FAILURE

No parent or teacher wants to admit they have failed. Rather, we blame society—the government, the President, Congress—they have failed to represent our needs, to spend our taxes wisely. There is always someone else causing the problem, causing the failure, causing the misbehavior, the violence and abnormality in the classrooms. Let’s get rid of guns so these abnormal humans can’t shoot our loved ones, some suggest. Others realize that the problem is us and give up.

Cultural changes are happening but not everyone is on the band wagon. Many have missed the train. We are not a small town, one state, or one nation society anymore. We have gone global. Technology and media have brought the world to our living room, the universe to our back porch. It has happened so quickly—can we not expect some craziness?

How can we catch up with human reality? How can we be present to a life that is the same for all people yet experienced and acted out differently by citizens in countries around the world? We are not happy with others who don’t behave like us. We think if we only had control, we would find peace.

Maria Montessori knew that worldwide peace is possible because she understood the work of the child who knows peace when they are born. Their work in becoming an adult is to manifest this peace. It is their gift to the world, to the universe.

I have chapters in my book, Montessori—Living the Good Life, which explain Maria Montessori’s method and lessons on social training. Cultural change is happening all over the world, especially in Montessori schools. As a retired Montessori teacher, I’ve taken on a mission to spread the good news by writing about Maria’s way. If you are interested in a complimentary copy of my book, please email me at: connieripleylujan@gmail.com