Within the Atrium materials are often returned to in a variety of ways. One example of this "spiral method" is the sheepfold. As a 3yo this material is used alongside the Parable of the Good Shepherd, focusing on how the Good Shepherd (Jesus) knows His sheep by name, calls them, and they follow Him. He lays down His life for His sheep, giving them all of His love, His time, His care, and His attention. The following year, as a 4yo, the exact same material is used as the Parable of the Found Sheep is read. In this Scripture we are invited to ponder how much love the Good Shepherd (Jesus) has for each of HIs sheep, searching for one that is lost, lifting that sheep on His shoulders and carrying it home with His own strength, and, overflowing with joy, inviting others to celebrate with Him. There is so much love and rejoicing!! At some point around the age of 5, the sheepfold is presented again to the child, with some additional materials. There is a second circle, also the sheepfold, which is called the church. The Good Shepherd calls His sheep to the church and they follow. Here He feeds them with the very best food and drink, giving them all of Himself to them. After enjoying the great gift of the Good Shepherd present under the signs of bread and wine on the altar at the church there is a question asked. This question is the same one that has ended every previous presentation. "Who is the Good Shepherd? Who said, 'I am the Good Shepherd?' Jesus, right?" "But who are these sheep that are known by name and are loved and cared for in such a beautiful way?" It is only when the child can answer this question that the second moment of this new way of using the sheepfold is shown. After coming to the realization that we are the sheep of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and having enjoyed the sheep around the altar table with the little Good Shepherd statue in between the signs of bread and wine, we introduce a box containing people with which we replace the sheep around the altar. The final sheep is held back as this sheep has a special role and if this sheep is not present then the Good Shepherd will not be with His sheep in this particular way, hidden under the signs of bread and wine. It is this sheep who has been given the gift and the role of saying the same words Jesus said at the Last Supper, "This is my Body. This is my Blood." It is the priest who is one of us, the sheep, and yet has such an important role within the sheepfold. What a gift that there are men who have said "yes" to bringing us such a great gift as the Good Shepherd, present under the signs of bread and wine in the midst of His sheep!
As we continue to celebrate the many gifts we have received through the Paschal Mystery during this Easter Season, the Atrium children have been spending time pondering the great gift of Baptism as the sacrament by which we, too, have been invited into the Paschal Mystery, dying with Christ and rising with Him. The Easter Season began with a celebration modeled after the Liturgy of the Light from the Easter Vigil. The sign of the Paschal Candle and the light being shared with each child through individual candles provided a striking image of the Risen Light of Jesus and His strength in overcoming darkness. The Baptism area in the Atrium highlights the Light as well, although it is the crucifix which stands in the center of the area because just as Jesus died and rose, we die and rise with Him in our Baptism. Throughout their three years in L1 the children experience more and more signs (articles and gestures) which are experienced in the Order of Baptism. As the children move into L2 (6-9) they continue to be invited each year into a pondering of the great gift of Baptism. Early in their L2 experience they are offered the nomenclature cards for Baptism which contain images of the articles and gestures seen during the Order of Baptism as well as titles and definitions for them to match, copy, and enjoy. Later in their L2 time they are offered a work which places these articles and gestures in the order in which they experienced them during their own Baptism. This material contains a brief description of the action of each most essential moment as well as a small portion of the verbal prayer which was prayed. In the L3 Atrium we return to the L2 Order of Baptism with its essential moments but then expand the work into all eighteen moments of the sacrament along with the full text of the prayers prayed. Some children choose to copy a single prayer or all of the prayers of Baptism. Others enjoy looking closely at one or two prayers. This year when a L3 group of four girls was asked about their favorite prayers they chose:
The Cenacle or Last Supper
The City of Jerusalem
The Mystery of Life and Death
The Found Coin
The Ten Bridesmaids
