Montessori - How Our Journey Started

August 1980, we were dealing with the fallout of Mount St Helens erupting in May and were getting ready to welcome in Ronald Reagan as our new president after the upcoming November election.
 
What was significant for me in that late August of 1980 was that my Dad was getting ready to head to Washington D.C. I had no idea at the time what was going to come from this sabbatical that he was taking but I can look back now and point this this as the inspiration for The Montessori Network.

My Father, Thomas Cavanaugh, a life -long advocate for children, found himself on a transcendent educational journey that year which landed him on a year-long sabbatical training with Ms. Margaret Stevenson at the Washington Montessori Institute. He returned transformed, motivated and intentional! Being described as a “Montessori Pioneer” by the newspapers for starting a public Montessori classroom in the 80’s was powerful to me!

My emotional reactions continued when I watched my older sisters start their careers in Montessori. My nieces and nephews thrived in their Montessori education which positively impacted their lives. And then witnessing the journey my own children are having with their Montessori experience is as inspirational as it gets! I was in awe and felt a calling.
 
Dad is no longer with us but the spirit of what he began back in 1980 speaks as profoundly as his answer to my question in early May of 1981. He was winding up his sabbatical and the Detroit Tigers had just broken their 10 game losing streak. We were talking on the phone about the Tigers and I switched gears away from sports and asked him a Dad type question that he always asked us, “So where do you think the Montessori thing is going to take us in 5 years?”
 
He said, “Oh, I don’t know but I do know it is going to be a hell of a journey!”
 
Dad, it is a hell of a journey and it continues to be a gift to children around the world. And as you mentioned during that phone call, “I’m not sure where this will take us but I love the process and know I love what the future holds delivering Montessori as a path way to a child’s passion rather than the traditional road.”
 
Using our GPS – Combining our Greatest skills with our Passions will lead us to our highest point of Service

 
Where will Montessori or The Montessori Network be in 5 years? Who the hell knows but I know a journey that includes helping teachers find an easier way to access inspiring professional development from all over the world and a coordinated communications effort to let the world know that Montessori is here IS be a noble path to pursue.
 
I am grateful to dance with inspiration and the gratitude train includes:
 

• AMI Bold Goals
  
• @trustfrlearning
• @goodlifeproject
• The Fuddhist
• @simonsinek

 
And yes Dad and of course Mom, the idea about growing so you can give and that feeling of fulfillment IS what it is all about! So I am grateful to you both!

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