Imagine

Here in the United States education is a mandatory stipulation for parents raising children. To make the task simple, public institutions of learning are free and abundantly placed throughout neighborhoods, convenient for youth and families. It has been this way for decades but it seems as though over the same period of time our collective fervor for learning has diminished. Somewhere between the mandate to school and free resources, the excitement for education and discovering passions has been thwarted. Many strong starters barely complete the warm up before the big race of life after high school begins. Things change when you leave the highly formulated constructs of traditional education and step into the "real world". I have never understood why their wasn't a practice run before the real world. Ahhhhhhh but wait. Stay with me fore a minute and imagine a different educational process.

Imagine a child, happy to go to school.

Imagine learning spaces with endless opportunities to explore.

Imagine being encouraged to get even better at what you're already good at...

Imagine career readiness training from the time you start walking.

Imagine dictating your own promotions.

Imagine self-less teenagers who understand giving is the best gift.

Imagine those teenagers trying to get others to understand it.

Imagine adults who care about what youth have to say.

Imagine things being changed because the adults listened to the youth.

Imagine happy youth.

Imagine a toddler sanitizing her own hands.

Imagine running a business at 12 years old.

Imagine youth raised in this environment.

Can you imagine all this? I can't help but imgine it, every day. Our family is a part of it. This week I saw that toddler self dispense AND sanitize her hands as if she had read one of those bathroom signs that states "employees must wash hands before returning to work". I was amazed how second natured it appeared as she rubbed her plams together literally taking matters into her own hands. To me, it was a metaphor in motion, a vivid comparison, a representation, of sustainability. I am learning that DGM children (and families) are encouraged to be self-directed, independent learners who can change their world. Given the opportunity to practice, use and share those skills with others, what happens is you end up with individuals who have these beautiful tendencies embedded in their nature and it creates a self confident personality that last a lifetime. Tuesday morning I sat in an "Imagine" breakfast with about 400 people. It was an event meant to share the past accomplishments, present activities and future vision of the Desert Garden Montessori School. What a wonderful start to my week. I felt honored to be amongst visionary people who have the capability of turning hopes into reality. I want to teach our sons to do that same thing. I feel encouraged, optomistic, passionate, included, responsible and protected. When you TRULY want to make something happen, you'll put in the honest effort to do so. It's incredible when you have a support system helping you along the way. Salaam, Joronda

Arts and Crabs

After only a few days of school this guy is so independent. On day two he wanted to be dropped off curbside. Considering that he threw up all over his clothes about 30 minutes after getting dropped off the first day I would say he has some impressive self confidence. I saw that confidence again when I asked him, some time during the middle sof the week, what he did at school and he told me with the most sincerity "arts and crabs". Before I had a chance to find out how he defined that he asked me "what's arts and crabs?" Too funny! He knew he had done it even though he didn't really know what it was.

After a full week I feel like we all just started school. The excitement still has not worn off either. I take him to school and Mateo and the baby do a 14 mile round trip on the bike to pick him up and bring him home after school. In a quick run down of the week it began with throw up on day one, heart warming photos from his teacher of the same day, a pleasant surprise of photos on day 2, coffee with the director on friday and show and tell to end the week. For his first show and tell he shared a Dominican Republic hand made cigar box that he calls his treasure box. He keeps his planes and helicopters in this box and was super excited to show his teacher. What a great start to an educational career!

Salaam,

Joronda Montano

Life Changes

Wow, how life has changed since 2006. When we came back to the States, general readjustment was met with over coming a life threatening brain disease while protecting a precious Soul's safe entry into this world. I thought about that a lot this morning while I was listening to the wind whip across the yard picking up everything its power could hold. I was holding on to Peace, comfortable and content. It was around 4 o'clock in the morning so I should have been tired but I was excited and reflective.

Today, our first born son would start his First day of school. For the last three years he has been home with Daddy soaking up every bit of Montano manhood he could. After three years we are letting him expand his world. I have been excited about this day since I found out about this wonderful school. I was hooked after visiting only once and truly believe our son's academic experience will be empowering and uplifting for everyone around him.

I remember the day we found out that in 9 months we "could" be parents. Awe, fear and excitement were all a part of that day. I say "could" because it was January 2007, just a few weeks after I was released from the hospital with a diagnosis of neuro brucellosis. The one thing the doctor said was don't get pregnant. Brucella is vicious to the stability of a new pregnancy. After passing out twice in the shower it was a done deal the medicine I thought was having some adverse effects turned out to be a baby. We didn't know if we would make it past the first trimester and weren't sure how the disease would progress through an entire 9 months. Six months later I had my final spinal tap, was back to normal and could focus on just the baby. He was born at 7:49pm September 29, 2007 weighing 8lbs 2.6 ozs and measuring 21 inches. Amazingly healthy!

He has been AMAZING since day one and I know there are amazing things in store for him. I am so excited about him starting school. I can't wait to hear his daily discoveries. Today he discovered he doesn't like rice cakes. Forty minutes after we dropped him off I received a phone call saying he threw up in the classroom. What a way to start. You know what he did? Went to the office told them he was fine, had his clothes changed and jumped right back in for round 2. The voice on the other line said to me he was feeling ok and maybe it was his nerves. Talking to him afterschool it turns out it was definitely the rice cakes. He is very ready to go back to school tomorrow.

Well just so you know, you can go with us. In fact meet us right back here as often as you would like and share in the positive life changes this one is about to make in this world.

Joronda Montano