RAISE A PADDLE FOR MONTESSORI
Through years of scientific observation, Maria Montessori concluded that children work with inner wisdom, guided by laws like those that guide the realm of nature. She designed a complete model of education from birth to adulthood. A scientist by training, she was painstakingly deliberate in designing materials and preparing lessons. For years, Montessori students have shown strengths in decoding, letter-word identification, reading assessments, sentence structure, and writing creativity. In mathematics, Montessori children have shown higher scores in applied problem solving, understanding of math concepts, and standardized test scores. Modern scientific research confirms that neurological development is strengthened by learning through Montessori methodology.
And yet Dr. Montessori was interested in outcomes much bigger than the mere learning of ideas. She believed education must permit the inner development of human personality and develop a more conscious vision of the mission of mankind and the present conditions of social life. She believed her methods were capable of saving humanity.
Tonight, we uphold that belief. We celebrate the children who will go on to lead peaceful and productive lives. We honor the teachers who are guiding them along the way. We gather to support what Maria Montessori regarded as the social question of the highest importance.
Dr. Montessori knew “an education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking.” We are both inspired and humbled by Montessori’s aspiration for world peace and her enduring belief that children were the answer. Tonight’s Raise a Paddle is a reaffirmation of our school’s profound respect for the Montessori method. Whether to support Montessori teacher training or to replenish classroom materials or to provide hands-on experiences outside of the classroom, funds raised tonight will go directly to the core of WMS.