Montessori schools look very different from traditional schools, and this is certainly true in Afghanistan as well. With the teachers Fatima and Razia having gained tremendous Montessori experience over the last 2 years, showing great skill and effectiveness in establishing strong communities of children, it became clear that they were ready for the next phase – parent education events.
For months, parents of the children have been expressing their gratitude and awe at the changes they are seeing in their children after being at the Garden of Flowers: children who don’t fight at home, who help around the house, who are calmer, who become healthier, who learn to read and write easily, and who LOVE to come to school every day. And the mothers often ask things like, “What magic are you doing there?” So, it was time. Time to begin to share some new ideas about children and childhood with the parents.
Fatima and Razia were very excited to do this. We agreed that these parent events should be a time for parents (mothers) to connect with each other, as well as learn more about their child’s school and how it works.
Parents were invited to come from 10:00 to 12:00 on March 8 . (which just happened to also be International Women’s Day!) And every mother attended! 100% attendance for a parent event is pretty remarkable. And according to Fatima and Razia, it was an incredible success. The women talked and shared and asked questions while enjoying tea and cookies. Fatima and Razia showed them around the classroom and talked about what the children do each day, choosing their work, helping cook, helping each other.
The mothers, mostly illiterate themselves, were engaged and curious, but it was quite revealing when Fatima asked them, “What do you wish for your children?” One woman replied, “We have no idea, because we don’t think about such things.”
Here are Fatima’s words, telling about the seminar:
WOW my dear sister, today was wonderful for us and for children’s family too ! Children made butterfly envelopes and we put 200 Afs in each pocket. The mothers was very happy 😁. And the family saw the materials they was wonder and told us every useful materials you have in the class for children. Every mother told that their children are changed . They become very respectful and hard worker. Their childrens help them even in the kitchen too . And they told us, you are doing very good with them ! 😁
Thus the Garden of Flowers is beginning to serve not just the children but their families as well, offering support and resources to the families in the spirit of the development of peaceful and healthy communities.
Fatima and Razia are planning to offer an event each month. They will give the women a chance to work with the Montessori materials and will discuss ways to talk with children. It is a very heartening new phase of Montessori education in Afghanistan.
