Building Trust

Trust is not something that comes naturally to a lot of people...especially where their children are concerned. Yet Montessorians worldwide have, as a new school year started, expected just that from parents - trust. We expect you to trust that we are professional educators, that we have your child's best interest at heart, that if your child is not meeting academic expectations we will communicate that to you in a timely manner, that if your child is unhappy or bored that we will do everything we can to help make it better, and so on.

All too often, though, we demand something we have not earned. As any parent should be, you are protective of your child. You question the motives, beliefs, attitudes, actions, and words of any person your child comes in contact with. Why would we, spending upwards of seven hours per day with your child, expect to be immune to the same, if not more intense, scrutiny that everyone else receives.

At The Montessori School, we strive to maintain an open communication policy. When communication between home and school flows freely, children perform better academically and improve their social skills. We understand that not knowing what is going on in your child's school life can be very frustrating and even scary for parents. We welcome questions and conversations. The more time we spend communicating, the more our mutual trust will grow.

In an effort to be transparent, honest, and forthcoming about everything that takes place at school, we ask a few simple things from you, as parents, to help us earn your trust. If you do not understand something your child's teacher writes or says, ask questions. Don't assume you know why or how something was said if you are uncertain. Don't guess. Do not rely solely on the information your child gives you. If your child tells you something disconcerting, ask the teacher about it. Never infer that a teacher or staff person is questioning your parenting skill or parental authority. Try not to let a situation that concerns you continue for extended periods of time before you communicate with us. Sooner is always better than later.

In reality, we try to follow these same suggestions in our communications with you. And we do have your child's best interest at heart; the more time you spend communicating with us, the easier it will be to believe that to be true.