Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
COLOMBIA “FEMCO”
Nice, 14 September 1934
“Les Deux Justices” “Two Justices”
20th International Teacher Training Course
Traducido al Español
Por: Álvaro Franky. Comunicaciones “FEMCO”
On the closing day of the 20th parents who lovingly see their
teacher training course in Nice, children as a kind of
Maria Montessori invited her possession—or “project” if we
students to revisit an important were to translate this to 21st
notion which she felt they had century family life. Montessori
probably thought about argues that society, furthermore,
throughout the course: the has organized itself along certain
social question in all its aspects. lines that offer perverse stimuli,
In our time, social justice is high which only institutionalize and
on the agenda; we identify the encourage possession, both
unjust exclusion of groups in physical and mental.
society, and instances where In this lecture Montessori uses
people are disenfranchised and some strong language; she calls
under-served. For Montessori adults to order pointing out that
the fight for social justice begins children are not taken seriously
at birth: the right of children to even though they make up more
develop into independent than half the world’s population.
human beings and be respected
for who they are is stymied at
many levels, starting with the
She scolds the human parent This lecture occasionally reads like
for not being better at their a manifesto, and as such clearly
parenting “job” in view of the demonstrates that the passions
fact that we as humans have so voiced here echo Montessori’s
many more options and such developing ideas on “The Social
greater intelligence than Party of the Child” which is “to
animals — and yet the animals bring to the fore-light that the
lead their young to true child is a citizen whose rights are
independence. Human parents more sacred than those of any
see the child as a wonderful other citizen; to recognize the
addition to their state of child as a being to whom society
happiness rather than has the duty to ensure security,
recognizing the mission of the welfare and that social
child to develop into a person environment necessary to its
who can help reform society. special needs as a human
They should, also, respect the individuality in the process of
tremendous work the child has achieving its development.” Her
done during childbirth. It is thought process is complex, but
interesting to note that in some the reader who approaches the
instances the conditions of the text with appreciation of the
time and Montessori’s adult’s role and the importance of
subsequent frustrations shine childhood will be rewarded
through this passionate generously. We are her to
speech— particularly, when she announce to the world that there
discusses parental authority is a people yet unknown, as large,
that always rested with the and perhaps even greater in
father whether or not he took number than the adult
any interest in his children’s population, who should have
welfare. She also advocates for laws,
better collaboration between
school and parents.
completely blind spot our
He is our consciousness when it comes to
benefactor and children. We might say that in
teacher, whose value we fail human history, in our expressions
to recognize. We all want to of high culture we do not see the
fight his cause so it becomes a figure of the child. There is so
new mission of social justice. much poetry, but where is the
And this people is the nation of poem that centers on the child
children. What has become where there are so many that talk
obvious throughout our lectures about love.
is that the adult has a In works of art, music, great
paradoxical insensitivity when it monuments, we notice that the
comes to children — child is absent. If man had truly
undefinable, and apparently loved the child, he would have
inexplicable. It is paradoxical given him magnificent works of
because the world believes that art and we would have seen works
adults are sensitive to children of significance dedicated to the
and loudly profess to it. In effect, child. Because man cannot love
the truth is that they lack that without acting, without creating a
particular kind of sensitivity work of art, because in man’s
towards children. This is such a make-up we see the drive to
serious situation that the matter create with both feeling and
deserves to be brought to [the intelligence; he does not create
world’s] attention and studied. solely thoughts but also work. We
This is one of the unconscious should have impressive works of
aspects that the whole of art, the most beautiful to be seen
humanity shares. The child is not in our society that [is
seen for who he is, and we can characterized by] creating. Society
compare this to the adult’s eye should regard the child as the
which receives rays of light most moving being, more
needed to discern images and important than anything else,
objects and yet there is this bigger
than churches, or impressive who have studied the
buildings. These kinds of things phenomena of motherhood
should be dedicated to children and and describe it as the most
show a profound interest in them. precious phenomenon to
Where is the music that surrounds secure the survival of the
the children? Of course, we all know species. It is difficult to explain
lullabies but in those exquisite in words, but if we are to find a
church hymns we find nothing for comparable situation for the
children. Considering the fact that human species we can also
animals offer brilliant ways of distinguish almost two different
creating shelter and protection for natures: one is where man
their young, we should really see so thinks about himself, society, or
much more in human society with all of mankind — or the other
our refined ways of communication when it comes to children. Do
and creativity. we see the same? No, we see a
Whatever you see with insects is desert, total silence. We see no
seen within the species. Certain wild manifestation of certain
animals become more gentle (N.T. actions, no change at all. Since
gentler) when they have young as we think that feelings of peace
mammals do, and you also see it in and gentleness are of a very
birds that have a habit of flying some high order, just as acts of
distance just for fun, who refrain heroism, we should say,
from doing so in order to stay close “because mankind has so many
to the fledglings. Nature has given to formidable characteristics they
living beings’ different ways of acting should care for and protect
depending on whether they fend for their young to an even greater
themselves or their young. extent”. However, we do not
It is from the behavior towards the see any of that. We rather see
young that we can see astounding the opposite, such as feelings
wonders, of which modern biologists of long harbored rancor
such as Fabre and Maeterlinck
speak,
about transgressions than animals in their natural
suffered against behavior. I once wrote a short
one’s own person. We should poem about the child, one
explore a little deeper this which was not at all lovely and
question of insensitivity in our did not have a sweet ending.
