A Peek Into the Future: Making a Long-range Difference for Your Students

mw-claudiamann on August 9, 2022

“…we must know how to call to the man which lies dormant within the soul of the child.”

Maria Montessori,
The Advanced Montessori Method,
previously Spontaneous Activity in Education

This one’s for you, new teachers…maybe just a year or two into your teaching career. It’s for anyone who wonders if they are making a difference or having an impact on the little students in your care.

As you plan for your class, getting excited for the coming year, I’m hoping this story will inspire you with a glimpse into your possible future. You’ll even find a couple of prints with that quote to frame up and place on a shelf or wall where you’ll see it. Maybe even where the students can see it and imagine their future selves…but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Imagine receiving this unexpected text:

Happy holidays Claudia, XXXXX and I were just sitting here talking and she said how she misses the Big Bang lesson that you and Doug used to give.  She gave me a whole recap of it, I thought you would like to hear that.  Also she got into XXXXXXX college. She wants to major in Chemistry with a geology focus.  I would say you and Doug rubbed off on her!  Love to all!

We had to know more.

This is what we heard back from our former student:

As I am sure you have heard, I was accepted into xxxxxxxxx. I am overjoyed and have already confirmed my enrollment. I plan to major in Chemistry and minor in Astronomy. At xxxxxxx, you can major in general chemistry as well as chemistry with specific focuses/applications. I am torn between chemistry with an environmental focus and chemistry with a geological focus. Chemistry with an environmental focus means that you take a mix of general chemistry classes and organic chem classes. In the major, you learn how to use chemistry to address environmental issues, and to understand interactions between natural and ecological systems at a molecular level. As a chem-geo major, you take general chem classes and geo classes. You can learn more about what I could do as a chem-geo major here: (our student
included a link since she knows us!)

I have always known that I would pursue a science degree, but it was not until junior year of high school, when I took a chemistry class, that I knew I would have to do something with chemistry. I love chemistry because it is the language of our universe. We can use chemistry to break (almost) every piece of matter down into its smallest unit. Junior year I also took an environmental science class with a local college and loved learning about environmental systems and issues. As for geology, I am an avid crystal and mineral collector and I attribute this to yours and Claudia’s fossil and mineral case in the Montessori school. I love collecting all types of minerals and crystals and learning about their chemical makeup. My personal favorite type of crystal to collect is quartz, specifically inclusion quartz. I love that because of the abundance of quartz, it often forms with other minerals or chemical impurities that change its appearance. I love to use chemistry to try to figure out the potential pressure, heat, or other conditions that would have to be present to allow for the formation of a certain stone. 

The reason I plan on minoring in Astronomy is simply that I find it interesting and not because I plan on finding a job where it would be applicable. Let me know if you and Claudia have further questions. I have one question for you both, do you still collect fossils and minerals? 

Merry Christmas!

Now that was a thrill!

That’s the kind of note that would make any teacher swoon! But a few months later, I saw this photo on Instagram. Our student’s been making jewelry with those beloved crystals. When we spoke recently, I learned that they had apprenticed with a lapidarist learning to make cabochons.

Sharing the joy!

This week I’ll be sharing a presentation entitled, “Balancing Interests with Standards and Expectations.” I love sharing stories like this one to illustrate my commitment to Montessori classroom design that includes freedom to explore and develop individual passions. When students get to pursue their dreams, they naturally develop the skills to keep going. Our job as guides is to keep providing the tools, keep striving for development, and always continue encouraging our students to follow their hearts.


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Where to start with Cosmic Education? Here’s what a 35-year Montessorian Would Do

mw-claudiamann on February 17, 2022

“It should be realized that genuine interest cannot be forced. Therefore, all methods of education, based on centres of interest, which have been chosen by adults, are wrong. Moreover, these centres of interest are superfluous, for the child is interested in everything… A global vision of cosmic events fascinates the child and his interest will soon remain fixed on one particular part, as a starting point for more intensive studies.”

Maria Montessori, Unpublished lecture, Amsterdam, 1950

Cosmic Education is the heart and soul of Montessori…especially for elementary, but really for all ages. Since I’ve been standing on my Cosmic Education soapbox for so many years, I get asked this question a lot: “How do I start?”

I imagine most who pose this question are looking for the scope and sequence of a curriculum; a logical or step-by-step list of lessons to give and follow-up work to prepare.  Some of that preparation will definitely help. Especially once you have a good understanding of your child’s interests.

So here’s the good news: No RUSH!

While you’re reading From Childhood to Adolescence, Dr. Montessori’s guidance for how to educate the elementary child through the methods of Cosmic Education (BTW: Don’t skip Chapter 6…it lays out the thought process for you perfectly!), I recommend you take daily, or at least weekly, walks to a variety of different natural settings in your area.

Each time choose a focus item to observe. I’ve widely published and given away my lesson plan for Take a Rock Walk (Don’t have it? You’ll find it at https://www.inspired-learning-montessori-education.com/WalkinNRockin.html) In this lesson plan, I share a process that can be applied to any number of items: fallen leaves, fallen seeds, photos of living fungi, moss, tree bark, groundcover plants or even animals (but those are definitely more challenging!)

Each time you go, help your child take notice of the unique qualities of the items you are discovering. As you and your child compare the features, choose to “bring home” only two matching examples. This goes for photos, too!  (I’ll save a discussion about what to DO with all of this once you get home for another lesson blog…this observation and gathering is just the beginning!)

While all of this is taking place, make some mental notes about how your child is engaged. Where do their eyes take them? What do they seem most curious about? These are the clues that will help you plan your lesson connections to Cosmic Education.

Once you have enough “data” about your child’s interests, you can begin to plan your lessons. Yes, if possible, it is great to tell the Great Lesson stories.* When I was in my classroom, I started every year with the first GL within the first couple of weeks…once I thought the children had developed some skill for sitting in the circle. This is a lesson filled with moments of great excitement and even the most disciplined students can barely contain their delight! But you can do Cosmic Education without them, so don’t sweat it if you don’t know them or are intimidated by them at your early moments.

Getting back to your lesson planning: Once you have a topic to begin, then think about how you can connect their interest with skills. Always beginning with observation of the “real” item, make observations and write them down, even writing for your child in large letters they can trace or copy later. Make lists of vocabulary words that relate to the item for both spelling, writing, and subject-based learning; read poetry about the item; make up math work related to the item…always with an eye toward genuine, authentic discovery-learning based on your child’s curiosity points.

This should get you started with a great deal of inspiration and engagement…along with the joy of spending time together, walking, talking, observing, and simply learning to love our Earth and our Universe. That’s the real substance of Cosmic Education!

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