 2007 at 11:28 am
“She said adolescents want to be financially independent, contributing members of society, who crave respect and responsibility. She thought the ideal high school would be to give them a way to generate income, to live with non-parent adults who respected and guided them in their quest to find a place in adult society.” - I think this is so true!
July 29th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
[…] All of the students here have to choose a “mentor” to whom they give weekly reports for the first six weeks of school, from whom to ask advice, and generally have a touch person to be looking out for us. It was fifth week, and I still hadn’t asked anyone (I was waffling whom to ask). I mentioned in an earlier post that I was going to ask Biff to lead a discussion group on Montessorian pedagogy, etc. I did ask him, he agreed, and I sent him an email with a list of questions that I’d brainstormed (on nurturing curiosity; refereeing children’s mini societies; discipline, and such). He emailed back and said he was eager for the discussion, liked the questions, and, by the way, did I have a mentor yet, because he’d enjoy continuing these conversations. I’m thrilled. He’s down to earth, very intelligent, and flexible (he’s advised me to deviate from the requirements: “That poster’s really boring. Come up with something cooler, and make that.”) So, praise God, I’ve got a great mentor! […]
July 31st, 2007 at 8:43 am
I love Montessori. I think this arrangement would work well for some (the high school thing), and be disastrous for others. I think the important part is to know your child and know whether or not they really are ready to do something like this. And some of the high school classes most students would take are important for college, but I suppose that wasn’t as much of an issue then when it wasn’t quite as common to go to college. I think having a job helped my brother learn responsibility, but I think it was important that he was here with my parents to have that kind of guidance. But that’s just one person also. I can’t make generalizations for everyone.
I’m glad you’re doing this. Montessori has fascinated me ever since I was in a Montessori preschool (I mean, as a preschooler). Many of the ideas tie into special education (my area) so it is useful to me as a teacher. I much prefer teaching middle and high school, so not everything applies, but I love the spirit of it all.