Montessori public school project arrives in the municipality of Fajardo

The first public school in Fajardo that considers the Montessori project is located in the Quebrada Vueltas neighborhood, and serves 118 elementary students.

Although the María I. Dones school was closed in 2018, the parents of the community fought to reopen it that same year, allowing the boys and girls of the community to have their school again for the beginning of the semester.

One of the factors of the closure was the low enrollment of the school, a challenge that was more real when it reopened, since many of the students had already been enrolled in other schools. However, families and faculty did a great job getting the word out that the school was open again.

After several years the school community decides to start looking for alternatives. One of them was the Montessori methodology.

Montessori education was considered an alternative since several families were aware of the method and the project in Puerto Rico. After this, a consultation was carried out with the community, families and faculty; There was consensus among them and the school community decided to start the project at the Maria I. Dones school.

As part of their search, the community visited the Guillermo Reifkhol Montessori school in Patillas. Clarisa Zalduando, director of the school in Fajardo, described the visit as “the hook they were missing.” “Seeing the boys and girls in each environment, working independently, silently and without interrupting others, focused. I entered the environment and they continued working as if I did not exist. Seeing that shocked me,” said Zalduando after her visit to the Guillermo Reifkhol school.

After the visit, they submitted the letter of intent to the Auxiliary Secretariat of Montessori Education (SAEM), which is one of the first steps to follow to start the project. Already taking part, 3 adult learners begin their Montessori training process at the Instituto Nueva Escuela (INE) this past summer.

The school begins to “build” the Montessori levels for Infants and Toddlers, from birth to 3 years, and the Early Childhood level for 3 to 6 years. These environments serve 36 students.

One of the adult apprentices expresses being delighted with the transformation process. “I see it as a process of transformation of everyone together, the school, the faculty and the students,” shared Aylis Romás, who is in her Early Childhood guide training.

“I feel delighted,” said the adult apprentice, Ziani Torres, about her training process where she recognizes that it is a process of transformation from within and that is then taken to the environment, children and families.

For the educators who have said yes to the Public Montessori project, the study process is an opportunity to reconnect with their vocation, an opportunity for growth and to contribute to the formation of the boys and girls, looking at them as a whole.

Furthermore, families already recognize the contributions of the methodology in the lives of their sons and daughters; This was mentioned by Solymargarita Torres, mother of a girl from Early Childhood, who has seen how in a short time her daughter is more independent and more confident. “The atmosphere is an organized, quiet, attractive place to look at. And she comes home saying that she wants what is in her classroom in her bedroom,” said the mother.

The arrival of Montessori at the Maria I. Dones school has achieved a significant increase in the interest of families and the community in the public school that serves them. Currently, for the first time in a long time, the school has a waiting list of more than 100 families, reported Director Zalduando.

The faculty has also seen greater family participation, commitment and even interest from mainstream students who see younger children joining the school community and want to help and care for them.

One of the very significant contributions that Solymargarita, who grew up in Quebrada Vueltas, sees is that the students will be able to cultivate values, peace and care for the space in their homes.