The child is truly a miraculous being, and this should be felt deeply by the educator.
Interpretation
Children possess immense potential and should be appreciated by educators.
Maria Montessori emphasizes the extraordinary qualities of children, suggesting that educators must recognize and respect the inherent capabilities and uniqueness of each child. This awareness can profoundly influence teaching methods and the overall atmosphere in educational environments, fostering a deeper connection between educators and their students.
In practice
In a teacher's workshop discussing child development.
... the first thing his education demands is the provision of an environment in which he can develop the powers given him by nature. This does not mean just to amuse him and let him do what he likes. But it does mean that we have to adjust our minds to doing a work of collaboration with nature, to being obedient to one of her laws, the law which decrees that development comes from environmental experience.
When we want to infuse new ideas, _x000D_ to modify or better the habits and customs of a people, _x000D_ to breathe new vigor into its national traits, _x000D_ we must use the children as our vehicle; for little can be accomplished with adults.
Noble ideas, great sentiments have always existed and have always been transmitted, but wars have never ceased.
What we need is a world full of miracles, like the miracle of seeing the young child seeking work and independence, and manifesting a wealth of enthusiasm and love.
To aid life, leaving it free, however, that is the basic task of the educator.
It is fortunate, I think, that nature is not bounded by human reason and by laboratory work and experimentation, for by the laws of pure reason and by microscopic investigation, it might easily have been proved, long before this, that children could not be born.
The best of all things is to learn. Money can be lost or stolen, health and strength may fail, but what you have committed to your mind is yours forever.
Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors.
I never need to find time to read. When people say to me, βOh, yeah, I love reading. I would love to read, but I just donβt have time,β Iβm thinking, βHow can you not have time?β I read when Iβm drying my hair. I read in the bath. I read when Iβm sitting in the bathroom. Pretty much anywhere I can do the job one-handed, I read.
I know because I read...Your mind is not a cage. It's a garden. And it requires cultivating.
Be convinced that, if man were able to reach the end without preparatory studies, such studies would not be preparatory but tiresome and utterly superfluous.
Books are for people who wish they were somewhere else.
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