If you were unable to attend the Parent Education event entitled, “Unlocking the Mystery,” on Tuesday, I’d like to provide you with a window into how the afternoon went.
First, we welcomed the parents to the class and gave them a small tour. Then we talked about Cosmic Education and the four planes of development, focusing on the second plane, or the Elementary years. After listening to some of this Montessori pedagogy, the parents learned about a typical day in the Elementary, with the emphasis being on the learning journals, weekly one-on-one conferences with Mrs Nastasi, group lessons and work in the various academic subjects, the focus on hero worship, morality, and big work. We also discussed the expansion of the imagination and hearing the Great Stories in the first few weeks of class. The Great Stories give the students the backdrop for the Elementary curriculum, providing a great foundation that helps them imagine the beginnings of the universe, life, human beings, and the letters and numbers we use every day. These stories help give the students a great sense of appreciation for the part they play in the world, and so do key lessons and working with the many materials in the classroom.
After this discussion, the parents enjoyed participating in a few lessons given by four Elementary students. They received math and language lessons with the materials, and they were able to ask questions and get a glimpse of what the students themselves experience every day.
This was a wonderful afternoon, and the parents asked good questions and were invited to observe the classroom in the future. They were given this handout about Cosmic Education: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1078016.pdf.
Please feel free to contact Mrs Nastasi with questions at [email protected] or schedule an observation of the Elementary class with Mrs Kelly or Miss Molly.