Transforming Education

News and Updates

110 years ago today, something transformative happened. Maria Montessori opened the doors to her first Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House, in Italy.

It is unclear if Maria knew how transformative this new system of learning, of teaching, of perceiving children and childhood, could be for those who participated in it, transformative even those who viewed the results of it.

But time has shown, this philosophy has the potential to be just that — transformative.

The world has changed in such dramatic ways over this past century. It’s possible childhood has changed, humanity has even changed. The speed at which things continue to change around us flies by previous evolutions at the speed of light.

And yet, this pedagogy still persists, still holds true. With travel to the other side of the world in hours, not months; with instantaneous communication; with medicine and science making imagination possible; we still reach out and grasp our world. We still explore, and communicate, and love.

This is our tenth year. Certainly not 110, but things have changed over the past years, and things will continue to change. We ended 2016 with reflections, and we begin 2017 with eyes open wide, eagerly grasping, exploring, imagining what could and will be.

Our very own Children’s House, which is what Baan Dek means in Thai, has transformed us. The children who have come through these doors have taught us so much, and we’re excited for the next year. And the next 10. And the next 110.

Big things ahead. It’s going to be great. Here’s to you Maria. Thank you for getting us started.