had a hunger for work and that it provided
him with the satisfaction and the motivation
to keep going. The children are secure
in their environment and parents report
that temper tantrums, outbursts, aggression
toward siblings, nightmares, and
anxiety have almost all disappeared since
they have returned to school.
Seeing how successful Montessori is
in building a child’s character, it is perhaps
time for all educational systems to take
note and ask some hard questions. Is the
purpose of education to create good test
takers and memorizers? Or are we in need
of critical thinkers and entrepreneurs? We
have seen with the children who have returned
to school after two months at home
that they are confident and propelled by
the gift of a passion for learning. They respect
each other and their environment
and accept the limits of their freedom, for
theirs is a community to which they belong.
As Montessori says:
The world is rapidly changing, and it
is my hope that we look at Montessori for
answers. This is true education for life.
We eagerly look forward to the time
when the limitations forced upon us due
to COVID-19 are lifted because they are
most definitely corroding the freedom of
the children and their relationships with
others. We cannot only look at the physical
well-being of the child but also take their
emotional and psychological needs into
consideration. Like Dr. Montessori, we, as
educators, must champion the rights of
the child in society.
REFERENCES:
Bhatia, P. (2019). Cultivator of the Human
Spirit: Revisiting Maria Montessori’s Journey.
Denver: Montessori Casa International
Montessori, M. (1988). The Absorbent Mind.
Clio Press Ltd., Oxford, England.
Montessori, M. (1948/1989). To Educate the
Human Potential. Oxford: Clio.
VOLUME 22 ISSUE 3 • 2020 | WWW.MONTESSORI.ORG/IMC | ©MONTESSORI LEADERSHIP ����
Watering plants in the Peace Garden
“The only social life the children
get in the ordinary schools is
during playtime or on excursions.
Ours live always in an active
community.” (1988, p. 205)
Inspired by Dr. Maria Montessori’s
philosophy, Punum Bhatia, PhD has
dedicated her life to Montessori education
as a parent, teacher, and teacher educator
for over thirty years. She completed her
Bachelor’s degree in English Literature;
earned Masters’ degrees in English Literature
and Education from the University
of Calcutta; and completed a certificate
diploma in Montessori Pedagogy. She
earned her Doctor of Philosophy from the
University of Colorado Denver in 2012 for
her work on the Self-Efficacy of Montessori
teachers. In her efforts to understand
children and the environments necessary
for them to grow and flourish, Punum
focuses on Maria Montessori’s original
philosophy and techniques. After
teaching the Montessori method to
cohorts all around the world, she is now
the proud owner of her very own bilingual
preschool, Montessori Casa International
in Denver, Colorado. She is the author of
Cultivator of the Human Spirit: Revisiting
Maria Montessori’s Journey, A Montessori
Workbook, Volumes 1, 2, 3 and The
Inspired Child (www.mcidenver.edu/
www.punumbhatia.com).
/IMC
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/www.punumbhatia.com)
