Together we are able to do so much more than we can do alone. In this section I have shared some of my writings about processes that I think are very helpful in achieving the kind of world Montessori described. Perfecting the way we give lessons is not going to help children if we are tired, depleted, communicate negatively and are coming from a place of anxiety about our world, which we know to have environmental depletion and children who are suffering. Montessori herself does not tell us how to embody peace in a world with violence, but she points to Gandhi and a blend of spirituality which was influenced not only by her Catholic faith but also her time in India. As educators we need to support ourselves, our communities and show our children how they can have a rich life in community with other people, and in nature, to relate to themselves as emotional, spiritual, physical beings.
This is a section I hope to add to, for now it contains my MSc dissertation in Education for Sustainability, in which I use Nonviolent Communication (NVC) as a vehicle for personal change. I hope to add more about using NVC with colleagues and children soon. These are the key resources for understanding and using NVC in education and provide a great practical start.
‘Nonviolent Communication: A language of Life’ by Marshall B Rosenburg PhD
‘Life Enriching Education’ by Marshall B Rosenburg PhD
‘The No Fault Classroom’ by Sura Hart and Victoria Kindle Hodson
If you enjoy these online trainings https://nvctraining.com by the NVC Academy are a great way to know more no matter where you are in the world.
I also wish to include ideas on Focusing and Bodywork soon. You will see from my learning journey how these have influenced me and I hope to use them more explicitly this academic year.
‘Focusing’ by Eugene T. Gendlin is the classic text for this simple yet profound way to offer yourself and colleagues care and to show children how to listen to themselves.
I mention resources on Feldenkrais and Alexander Technique in the ‘Learning journey’ of these resources, I am also interested in teaching yoga and massage to children. These bodywork methods can be used therapeutically to calm the nervous system, to add more possibilities and flow into movement and thinking and relating and can be skills we teach children to be fit, healthy and confidently able to engage with others. At all levels I am interested in combining these activities with Montessori classroom practices. Mindfulness and Meditation are other offerings we can make to ourselves and children throughout the day. Beginning this academic year I have left a space for yoga mats, to be used for children to practice movements, dance and to relax throughout the day and I hope to find 20 minutes to allow myself to be on the mat each day to sustain myself till the afternoon. I will let you know how that process goes!