Today the elementary class gathered together first thing in the morning.  We went over some basic guidelines for packing boxes and assigned students shelves, and then the students dispersed throughout the room to begin the huge task of packing a roomful of materials.

I realized last night that I was feeling rather anxious about the day.  This realization came to me as I was obsessing over some relatively trivial matter regarding handwriting instruction.  Why in the world was I worrying over how to order some materials to help children who hadn’t mastered cursive transition from print, through italics, and then into cursive?  After voicing my worry about this detail to my husband (a.k.a. the Head of School), it became more clear to me.  

Packing up one’s belongings is a tough-enough task to tackle.  Moving, transition, change.  All of that is enough to make one feel uncertain as the ground starts to shift.  In the case of moving the school, not only are we facing this huge change, we are also committed to having our students and families be part of the process.  

So Sunday night, as I fretted about ordering handwriting materials, I realized that in fact, I was worrying about stepping aside and handing over the packing process to our six- to twelve-year-old students.  

Of course as Montessori teachers we step aside and hand the process over to our students all the time.  It’s par for the course.  And with all the practice our students have in acting responsibly and carefully, I shouldn’t have worried.  The class was amazing.  In less than three hours time, they had the entire room packed up and cleaned.  Those who finished their packing began working on research for their Great Brain Projects.  One boy even found the box containing the concentration cubbies so that he could really focus in on his research as the room was dismantled around him.

I am still in awe.

With such great success, some of our elementary students will help our Children’s House classes pack up their rooms on Wednesday.  I have no doubt in the ability of these capable individuals to help our youngest students take part in the process of preparing for change.  As I offered support to the class as they packed our room, I felt a profound sense of joy.  These children are our future.  And knowing that, I feel at ease.