“The educator must prepare himself inwardly. He must examine himself methodically in order to discover certain definite defects that may become obstacles in his relation with the child. To discover defects that have become part and parcel of his consciousness requires help and instruction just as we need another to observe and tell us what lies at the back of our eye. In this sense the educator needs to be 'initiated' into his or her inner preparation. He is too preoccupied with bad tendencies in the child, how to correct his undesirable actions, or the danger to his soul left by the residues of original sin. Instead he should begin by seeking out his own defects, and such tendencies in himself which are not good. First let him 'remove the beam that is in his own eye, then shall he see more clearly to remove the mote' that is in the child's. This inner preparation is something general, it is not the same as the specific seeking for perfection as in the case of members of religious communities. It is not necessary to become 'perfect,' free from every weakness, in order to become an educator. Indeed it is possible for those continually concerned with the perfection of their inner life to remain unconscious of the defects that prevent them from understanding the child. That is why it is necessary to learn, to be guided, to be trained to become educators.” (Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood, p108) There are many qualities which must flow from the foundational virtues already mentioned. The Montessori Adult must be trustworthy and reliable in the eyes of both the parents and the children or he will never be able to come close enough to touch any of them. This trust is the basis of his ability to guide and direct his charges. In addition, he must be both friendly and gentle. Empathy and a sense of humor also add to the Montessorian's ability to communicate with children, parents and the community. The courage to pursue ideals and goals is necessary as well as is a profound sense of wonder at the beauty God has instilled into all of life but particularly into each person's soul. Obtaining these characteristics involves a process identical to that which assists in the acquiring of the virtues previously mentioned. They come about through an open heart which is grounded in humility and love. Through them God is able to use the Montessori adult to further the spread of His truth and love to the world, touching one child, family, and community at a time. “The treasure of the Montessori Method is not the apparatus in itself, not the prepared environment in itself, nor the Method itself. They are only expressions and instruments of the NEW RELATION between child an adult, the changed attitude towards the child. CHANGE, not of method first but of OUTLOOK, of attitude. The adult's heart has to change, an attitude of reverence, of awe in relation to the mystery of the child, of human life in process of development has to guide all his endeavors... [Dr. Maria Montessori's] was a relation of reverence in the face of God's marvels wrought in human development, revealed to her by the child. She realized in this relation that life in general, and human life in particular, means growth and that this development in any form of life is caused from within and not from without. Dr. Maria Montessori's greatness is in attuning her heart so well to God's design and revelation with regard to the child as to receive the message about human life and its development. And what is this message? First, childhood is a mystery, a secret in the unfolding, potentialities in process of realization which is accomplished from within according to the dictates of an inner guide. Second, that the adult is privileged to HELP in the unfolding, assist but not force and form. The educator's prerogative is to be a servant and not the master. What actually is the Montessori Method? It is obedience to God's design for human development. Obedience not understood, as it usually is understood in connection with education, that the child (the pupil) has to do as the teacher (the adult) says and commands. No, the Montessori Method appeals to obedience of the adult world to the laws of life and development laid down by the Creator... From this obedience will naturally follow the attitude of NON-VIOLENCE towards the child and also the readiness to fulfill his request ‘Help me to do it myself.’ Obedience to God's design manifested in the child's needs has led Dr. Maria Montessori to prepare a conducive environment” (Sr. M. Elisabeth, “The Montessori Method an Instrument to make Education a Help to Life,” from Maria Montessori’s Contribution to Educational Thought and Practice, ed. AM Joosten, p59). All that we do with the children becomes part of God’s work through them for our own personal transformation. Their closeness to Him often allows us to discover things about ourselves which allow healing and growth. What a life-changing journey we have begun. As the adult is a part of the prepared environment, he is himself a living material. As such he must be transformed not only interiorly but exteriorly as well. Movements should be graceful, careful, simple, quiet and purposeful with exactness and precision. His speech should possess good inflection and expression, be modulated in volume and tone, and be respectful to all. Never should a Montessorian call across the room as even a single occurrence of such an act can destroy months of direct presentations on the proper use of volume in relating to others. The physical appearance of the adult should also be examined. His look should not be distractive