Nadia with the children
In her writings here, Nadia begins by reflecting on her own childhood, growing up in the House of Flowers Montessori Orphanage. She then shares her observations as a teacher in the Garden of Flowers Preschool today, and the transformations she saw in Abel, a child in their Montessori environment.
The greatest success of the Montessori method, which I can consider a great achievement in my life, is to grow and be educated and trained in this method.
This has led to many successes in my personal, professional and family life. And each of the classmates who were with me in the House of Flowers Montessori Orphanage are now busy with their lives and duties in every corner of Afghanistan or abroad with different job positions and excellent achievements. In the House of Flowers with Montessori method, it was a safe space full of intimacy, peace, and security where each of us had independence and freedom without coercion or pressure from elders or teachers. We were busy learning and working, which has made each of us stand on our own feet.
During my duty at the Garden of Flowers this year, I have witnessed many such successes in children and graduates. One such boy was Abel.
Abel
Abel was an aggressive, withdrawn, or abnormally affectionate child who had never been separated from his mother and family. He was brought to the Garden of Flowers by his mother. In the first few days he cried a lot, sat in a corner alone, and did not talk to other children. Over time as the days passed, Abel slowly started talking to the other children by seeing the teachers’ behavior with him and the other children, and made friends for himself. He became close with Mozamel and talked to him every day and I remember them playing together outside the classroom.
And every day, Abel’s behavior and movements became better than the day before. He learned how to greet, how to sweep the classroom carpet, how to take school materials from the classroom shelves, talk, ask for help, shout, wash his hands, tell stories with other children, draw, hold a pencil in his hand… The Montessori method taught him how to be social and enter the community and the gathering of other children together, to gain a sense of trust in adults and teachers, how to speak, how to express his problems, how to control his movements and succeed.
*** Abel left the GoF some time after Nadia had written this. His family moved to another neighborhood. But a few months later, Nadia saw him and his family on the street and they had a lovely reunion. He proudly told her about going to first grade, and his mother remarked on how well he was doing.