species. As we see instincts in all But it was true, and I will share
animals, we must conclude that * with you what I remember.
man has lost this instinct or has hid “A quivering voice was heard
it away so deeply that it does not on the earth, which never had
appear to function anymore. In this been heard before. It came
regard man’s soul has descended from a throat that had never
into such a deep sleep that the stirred before and that told me
mere presence of the child cannot a strange story, a story of a
re-energize it. Sometimes we can man that lived in the deepest
see such an inactive instinct come darkness and in utter silence.
to life when the purpose presents Suddenly he faced a very
itself. This does not apply to our bright light and met with
human species although you will different sounds, many in
say that we love our children so number, without being
very much. To be clear, we do love prepared. They told me of a
them, yet animals love their young man who had always lived
as well, and even more than that: under water, warm water, and
they are more sensitive than we. If who all at once was plunged
we like to think of ourselves as into an icy stream, opening up
having a strong and deep sensitivity his lungs for the first time
that corresponds to a goal of such during a difficult encounter. He
importance, we can no longer say was the man who had rested
that the child is “adorable”, but we like no one because his rest
have to be able to say that we love was absolute. He did not have
him. If we remain within these to exert himself walking or
generally shared limits, we can say breathing because someone
that man is much more insensitive did it for him.
Everything was given to him. The only In today’s modern maternity
work he did was the work of his heart. wards, there is a lot of care
His heart had started to beat when he for the mothers; we make
was not yet there as a human being sure there are no bright lights
and it was only his heart that kept on or noises but no such
beating.” From one moment to the considerations for the child.
next this person needs to make a He is exposed to light and
tremendous effort; he carries out this noise: he is only a child.
unknown work all by himself; he is Everybody laughs and
born into this completely different rejoices, he is adorable, he is
and challenging environment and his a new-born, perhaps he is
experience of having been created rubbed dry with a towel a
compares perhaps to the agony Christ little roughly; people just see
felt when uttering his last words: ‘why a pretty thing that they own.
hast thou forsaken me?’ This is how Regarding present-day
children are born. They need to be education, the child is
restored to a new life, to dignity and a abandoned in relation to
new destiny. This passage is certainly society. The father shirks his
a dramatic experience. And yet the responsibility by handing him
parents do not stop to think about over to institutions, and with
this [sufficiently]. The child is born, what ease are children taken
everybody is happy, he belongs to the from their parents’ arms to be
parents. Here is our son! You will put in a place of torture: the
understand that the love for this child school that is not accountable
melts the hearts of the people because all the rules and
thinking of children. But we also see regulations stipulate that the
possession: it is ownership that makes parents’ role ends at the
parents act. We say: “The mother is school’s doorstep. We see
really exhausted”. Everybody focuses very little understanding
on the happy event, but forgets that between school and
for the baby birth is even more home.
intense and exhausting.
We also see that As soon as the young are full
society gives all parental grown, the parents leave
authority to the father; them so that they can live
there is no authority higher independently. The instinct
than his until the child reaches to keep one’s children close
maturity. Obviously, nature will to one in a state of slavery is
bestow certain feelings on us not something dictated by
humans, but society does not love. Always the same evil:
establish if the father actually has ownership of children by
paternal feelings. On another note, their parents. This is
people remain placed under understandable as all of
parental authority until an advanced society is based on
age. Until that age the young person possession. Likewise, when
is nothing; he remains outside of speaking of love, be it that of
society without civil rights. You can a mother or father, love
see a father who is proud of what should be unconditional.