in any way, but rather simple and pleasant. He must be a model in his behavior within the environment and throughout his life. “The adult must be to [the children] not merely a guide but a real reanimator; one who, as an educator, has a real personality, a feeling heart, and takes keen interest in her pupils; one in whom children recognize a source of inspiration and upon whom they can rely...The teacher should be felt by the pupils to be a person of intelligence, full of life, rich in knowledge and experience. Given such a teacher, her educative success depends upon the child acting for himself and unfolding his powers spontaneously. Morally too the figure of the teacher is of the greatest importance; it is a real moral support to the child if he can trust his teacher; and if that teacher's actions do not correspond to his teaching, the clash between practice and precept leads to distress and mental conflict on the part of the child. What has been said about programs applies also to the teachers as such. Teachers are not to be abolished; they are to be transformed; instead of frustrating the learner's eager desire for work, as they so often do today, they are to become the aiders and furthers of enthusiasm in study; so that the eagerness of the young workers may develop into a fine enthusiasm about life itself - enthusiasm being an expression of personality and the clearest possible indication of progress” (Kay Baker, “Some Thoughts about the Spiritual Development of the Teacher,” NAMTA Journal, Vol 18, No 1, p102-103). Love: “I have seen that children can do much for the community. In the child is much knowledge, much wisdom. If we do not profit from it, it is only because of neglect on our part to become humble and to see the wonder of this soul and learn what the child can teach. Because you know if the child can teach us something it is not really just the child, but it is the power of love that constructs the man, and this love is placed there by God. The child has this power directly from God, and again and again and again I have seen it demonstrated that it is not only a physical power, but also an intellectual power, so that in the intellectual field also we can learn from the child something of the laws that govern us, that are very important to know, because we have from him the revelation of the manner in which God has created every personality, the revelation of the manner in which the incarnation of a soul takes place” (Maria Montessori, "Reconstruction in Education," p5). It is love itself which nourishes and sustains all of the virtues. Love is instinctive especially when confronted by the child, but it must also be remembered in relation to parents and other adults. It must be noted that while love can be an instinctive emotion it must also, and more importantly, be an act of the will. "Psychologically speaking, love is the will to be and act for the good of whom we love; therefore, it requires the capacity to recognize what is good within them" (A.M. Joosten, “The Spiritual Preparation of the Adult,” p2). Love, then, requires knowledge. Hinderance of children is often caused by a lack of knowledge in the application of love. Therefore, the love of a child based on knowledge is the point of departure. “Our teachers penetrate the secret of childhood, and have a knowledge far superior to that of the ordinary teacher who becomes acquainted only with the superficial facts of the children's lives. Knowing the child's secret, she has a deep love for him, perhaps for the first time understanding what love really is. It is on a different level from the personal love that is shown by caresses, and the difference has been brought about by the children, who by their revelations of spirit have profoundly moved their teacher, bringing her to a level of which she had not known the existence; now she is there and she is happy. Her happiness before was perhaps to draw as high a salary as she could get, and do as little as she need for it; some satisfaction there was for her in her exercise of power and influence, and her hope was to become a headmistress or an inspectress. But there is no real happiness in this, and one would readily leave it all to feel the greater spiritual happiness which the child can give, for ‘Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven’” (Montessori, Education for a New World, p89). As we prepare to enter into Holy Week, a week of pondering the most intense, visible act of love by the One who loved us first, let us ask for open hearts to recognize, open, and enjoy that love that He has for each one of us. Only then will we be better able to share His incomprehensible love with those whom we serve. In order to be successful in a Montessori environment, the adult must have a sound knowledge and understanding of both Montessori theory and practice. An innate capacity to love children and to relate to children is also essential. However, no matter how deeply such feelings for the children are experienced and how clearly the theory and practice of Montessori are grasped, the adult will not be successful unless observation of the child is used effectively to understand his needs. Dr. Montessori considered observation to