Guest Blog by Aleta Ledendecker

I am fortunate to be able to visit many Montessori classrooms to watch interns work in their own environments. Most are rather ordinary as Montessori environments go, but a few truly stand out.

Last week I had the glorious opportunity to spend two days in one of those extraordinary classrooms. The elementary class at the Montessori School of the Berkshires took my breath away. Even though I am a veteran Montessori teacher, I took away much to inspire me. My visit left me feeling refreshed and eager to get back to my own classroom.

So, what was it that set this classroom apart? Was it the wealth of materials organized throughout the room? Or could it have been the quiet hum of the children engaged in their academic pursuits? Perhaps it was the underlying dignity of the interchanges among children and adults. Was it the peer instruction across diverse age levels that impressed me? Or was it the strong sense of community that warmed my heart? Or could I have been affected by the undercurrent of joyousness among the children and the staff?

To be honest, it was none of these…and all of them. It was the synergy that happens when masterful teachers put everything they know about the Montessori approach into practice so that the whole becomes more than the sum of its parts. I sat there with a giddy grin on my face thinking that every child deserves to learn as joyfully as the fortunate children at MSB.