celling in math and reading skills within a small class. Her eyes shone when she reenacted parsha and sang the tefillos with feeling and understanding.
Just this year, a week before 2nd grade was slated to begin, the entire program was suddenly ripped away without notice, and my child was placed in a huge second grade regular classroom without even one friend from her“ previous life”.
I met with the principals, wrote heartfelt letters and gathered with other parents to see what could be done... To no avail. They said my child would adjust. I hoped she would, and encouraged her to, but I did not really believe it. To date, in mid-March, my little T continues to mourn the loss of the invaluable education she is missing. She explained to me in detail just yesterday that she used to be responsible for her learning and now all she does is whatever the teacher says to do. She has become sad and no longer runs to school happy to learn. She begs me to have days off and go to work with me. The light in her eyes has dulled.
The secretary told me you have no room. My child has already lived Montessori and it was taken away. Will you please find room in your heart for this child who“ loved and lost”?
I await your response with a hopeful heart. With Sincerity, MA”
“ It happened today and I feel like my world shattered. It was a perfectly round glass ball. Fragile. I knew it was coming. I felt it deep inside from the time Y was a baby. He isn’ t your typical, in the square-box kid. He is smart, introverted and always seems to be deep in thought. Contemplating the world around him as he discovers new things and reaches new milestones.
I set out his uniform on the first day of first grade. My emotions were on a roller coaster ride. Happiness, excitement, dreams for a bright future. But I couldn’ t ignore the knots in my stomach. I felt sick with worry. Would he be able to keep up? Would he be given the tools to succeed or would he fall through the cracks? Would he feel good about his accomplishments or would he be crushed because they just weren’ t up to the schools standards?
‘ The desk is killing him’ and I felt a punch in my stomach. The wind knocked out of me as I tried to take a deep breath. The glass pieces falling around me. I had nowhere to turn for fear of stepping on the shards of glass. The tears burning my eyes.‘ The trick’ I quickly told myself as I coughed because as I have learned, coughing stops you from crying. The sensitive side of Y is definitely from me and the creative pictures that take up his math tests are definitely from my father. I smile as I think of the rocket ships and astronauts he drew. The double letters colored in and the shark, dancing around his spelling words.
‘ He’ s a creative soul. He needs to touch, feel, experience it, to really internalize and understand it.’ This I always knew.
His report card reflects his performance in school. Average. But is that what I want for him? Average? I want my son to be great! To reach his potential! To reach it with pride, joy and a feeling of success and accomplishment. But alas, he is being squished in a box. Squished and crushed while in shipment. And I’ m scared. I’ m scared how he will be delivered to me at the end. This isn’ t the packaging I want him in. This isn’ t the route I want my precious package to take.
I remember my days in school. Once a box, I became a flat envelope. I vowed I would never let that happen to my own children and as I watch it, I feel my world collapsing.
From the moment I stepped into your school two years ago, I could feel the pride and joy that your school is all about. I could feel the success, the individualized learning and attention that is given to each student. Something I work so hard to give my own students. I always taught the way I wish I had been taught. I always give each of my students the love, care and attention that I wish I had gotten as a student and hope my own children receive. In spite of my childhood, I am who I am today. And becoming a mother has made me an even greater teacher.
There is no place like your school in the entire world. And it pained me deeply when we heard you didn’ t have room for our children. I am literally begging. Pleading. My son needs you.
May‘ 16
Our first school wide Lag Baomer rally and barbecue!
A flavorful mix of educators, researchers, entrepreneurs, and young professionals come to visit our beloved school for the first annual Young Leadership Tour, all gathered for a conversation about education and to learn about our unique model.