be essential to the work of education, a continuous part of the work of the adult. From a Montessori point of view, observation can be thought of as the cornerstone of education. It is the tool that enables the adult to follow the child and see the child’s spontaneous manifestations. The goal of observation is two-fold. First, the adult observes to comprehend the needs of the children and respond to those needs. Secondly, he observes to learn to remove the obstacles that children face in their growth. This often requires a fundamental change of outlook on the part of the adult. The adult must develop a new appreciation of the significance of the child’s spontaneous activities. He must also develop a wider, more thorough understanding of the child’s needs. In a 1921 lecture on observation, Dr. Montessori said, “Observation is one of those many things of which we frequently speak and of which we form an inexact or false idea. Perhaps the scarcity of observation made upon children is due to the lack of preparation for such observations" (Unpublished lecture, 1921). In the same lecture, talking specifically about the qualifications of the prepared adult, “The fundamental quality is the capacity for observation. Possession of the senses and of knowledge is not sufficient to enable a person to observe. The adult must develop the desire and the ability to observe" (Unpublished lecture, 1921). This practice of observation is not something that can remain a casual work. One experienced Montessorian of our times says it this way: “Teachers have to observe their students more and observe when they are truly engaged because a busy student is not necessarily an engaged student” (Please Help Me Do It Myself, 193). How to Conduct an Observation Montessori approached observation – as do Montessorians today – in a clinical, methodical way. The first step is to gather data patiently and objectively. Next, the adult reflects on the information gathered and, finally, arrive at a conclusion and takes the appropriate steps. Observation must be done on the job. Thus, the adult will be observing while giving presentations, between observations, and at all times in the environment. An effective observer must learn to be patient. He must be prepared to observe phenomena that are not obviously remarkable but that might continue for a period of time before something interesting occurs. Dr. Montessori said, “Be patient with nonessentials” (Education and Peace). She also pointed out, “It is not always imperative to see big things, but it is of paramount importance to see the beginnings of things. At their origins there are little glimmers that can be recognized as soon as something new is developing” (Education and Peace). One has to develop the skill to observe objectively. Ideally, one should be able to look at what is happening without prejudging the situation. This is a difficult task. The adult must learn to set judgments aside and focus on the facts of exactly what is seen and heard. In addition, while observing a particular child, it is also necessary to be aware of the needs of the rest of the group. The art of observing must become an attitude that is developed in the individual adult. It must become a permanent way of life, and that is exactly what the adult is striving to do. Practically speaking, concentrated periods of observation should occur in every Atrium session. At the beginning of the year this might consist of a two minute period of observation. However, the ideal would be to observe for twenty minutes during each two hour session. It is also important to acquire the habit of regular observation outside of your own Atrium space. Consider beginning with a goal of two observations during each year, one of a fellow catechist in your parish or school and one of a catechist in the broader community. Finally, invite at least one fellow catechist to observe in your space each year. This requires vulnerability, but another set of eyes can also provide such valuable insights in your work with the children! Guidelines for an Observation
Compassion: Within any human relationship there is a distinct need for compassion. This virtue comes from an ability to maintain an open and vulnerable heart which refuses to harden even in the face of persistent adversity. Working with children requires this attitude and as such requires courage both in fighting personal battles for growth and in maintaining this vulnerability with the children. Especially in the first few years as an educator the adult must learn to keep the heart open and connected to others even when the heart is asked to carry too much. He must learn to weave a web of love which includes self, children, parents, and community. Where do you observe compassion being exercised by the children in your space? By the adults in your community? Is there one child in your space towards whom your heart is no longer as vulnerable as it once was? Perhaps the Lord is inviting you grow in compassion towards this child; I have no doubt He is ready to help you in doing so if only you would ask. |
Carolyn Kohlhaas
CGS Catechist and Formation Leader (Levels I, II, and III) Categories
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