Venturing out

If someone had told me, even a year ago, that I might be venturing out on my own this year, you could have blown me over with a feather. For years, decades even, I have worked tirelessly in service of children. I have always worked hard to ensure that I am a champion of children and of childhood. Moving into the next phase of my life, I have decided that I would like to work in community with people and organizations who share the same vision and values of championing childhood through great adult work.

Over the years, I have come to be known for many characteristics of a typical hard-working individual, such as being brave, hard-working, honest, thoughtful, and skillful. I have also heard that I am helpful to others in gaining skills, a good listener, and a visionary. I see myself as a change-maker. Also, I am sure that I have gotten a fair reputation as one who challenges the status quo, finds purpose in honoring the discomfort of DEIJ & A work, and believes in making choices that are best for children even when they aren't the easiest for adults. I have always been willing to shake the room a bit when necessary, as I believe that the reward is worth the work. But you know what? I have found success with my way of working. I have raised the proverbial ladders, supported many on their individual journeys, supported countless children, and been invited to help improve many schools and programs. And why am I this way?

Many years ago, when I was in Montessori training, I clearly remember my trainer saying to my group of trainees that we should give each child the respect of someone whom we admire. I remember not thinking about just one person I admired, but the many parts of many people that made me look at them with stars in my eyes. I always admired people who helped others, people who didn't hold others back in order to propel themselves forward. I admired those who brought new people to the proverbial table and sought out the happiness of others. In that moment, everything came together for me. I fully recognized that if we were to work toward making the world a better place, which is the ultimate goal of Montessori education, we must invest fully in ensuring that children are able to self-actualize in a way that honors their potential to be all of this and more; everything that we have never been, never will be and haven't even thought of yet. As we think about the future of humanity, the only way to ensure a better tomorrow is to invest in the children of today. So, I take this work with the utmost seriousness. And I realized I serve so many more children by serving so many more adults, sharing what I have learned along my journey, and that we might have a chance at a better tomorrow if we work together today.

So, please know that I will always give my best to you, because I will always give my best to children, and we work in their service. I hope that if you are reading this and anything that I have said impacts you in any way, we get to cross paths. And if not, I hope we are both paving paths for others. Be well and shake some rooms.

In Montessori with you,

Hannah