celling in math and reading skills within a small class . Her eyes shone when she reenacted parsha and sang the tefillos with feeling and understanding .
Just this year , a week before 2nd grade was slated to begin , the entire program was suddenly ripped away without notice , and my child was placed in a huge second grade regular classroom without even one friend from her “ previous life ”.
I met with the principals , wrote heartfelt letters and gathered with other parents to see what could be done ... To no avail . They said my child would adjust . I hoped she would , and encouraged her to , but I did not really believe it . To date , in mid-March , my little T continues to mourn the loss of the invaluable education she is missing . She explained to me in detail just yesterday that she used to be responsible for her learning and now all she does is whatever the teacher says to do . She has become sad and no longer runs to school happy to learn . She begs me to have days off and go to work with me . The light in her eyes has dulled .
The secretary told me you have no room . My child has already lived Montessori and it was taken away . Will you please find room in your heart for this child who “ loved and lost ” ?
I await your response with a hopeful heart . With Sincerity , MA ”
“ It happened today and I feel like my world shattered . It was a perfectly round glass ball . Fragile . I knew it was coming . I felt it deep inside from the time Y was a baby . He isn ’ t your typical , in the square-box kid . He is smart , introverted and always seems to be deep in thought . Contemplating the world around him as he discovers new things and reaches new milestones .
I set out his uniform on the first day of first grade . My emotions were on a roller coaster ride . Happiness , excitement , dreams for a bright future . But I couldn ’ t ignore the knots in my stomach . I felt sick with worry . Would he be able to keep up ? Would he be given the tools to succeed or would he fall through the cracks ? Would he feel good about his accomplishments or would he be crushed because they just weren ’ t up to the schools standards ?
‘ The desk is killing him ’ and I felt a punch in my stomach . The wind knocked out of me as I tried to take a deep breath . The glass pieces falling around me . I had nowhere to turn for fear of stepping on the shards of glass . The tears burning my eyes . ‘ The trick ’ I quickly told myself as I coughed because as I have learned , coughing stops you from crying . The sensitive side of Y is definitely from me and the creative pictures that take up his math tests are definitely from my father . I smile as I think of the rocket ships and astronauts he drew . The double letters colored in and the shark , dancing around his spelling words .
‘ He ’ s a creative soul . He needs to touch , feel , experience it , to really internalize and understand it .’ This I always knew .
His report card reflects his performance in school . Average . But is that what I want for him ? Average ? I want my son to be great ! To reach his potential ! To reach it with pride , joy and a feeling of success and accomplishment . But alas , he is being squished in a box . Squished and crushed while in shipment . And I ’ m scared . I ’ m scared how he will be delivered to me at the end . This isn ’ t the packaging I want him in . This isn ’ t the route I want my precious package to take .
I remember my days in school . Once a box , I became a flat envelope . I vowed I would never let that happen to my own children and as I watch it , I feel my world collapsing .
From the moment I stepped into your school two years ago , I could feel the pride and joy that your school is all about . I could feel the success , the individualized learning and attention that is given to each student . Something I work so hard to give my own students . I always taught the way I wish I had been taught . I always give each of my students the love , care and attention that I wish I had gotten as a student and hope my own children receive . In spite of my childhood , I am who I am today . And becoming a mother has made me an even greater teacher .
There is no place like your school in the entire world . And it pained me deeply when we heard you didn ’ t have room for our children . I am literally begging . Pleading . My son needs you .
May ‘ 16
Our first school wide Lag Baomer rally and barbecue !
A flavorful mix of educators , researchers , entrepreneurs , and young professionals come to visit our beloved school for the first annual Young Leadership Tour , all gathered for a conversation about education and to learn about our unique model .