Last month I attended a Montessori Leadership Conference.  One of the workshop topics was Cosmic Education, a core philosophical aspect of Montessori education.   The general approach is that we talk about the big picture prior to introducing the parts.  By beginning with the whole, we provide a framework of understanding.  In that way when they learn the specifics, they understand the larger context.  Children learn to appreciate the work of those who came before them and think about the ways that they might contribute.  In each level, from Primary to Middle School, children learn the interconnectedness of all things. Cosmic Education introduces the idea that we each have a “cosmic task,” to better the world for future generations. We want our students to develop an awareness that the universe is an evolving force that is impacted by our actions and we each have a responsibility to be stewards for the future.

As an example, one of the Montessori great lessons is the Story of Communication.  It talks about how humans first may have used language to communicate, using cave paintings, and then using symbols, like cuneiform and hieroglyphics.  Papyrus with Egyptian hieroglyphics and clay tablets are shown, and word origins are discussed.  Reasons for communication and how communication evolved are examined.   Social media, computers, and typewriters are also a part of this series of lessons!  Looking at communication as part of a whole history of humans helps us understand that humans have always had the need to communicate. We share the need to communicate, but the many languages we speak and the way we communicate differentiates our cultures. Depending on supplies, resources, and needs, humans have changed the way we communicate.  This initial lesson launches us into many other studies in language. 

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