It's My Life! Stop Saying Don't, Can't, Won't!

Dear Mommy and Daddy,

Since I was born, I’ve been percolating. My neurons have been transmitting information throughout my brain. These nerve cells have been firing synapses that have been creating a pathway through my brain since Day One. Every pathway allows information to travel around my brain and the more pathways I have, the faster my brain works.

We have over 100 billion neurons in our brain at birth—as many stars as in the Milky Way!

Every time we touch, taste, see, smell or hear something, neurons are firing and our pathways are getting stronger. The more we repeat experiences, the more these pathways turn into a superhighway. And, millions of highways flowing in our brains create a solid infrastructure.

Just Say ‘Yes!’ to Building Our Infrastructure

When you tell us we “can’t” or “don’t” or “won’t,” you are weakening that infrastructure--something that our teachers are building every day in class.

Give Me Freedom!

Italy’s first doctor, educational pioneer Dr. Maria Montessori, believed in freedom and discipline: give me a choice and I alone can find inner discipline.

More importantly, I’m creating a superhighway…one that in ten years will have trillions of pathways...which I’ve got to use or lose.

Give me a bar of soap to wash the table and I’ll learn how to:

- keep the soap from falling over the edge (self-control)

- care for the environment (clean trumps dirty)

- strengthen my wrists so I can hold a pencil better

- be an independent child by doing my best job (earning your approval)

- become a responsible and confident learner before moving on to more complex tasks.

Look at all this learning…simply by being given real materials with real activities that have an intelligent purpose—all based on Dr. Montessori’s Method.

Give Me Independence!

Every moment, I’m building more superhighways…the feel of the bristles, the smell of the water, the breeze on the table…I’m learning how to navigate my world.

Maybe I can’t get it right at first. Yeah, I spill water.

But, you got to know that it’s OK!

I’m going to do it until I get it right—then, focus on my success rather than my mistake.

Why? Because learning is fun!

Mommy, Daddy…get it?

Give Me Time to Learn!

I’m learning because my teachers are giving me the time and the freedom to succeed without force or direction. I am becoming a whole child—rooted in the foundation to turn failures into successes into confidence. How? Teachers are letting me understand how to learn and how to solve problems by getting answers in a different way.

Teachers are showing me how to ask for help, how to collaborate and how to read. Teachers are teaching me the way to do for me—so please don’t meet me after school and start telling me ‘no.’ You slow down my independence by doing it for me when I get home because I want to learn.

Let Me Grow My Way!

Mommy, it’s not so much when I’m going to learn how to read. It’s more about how I’m going to read because I love to learn and I love reading.

Daddy, this is my life and I’ll do what I can do when I’m ready—okay?! Since I’m being taught individually, I’ll get there when I get there and it will be because of me. ?

Let Me Evolve!

So, let me explore, touch, taste and try new things. And follow thru at home what I’m learning at school. Otherwise, you’re wasting your money and my time. Let me do my thing and I promise you—I will create the happy, calm and engaging leader that you will love more than anything. Besides, I’m yours anyway!

Mommy and Daddy, please listen to my cry and learn! Let me try to help you in the kitchen. Maybe I’ll not be much help at first but I’ll learn, solve problems and display confidence and leadership.

Mommy and Daddy, let my Montessori teachers do their job…giving me real experiences, letting me fail and focusing on high moral and spiritual expectations. I don’t want to go to public school and be a ‘common core’ number!

So, EXPECT REVOLUTION, if you don’t let me get dressed on my own or brush my teeth or won’t let me help in the kitchen or carry my own lunchbox or let me work in the garden with you or clean the house.

I WILL STAND DOWN if you let me play, explore, fail and engage so my brain is filled with superhighways that will carry me to Independence Hall. Otherwise, more cries!

MOMMY and DADDY,

I LOVE YOU!