by Cecelia Romero Likes
I’ve been a part of the DMS community since I moved to Santa Fe almost five years ago. I’ll admit, I was a little reluctant at first. I came from teaching in a traditional environment working with young children for over 10 years and I was so burned out. Moving to a new place isn’t always the easiest time to make a career change, so I kept my eyes out for opportunities in education. I didn’t have much knowledge of Montessori at the time, but DMS decided to take a chance on me and over the last several years, my world has been totally turned on its head. I can’t imagine doing anything more valuable or worthwhile with my life than guiding children in this specific Montessori environment.
Y’all, this place is magical. Our teachers are passionate about providing an education that is tailored to the individual needs of each child and dedicated to creating an environment of trust and acceptance, where students can explore and grow without fear of judgment or criticism. I have never had the pleasure of working with a team more invested in cultivating a sense of community and collaboration among its students, staff, and families— allowing us all to learn from one another and grow together. At our school, we are committed to providing a learning environment that is safe and supportive for all of our students. I’ve heard parents share that ours is an environment where each student is honored as they are. I can attest that, on the ground, that is exactly what we are about.
The last several years have been a time of deep reflection and soul searching for us as an institution. We’ve defined and refined our vision, goals, and values. At the heart of it all we find the importance of our community in all we do. Like any living entity, we’re still evolving and refining, but we wanted to share a snapshot of right now, a manifesto, if you will.
At Desert Montessori, we:
– Believe that students should be encouraged to take ownership and responsibility for their own learning, be given the freedom and opportunity to develop their own interests and talents, all the while being provided with a vibrant community where they are empowered to ask questions and engage meaningfully with the world. This student-centered approach celebrates the uniqueness of every young mind, with the goal to cultivate in each child: agency, or capable and empowered individuals; integrity, or cooperation in service of community; and creativity, or a celebration of divergent, flexible thinking.
– Offer a curriculum that is tailored to the individual needs of each child. We focus on our students’ strengths and help them to develop their talents and interests. Our curriculum is based on the Montessori approach, which focuses on experiential learning and providing hands-on activities for our students. We offer a range of subjects, including math, science, art, and Spanish, and extracurricular activities, such as soccer, drama, and community service. Crucially, our curriculum emphasizes fostering a sense of community and collaboration among our students, as well as provides our students with the opportunity to develop their own ideas and solutions to real-world problems, and to apply the knowledge they have gained in our classrooms to the world outside.
– Are an innovative, teacher-led institution, where all staff have a say and a stake in our school’s direction. We are a non-hierarchical workplace, practicing shared leadership, creative problem solving, and collective decision making. In this horizontal governance structure, we are modeling the agency, integrity, and creativity that we are also cultivating within our classrooms. This system is a living example of what we hope to inspire in our students so that they can be the leaders for the world they will inherit.
– Prioritize a welcoming community with a home-like environment, where we are all on a common team to support each child. We foster a culture of transparency and communication on every level of our organization while valuing the diverse expertise, wisdom, and cultural experiences that the families in our community hold, and encourage that to be shared within school doors. Families are welcomed during school and classroom events, workshops, and enrichment activities, as we strive to broaden our students’ community awareness with every age we serve. The Montessori method teaches us that we are unique individuals within a cosmic context, and we take that message to heart as we guide our students to become well-rounded, creative thinkers, equipped with the skills and knowledge to make a meaningful contribution to society.
We weave agency, integrity, and creativity into the fabric of our institution, providing an inspired approach to Montessori education, school leadership, and community involvement. We cherish and celebrate the partnership between home, school, and community, for it is through this collaboration that we truly shape minds for a brighter world. We are excited to be introducing the Community Connect newsletter to highlight our dedication to our relationship with the families of Santa Fe.