OUR COMMUNITY
C'E Montessori is a community school. The school as a whole - including each classroom - is built to be representative and participative. Dr. Montessori developed the concept of 'Peace Education' to instill children with purpose, a sense of justice, and in order to create communities of positive change. The problems those school communities were facing may be different from ours, but as a Montessori school, the concept of Peace Education remains at our core. "Preventing conflict is the work of politics," Dr. Montessori wrote, "establishing peace is the work of education."
"We had lived in New York City and then Brooklyn for ten years before we sent Jillian to C'E Montessori and as we moved back to Rhode Island years later we realized that this was the strongest community we had ever felt a part of, we felt a true sense of belonging."
Emily
Our Peace Curriculum
So what does Peace Education look like a century after Maria Montessori opened her first school in Rome? At C'E Montessori Peace Education is about problem solving, open-mindedness and restorative justice conflict resolution. Our community believes in gender inclusivity and acceptance and in the strength behind diversity. We believe - as she did - that learning from and understanding people from all places around the world brings us closer together. Our strong physical and cultural geography curriculum begins in the Toddler room. Also, we believe in the new threat that Global Warming poses to peace on Earth and build respect and responsibility for taking care of our planet into the work that we do.
Culture Director - Sophia
Sophia is one of the Lead Teachers in our Primary (3-6) classroom and our Director of Culture. Her work as a community leader centers on discussing and defining what it means to be a teacher at C'E Montessori and how to work towards accomplishing our school's mission. She collaborates with parents to narrow the gap between our classrooms and their homes - a job that begins even before children arrive at C'E. One of the tools at her disposal is the monthly newsletter that discusses how we use incentives at school and at home called ‘C’E Praise’. In it, our community sounds off on their experiences with different types of praise, the short and long term outcome of each. She provides educational guidance and events for families to learn about Montessori and our important work here at school. She also ensures that families have opportunities and space to reciprocate with their culture and community both amongst parents and with the children at school. Her classrooms are warm, inviting, peaceful spaces where children are respected and loved.