Upper School Blog: Befriending Time

Dear Families,

In preparation for distance learning, I have been reading a book called Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done by Laura Vanderkam. Inspired by this book and with you in mind, I’d like to share with you this note.

In the coming weeks, my wish for the community is to have a friendly relationship with time. Time is not something to be feared, not a steady drumbeat toward the end of the day. We have to use time as an artist would use materials—with intention and purpose, and in no rush.

We all, in our community, live such full lives. Hopefully this note is helpful for structuring our lives and the children’s lives to avoid time stress, to feel good about the hours we have, and to be happy with how we use them.

There are plenty of resources from other schools, learning websites, books, friends, family, etc. It’s easy to feel as if we have to sift through and browse for those resources that we can best apply for our children. Before putting any of them into action, I urge you to keep in mind three Montessori-inspired principles that are essential despite not having the classroom environment available:

1. The Montessori approach is a lifestyle, a series of choices of how to be an aide for life. It is a practice that aims to place humility, presence, and peace at the center of awareness. Through this lens, perfection is understood to be nothing more than a defense mechanism against the very human tendency to make mistakes. This approach does not only exist in classrooms. It is wholly possible that families who may never have even heard of Montessori can practice the values intrinsic to the approach in their daily lives already.
2. The expansive natural world, with the goodness that comes through relationships with others, is enough. Side note: I recently saw a cutout template to make “Reality Goggles.” In starburst text, it said, “EXPERIENCE WHAT YOU REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WANT IN ACTUAL REALITY!” and “IT’S JUST LIKE REAL LIFE… BECAUSE IT IS!” As the children and I would put it… the template was yelling. I do appreciate its enthusiasm for learning to see wonder in the real world.
3. Learning happens through relationships. The sincerest, most rewarding, and most high-integrity learning happens when there is mutual respect and mutual trust. It happens when time is befriended and when the children feel an abundance of it, all the while understanding that they must be in control of themselves and their choices. They must be able to reflect and determine when time is well used and when it seemed to have raced passed their peripherals without regard.

And with that, I wish everyone a happy, safe, and well-paced time.

Sincerely,

Grace Pasco

Lower Elementary Lead Teacher, Magnolia Class