Until We Meet Again...

To everyone at the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, thank you all for a wonderful week. It has been our privilege to be here, to visit your school, and to see the work you are doing. We all agree that the work you are doing with the children of the Batey Lecheria, is the closest thing we have ever seen to what Dr. Montessori did in her lifetime. Dr. Montessori began her life’s work in the extremely impoverished town of San Lorenzo, teaching the poorest and most neglected children in Italy. You are doing the same for the children here in the Batey, and it is an honor to know you. Thank you for welcoming us so warmly into your school. Thank you for asking us questions and for sharing your stories. If we can leave you with one final thought, please remember that Montessori education is not about the lessons and it’s not about the materials. It’s about the intention. Your hearts are all securely in the right place, and that is how we know that you are going to be tremendously successful. You are already all doing an amazing job with the children whom you teach. It would be our greatest honor to be able to continuing working with all of you for many years to come and it is our sincerest hope that you will have us back.

One thing we learned very quickly, was that the children in the Batey LOVE to have their pictures taken. we were greeted with shoult of "Photo! Photo!", every time we turned around!

The children also loved working with the Profes from New York! Every chance they had, they would grab our hands and lead us over to a table, or a work rug.

SHCJ does not have administrative offices, or storage rooms. They do their work wherever they can, and use this shipping container as a makeshift supply closet.

Each week, the classes focus on a main story book. Then on Friday, the children do an art project based on the story. This class read Caps for Sale! 

At the conclusion of classes each day, the teachers give the children a handful of peanuts on their way out. According to Mary Alice, it is the only way that the children of the Batey get any source of protein.

It is amazing that there are no peanut allergies!

Whenever a note has to go home, the teachers staple it to the childrens' shirts to ensure delivery!

Attempting to make a toast in Spanish....

A todos en la Sociedad del Niño Jesus. Muchas gracias por una semana encantadora. Ha sido nuestro privilegio estar aqui, para visitar su escuela, y ver el trabajo que ustedes hacen. Todas nosotras estamos de acuerdo que el trabajo que ustedes hacen, es lo mas cercano que hemos visto, a lo que hizo Maria Montessori en su vida. La Dra Montessori empezo su trabajo en San Lorenzo, que es un pueblo extremadamente  pobre, enseñando a los niños mas empobrecidos y descuidados en Italia. Ustedes estan haciendo lo mismo para los niños aqui en el Batey, y es un honor conocerlas. Gracias por darnos una bienvenida tan calurosa a su escuela. Gracias por hacernos preguntas y por compartir sus historias. Si las pudieramos dejar con una sola idea, seria la siguiente: recuerden que la educacion Montessori no solo se basa en las lecciones y los materiales. Sino en la intencion, que tambien cuenta. Sus corazones estan en el lugar adecuado y es por eso que les auguramos un exito tremendo. Todas ustedes ya estan haciendo un trabajo extraordinario con los niños y trabajaremos juntas para ayudarles a desarollar el currriculum aun mas. Sentiriamos un honor enorme si pudieramos  continuar trabajando con todas ustedes por muchos años venideros y es con una esperanza muy sincera que esperamos nos inviten a regresar.