When I first decided to study Montessori it was partially due to a dream I had in which I was standing in a small wooden school/alter at the edge of our farm and on the wall hung a beautiful painting of one of my Italian female ancestors and Maria Montessori. As I looked at the image, Maria stepped out from the painting and held out her hand toward me. She opened her fingers and exposed a beautiful egg. In the dream I felt that she was offering me the egg as a metaphor for the future and a challenge to go forth and evolve early childhood education.
I began my first Montessori training program a few months later.
Now I am studying the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education while in Italy. I thought many times of her during the days of lecture and I thought of her challenge.
Yesterday I found myself standing before this tomb while wondering through an elaborate cemetery in Reggio. In that moment I felt the strength of that challenge coursing through my veins.
I will to do great things.
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