Book overview
Dr. Maria Montessori famously wrote, "The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more than the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit" (Montessori, 1949). In Montessori philosophy, the adult guide must undergo a kind of spiritual cultivation to serve children effectively (i.e., shedding biases, cultivating humility and patience, and developing an inner calm and awareness). In the Montessori tradition, this process is often referred to as the spiritual preparation of the adult. Dr. Montessori's perspective on the spiritual preparation of the adult, is highly consistent with Fu Kiau's (1988) perspective that "babysitters" are also educators and custodians of the future, and therefore, must be spiritually cultivated to properly tend to such an important role in society. Integrating an African worldview into Montessori education deeply enriches this aspect of teacher preparation. It provides a spiritual-philosophical grounding that is particularly resonant with Montessori's view of education as an almost sacred mission. African cosmologies traditionally see the world as alive with spirit and recognize education as far more than an intellectual exercise, but a spiritual journey of community and self-discovery...Throughout this book, we draw on the works of African spiritual scholars, developmental psychologists, and Montessori's own writings to substantiate our insights. Our goal is to inspire Montessori educators, parents, and general educators to expand their vision of what education can be. By the final chapter, we will have traversed a landscape that includes historical analysis, spiritual reflection, and practical guidance for implementation. We conclude that integrating the African worldview into Montessori education is not only possible, but indeed profoundly aligned with Montessori's original aim: the liberation of the human potential and the cultivation of a more peaceful, spiritually aware humanity. As Montessori wrote, "Preventing conflicts is the work of politics: establishing peace is the work of education" (Montessori, 1992). In the spirit of this insight, an African-centered Montessori curriculum, and spiritual preparation of the adult, seeks to establish peace and wholeness in the child, in the community, and in our collective human story, by healing the splits between past and present, self and community, matter and spirit. It is, in a sense, a journey home. We invite you, the reader, to join us on this path of reawakening, as we reclaim historical memory, celebrate cultural excellence, pursue spiritual reclamation, and envision education as liberation. Each step along the way, we strive to keep at heart the African wisdom that "Education is a spiritual responsibility" and the Montessori conviction that education is the greatest tool we have to build a harmonious and free society.
