by Eve Uberman

Doctor Maria Montessori writes extensively about the development of the teacher through specific planes.  From the preparation of the environment to the preparation of the teacher, the Nia House community continues to aim high.  

PREPARATION OF NIA HOUSE’S ENVIRONMENT

Nia House is actively preparing our site as a whole in preparation for another 52 years of tender care and education of young people.

Each day, our early morning opening teachers arrive to find that the evening time closing staff have prepared the tools necessary for a successful morning work period.  The classrooms and outdoor environments are clean and safe, with each shelf carefully curated to meet the interests and needs of each child in the class– And that’s the most basic need of a Montessori classroom!  Every day, the teachers are observing the work of each child, noticing their individual trajectories through the curriculum and thinking about which lesson will enhance that child’s self-confidence and ability to achieve their own personal goals that week or even that day.  From lessons in sweeping, to flower arranging; from learning the value of quantity to associating quantity with numerals; from basic addition to lessons of squaring and cubing, Nia House children are thriving with the expert guidance of the classroom teachers.

ROOF, SOLAR, DOWNSPOUTS, FANS & MORE!

In addition to the preparation of the classroom environments, the school has been utilizing a site master plan and a capital needs assessment to budget for and execute some much-needed site care for the buildings themselves.  We started with the roof, and we’ll end 2026’s capital improvements with our internal gates. The older Primary building has both flat roofs and sloped roofs, and as of now, our sloped and shingled roofs are prepared to house the school for another 40 years!  Our incredible contractor also added additional downspouts to the long stretch of gutter, allowing the storm water from this year’s coming El Nino and that of future years to absorb into the ground, rather than waterfall onto children’s outdoor materials.  

Though some of the items on our preparation list may sound mundane, these small to large site improvements collectively dramatically improve the experiences each day for the children and the teachers, thereby impacting families.  Each classroom has at least 1 overhead ceiling fan as of September, and most have exhaust fans that will run automatically, reducing indoor moisture and improving indoor air quality and circulation.  Through this newsletter, you also hopefully celebrated the progress Nia House has made in environmental stewardship with the installation of solar panels on both of our buildings.

PREPARATION OF THE TEACHER

Nia House’s next generation of teachers. 

Cinnamon, holding it down, as always. 

In addition to Dr. Montessori’s description of preparing the environment for our children, she also writes about how teachers prepare themselves for teaching, and my, have our teachers been preparing themselves!  

This year alone, Iris Hollis, Nia House’s lead toddler teacher of Toddler West Classroom completed their Master’s Degree in Montessori education from Loyola University.  Iris accomplished this goal while working in her classroom full-time.  Additionally, Chloe Chan, assistant teacher in the Toddler East Classroom, started their Montessori teaching credential practicum, a year-long journey of targeted observations and practice with specific lessons, presentations, and general classroom leadership.  Chloe is studying with the Center for Guided Montessori Studies, and their lead teacher, Alexis Fennimore.  Husna Seddiqi, Primary North Assistant Teacher, commenced their Montessori credential studies just this summer and aspires to complete their post-baccalaureate degree over the course of the next 2 years, as does Nia House graduate-turned-teacher, Ella-Rose Kessler.

Nia House teachers are truly devoting themselves to Dr. Montessori’s vision of preparing themselves for their classroom leadership roles.  On top of teaching degrees and certifications, Cinnamon Jackson, who has worked with Nia House children and families for over 25 YEARS has learned remarkable amounts of carpentry skills while working on her own home and has been hand-building shelves, dishwashing stands, shoe racks and more for her beloved classroom environment- Join me in celebrating Cinnamon and all of our colleagues who so joyfully prepare themselves and their classrooms for the children who need their guidance the most.  

Please also join me in celebrating Dr. Montessori’s legacy and vision for children to have equitable access to prepared educational environments where the classrooms are expertly designed for their successes, where their internal goals can be achieved and where their teachers continue to always work on improving their practices through ongoing development.  

Look inward into Nia House’s microcosm and you will see through this preparation and through Montessori’s guidance, our vision, “of a world wherein each child carries the tools necessary for peace, justice and equality.”