We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to serve the spirit. - Maria Montessori, Education for a New World
Montessori believed that children learn wisdom, virtue, courage, honesty, and character by hearing, reading, and telling stories that model these virtues. Our world is rich with literature about individual heroes who have made the earth a better place for others. Reading these stories and poems aloud to students builds a strong curriculum for Character Education in conjunction with other subjects such as History, the Sciences, Practical Life, Peace, etc., and opens the floor for further exploration and discussion, whereby Montessori students can identify and learn to define the character virtues demonstrated in a particular story or poem.
The Montessori classroom can also be the environment where students learn to practice character virtues, and recognize these virtues in their peers and community, every day.
