This week we begin Back-to-School/Curriculum Nights. By the time parents sit down to learn about the classroom routine, curriculum and class goals, the children are well on their way to adjusting to the new school year. Toddlers who cried the first week are more used to saying goodbye and participating in the activities of the classroom. They have made new friends, explored new corners of the classroom and outdoors, and recognize the adults in their environment as their friends and trusted guides. Elementary students who have thought about the new expectations that await them at the next level have realized that so much is the same and wonder what they were worried about in the first place.

This is the beauty of a Montessori program. Children have the opportunity to work together, and a community is created where they can thrive. Our school is built on the foundation of Montessori principles with children at the center. The goal is to learn from one another, student or teacher, and work toward independence - no matter the age of the child or the goals they are working to reach.

 Everyone works to support, encourage and teach one another. For most of us, WMS classrooms do not look like the classrooms of our youth. Teachers observe, listen and use the language of encouragement. Students offer to help, teach, and encourage through supportive actions and language. There is a quiet hum of activity as children work, collaborate and create their learning.

One of the things that I remember so vividly when I moved from being a Montessori parent to becoming a Montessori teacher was the nurturing, caring, supportive environment that embraced my children as students welcomed me and encouraged me to be the best I could be. We welcome you as you join the teachers in the classrooms over the next two weeks. As you come to learn about your children's days in school, we will learn a bit more about you as well. This is what makes such a wonderful community. Thank you for taking the time to be an active part of WMS.