Hear from our students
Making training accessible through COVID-19
2020 wasn’t the year you’d want to take on a Montessori diploma, period. In reflection post graduation, the day after completing the 3-6 AMI training in Melbourne yesterday, doing the diploma tested everything. It tested our inner resources, will, self-belief, and ability to stay resilient. It showed us that we can find new ways of learning together even when we couldn’t be physically together for a good portion of the course.
We found different ways of supporting each other. More regular check ins with classmates who were feeling disconnected or overwhelmed. 20 minutes of yoga and mindfulness at 5am was my saviour during crunch time. I know others who set their clocks to 4am, so they could fit in work and family time for their children in. It is simply what you do studying Montessori during a pandemic.
Classroom placements and supervised practises were replaced with material making and experimenting concepts on my children during lockdown. And I did have a lot of fun navigating these mini projects I created for myself.
Having gone through the course we did prove to ourselves, we have a lot of power within us. It also proved to our loved ones and the children / young people that we work with, we can do anything if we put our minds to it, and our minds together.
Achieving the diploma was not an individual effort. There was much preparation on the part of Amy Kirkham our trainer, her creativity, determination and resourcefulness to get us through during a global pandemic and navigating all sorts of challenges that I can’t even imagine. It was also our loved ones who sacrificed along side us and workplaces who understood and pitched in where we had to be absent. It was everyone’s collective effort and support that allowed us to accomplish our goals.
Whilst the amazing world of Montessori’s meticulously designed 3-6 education has been unveiled to us, and our learning is further along than 12 months ago, it’s the life long learning, kindness and patience towards ourselves as educators and parents that will stay with me. It will always be the journey and not the destination that I take away from this course. This is because I lost my grandmother to cancer during the course also. Being one of her main carers, hours of medical consultations, daily calls to offer words of comfort and translations to support food during lockdown… We make choices in life, but life really is unpredictable, short and fragile. We must always do what we love, follow our inner guides, serve through our work, stay close to those we love and remain grateful to all that we have.
If anything, this is first and foremost what I will pass onto my children and children/young people I will be working with in the future. Cherish the moments and enjoy the journey.
Thank you very much for all your hard work and dedication Amy. I am super appreciative for your professionalism, humour, flexibility and allowing us to do what we individually needed to get across the line.
Lisa
(AUSM6 Graduate)