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.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of nurturing children's independence and enthusiasm in their pursuit of work and life.
Maria Montessori highlights the beauty and significance of a child's journey towards independence and work. She believes that the enthusiasm and love exhibited by children when seeking to learn and grow are nothing short of miraculous, and that fostering such qualities in a supportive environment can lead to a transformative world.
In practice
In a speech at a children's charity event, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of supporting children's aspirations.
... 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.
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.
Noble ideas, great sentiments have always existed and have always been transmitted, but wars have never ceased.
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.
No teaching could be more direct than just to sit down.
If you can read in the 21st century you own the world.
To be able to be caught up into the world of thought - that is being educated.
No one should be held back from realising their potential by fears that they will not be able to afford to go to university or that they will graduate with unmanageable levels of debt.
We can't afford not to educate girls and give women the power and the access that they need.
We think about education as a stepping stone into a higher socio-economic class, into a better job. And it does do those things. But I don't think that's what it really is. I experienced it as getting access to different ideas and perspectives and using them to construct my own mind.
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