When we want to infuse new ideas, _x000D_ to modify or better the habits and customs of a people, _x000D_ to breathe new vigor into its national traits, _x000D_ we must use the children as our vehicle; for little can be accomplished with adults.
Interpretation
Children are the key to instilling new ideas and improvements in society.
Maria Montessori emphasizes the importance of focusing on children as the primary agents of change in society. She argues that adults are often set in their ways and resistant to change, therefore to cultivate new ideas and enhance the customs of a community, one must work with the younger generation who are more open to learning and transformation.
In practice
In a speech about educational reform, a politician could use this quote to highlight the need for early childhood education.
... the first thing his education demands is the provision of an environment in which he can develop the powers given him by nature. This does not mean just to amuse him and let him do what he likes. But it does mean that we have to adjust our minds to doing a work of collaboration with nature, to being obedient to one of her laws, the law which decrees that development comes from environmental experience.
Noble ideas, great sentiments have always existed and have always been transmitted, but wars have never ceased.
What we need is a world full of miracles, like the miracle of seeing the young child seeking work and independence, and manifesting a wealth of enthusiasm and love.
To aid life, leaving it free, however, that is the basic task of the educator.
It is fortunate, I think, that nature is not bounded by human reason and by laboratory work and experimentation, for by the laws of pure reason and by microscopic investigation, it might easily have been proved, long before this, that children could not be born.
If the idea of the universe is presented to the child in the right way, it will do more for him than just arouse his interest, for it will create in him admiration and wonder, a feeling loftier than any interest and more satisfying.
The Greeks understood that mind and body must develop in harmonious proportions to produce a creative intelligence. And so did the most brilliant intelligence of our earliest days - Thomas Jefferson - when he said, not less than two hours a day should be devoted to exercise. If the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, was Secretary of State, and twice President, could give it two hours, our children can give it ten or fifteen minutes.
Note too that a faithful study of the liberal arts humanizes character and permits it not to be cruel.
Nothing is more common than for men to think that because they are familiar with words they understand the ideas they stand for.
I loved history because to me, history was like watching a movie.
Without knowledge and understanding, one tends to become a passive spectator rather than an active participant in the great decisions of our time.
From a management standpoint, it is very important to know how to unleash people's inborn creativity. My concept is that anybody has creative ability, but very few people know how to use it.
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