One of the nicest experiences for a trainer is going to a school to speak to parents—it really grounds you. Bringing philosophical principles to those who must grapple with them every day. I spoke about setting limits for children in Abacus Montessori School in a pandal put up specially for the event. I received such a warm welcome from the Abacus teachers and Prabhat.
Parents today are raising children in a world very different from the one they grew up in. In this context, setting limits becomes essential, because in a sense the most important aim of education is building character, a strength that will carry the child through life. Exams and academic achievement may seem important for a while but they do not help children as much as learning to care for others, developing self-control, and regulating their own impulses. These qualities shape individuals who can truly change their communities.
This is the Montessori message. The minds of the children of this age have limitless capacity to absorb – it is a time of limitless potential. At the same time, children experience limits naturally through their environment – the human environment, the material environment. They don’t do what we tell them. They do what we do. Adults are strong elements that help them establish order within.
Choice is freedom, and freedom is essential for life. But once a choice is made, the children in Montessori environment commit to it. Commitment brings responsibility in its wake. We all live within the rules set by society, and learning to accept and follow these rules is necessary if we are to live a good life. Sharing these ideas felt deeply fulfilling. I enjoyed meeting the parents and answering their questions.