“We all have spiritual experiences such as the feeling of being uplifted, transported beyond ordinary sensory experiences… the awesome sense of oneness with the universe that comes from contemplating the stars, or from climbing a high mountain and surveying the panorama beneath us, or the ecstatic sense of wonder at the birth of a child… The tendency to make peace rather than war, emphasis on collaborative rather than competitive efforts, and the recognition of common needs experienced by people of every culture and creed… These are all aspects of spirituality.” (Dr. Beverly-Colleene Galyean, Honoring the Spirituality of Our Children Without Teaching Religion in the Schools, p. 24)
Spirituality is a basic quality of human nature, whereas the practice of a particular religion is the way some people express their spirituality. The two are not necessarily the same thing. Many deeply spiritual people do not belong to any particular organized religion, neither does OVMS promote any particular set of beliefs, other than that of respect for the uniqueness of each child and for the world around us.
An education at OVMS is not just about our academic program. Nor is it simply about how we help our students become independent, develop their powers of concentration, appeal to their senses in learning, and help them form good work habits. Our classroom materials are remarkable and ingenious. They invite the child to learn with his or her hands, to explore, to understand difficult concepts, but they were not Maria Montessori’s first priority, nor are they ours; they are a means, not the end.
Underlying all that you see and interwoven into every day at OVMS is Maria Montessori’s highest aspiration – that of honoring and nurturing the spirit of each child. This includes periods of silence and reflection, a reverence for nature, an appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things, and the cultivation of peacefulness, compassion, generosity and love. We help uncover the true nature of the children in our care, so that they can make their own unique difference in the world.
“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.”