his son has achieved because this When an original deviation
reflects well on himself. Yet, if that occurs, society can only feed
son longs to reach the age of this deviation because the
maturity so that he will no longer be pervading sense of
under the forced parental possession is continuously
protection, the father gets upset fed from a need to have all
and offended as it is the proprietary that is good in society,
relationship that interests him most. because they are limited in
Look at the birds and all other living number. Animals find in
things. When the fledglings have nature what they need;
grown enough, theywithdraw a nature is so rich that it can
little; father and mother give them a let go of many things. Man
little * push so that they will fly. lives off his own work in a
They need to lead their own lives as society that has been formed
soon possible. The same goes for by himself, a kind of
mammals. supranatural without which
man cannot live. This explains why it relative or “composed” of
man attaches so much importance true justice which does not
to possession. We see deviations appear to be achievable in
that grow precisely because of this this world of ours. On the
environment. And all the deviations other hand, it would be
that flow from a primitive sense of impossible for us to live
possession organize themselves in without hope of a state of
such a fashion in society that society justice, at least outside of
can contain in itself sufferings and this world of which we have
dangers, much like we saw in the a fundamental idea. Justice
comparison made the other day in our society should be built
when a train derails leading to a on a different foundation—
disaster; the history of mankind is that of love; a justice that
full of disasters, crimes and all kinds meets a deep need that we
of suffering, ranging from physical see in the young child. It is a
suffering to the greatest mental highly felt need. Love of the
suffering. We also see many environment for the grown-
instances of adaptation that ups also signifies a feeling of
function as social camouflage— justice, something which
adaptations that remain to form a exists in the depths of man,
set part of how society is organized. except for the fact that it is
This order, however, is no more than immediately repressed,
a way to survive amidst all these which is why we never see
wrong assumptions on which it. We also speak of
society is structured. Rules and darkness; we say, "the world
regulations are put in place to is full of darkness". Christian
channel these wrongs, which have religion, for example, has
already gained tremendous power symbols that tell us we must
and leave room for action. As overcome the darkness
everybody knows, this set of rules because we see
does not constitute real justice: it is
a quest for a kind of equilibrium be
see that we ourselves are a
that in these
deviation. In the normalized
deviations there is a very
child we have seen that, on
small possibility to
the contrary, there are
understand In practice we have
characteristics that are not
seen that when children are put on
deviations. These are
the right track, they immediately
different characteristics that
can manifest their intelligence;
really exist in human nature
they have very bright ideas that
with the possibility of
you could not have imagined: light
developing during early
comes about; darkness has moved
childhood years if the child is
away, there are no obstacles any
provided with normal
longer. *We feel that there is
conditions. We could then
something incomprehensible,
see characters never seen
unfair in society to whose
before because from birth on
organization we must adapt,
there was something not
although we also wish to escape
only between the child and
from it. We can say that all
the adult, but between the
religions include this kind of
child and an organized
shelter for the soul, a shelter for
society, the habitat of the
deeply felt needs, constructive
adult. However, we could
action, forces of health that can
bring out a different human
bring equilibrium and normalcy
personality if we removed
that you cannot find in a society
these deviations, but this
divided and organized along the
must be done
lines of deviations. Here is another
conscientiously, combined
idea that hails from Judaism:
with long study and care.
original sin. Judaism sees this as
Treasure Article 2019 — 7
the fall of man, an idea that has
In the child there is a
been adopted by Christianity,
tendency to join lofty
which takes original sin back to the
manifestations: work, love,
origin of creation; we no longer
perseverance, an inner
sensitivity, the shining of the intellect,
flexibility and adaptability, etc. This is
in sharp contrast to the state of the
adults in their environment. Society When we look at the evils of
has been organized by adults who society, we can see them for
have killed the divine in the child, who what they are. We have to
have buried it but we know that in create clarity with experience
that “tomb” there is a being ready to as these evils do not have to
be revived and to rise. “Resurrection be fatal; we can stop them
and Ascension” that is the forward becoming so. Everything is
energy of the soul that is looking for made and given to man. The
the superior justice of a better world. life of the child is in the hands
This feeling of justice is the most of man; not an earthquake or
profound truth the human heart something dramatic in the
knows: a reality all children can teach face of which we are helpless;
us. We have to protect it in such a it is something in our hands.
manner that man can grow alive in his Everybody speaks about the
mind. Then he would not lose his reform of society, but it is man
fundamental instincts as he seems to himself who needs to change
have done today. * When we look at — something which we are
the evils of society, we can see them starting to realize: the reform
for what they are. We have to create of man through the child.
clarity with experience as these evils
do not have to be fatal; we can stop
them becoming so. Everything is made
and given to man. The life of the child
is in the hands of man; not an
earthquake or something dramatic in
the face of which we are helpless; it is
something in our hands.
Everybody speaks about
© Montessori-Pierson the reform of society,
Publishing Company, but it is man himself
1934 who needs to change –
Translation from the French by something which we are
Carolina Montessori and Joke starting to realize the
Verheul, with editorial assistance form of man through
from AMI trainer Nathalie Justine
the child.
APOYAN
TULUA: IE
MARÍA
MONTESSORI
BUGA: IE
MANUEL
ANTONIO
SANCLEMENTE
Centro de
Neuropediatría
Soledad – IPS
Salud Vida SAS
Contacto
Lida María Franky Zapata – Presidenta
Tatiana Valera Rolón – Asistente Administrativa Presidencia
Álvaro Franky Zapata - Comunicaciones
Fundación Eco-Educativa Montessori Colombia “FEMCO”
Cra 127 Nº 18-240 Edificio San Lorenzo, 2do Piso. Avda El Banco.
Pance, Cali, Valle del Cauca
www.femcodecolombia.org
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