Throughout history, in all corners of the world, every generation has experienced prejudice, and at no time in the history of mankind has the world not known violence.

Throughout history, in all corners of the world, every generation has needed a leader that could focus a portion of the world community on the value of peace without resorting to violence. Every once in awhile, a leader has appeared and etched an important message in the world's history book, bringing peace to their small portion of humanity while generating a message that all mankind should live by. Each time a leader has appeared and made his or her mark, a little bit of progress has been made in the path to world peace.

Each of these remarkable leaders, based on the conditions and cultures of their time, sought to achieve peace or justice based upon educating their constituency to understand and respect the differences of culture and background in others. In their own way, they stressed the importance of avoiding violence as a solution. Jesus said, "Turn the other cheek." Mohammad said, "A man's true wealth is the good he does in the world." Abraham told his followers, "With justice comes peace." Martin Luther King told the world filled with prejudice that "Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere." Hammurabi set out the first Code of Justice. Moses shared the ten commandments with a constituency that first disavowed them before finally understanding and accepting them. Gandhi said to the crowds that followed him on his march against oppression, "Anger and Intolerance are the twin enemies of correct understanding." The Dalai Lama has said time and time again, "We must have compassion for those that do not understand us and those we do not understand. We must look at the world as they see it and inflict reason, not pain." Maria Montessori, who closed her schools in protest against the Fascism of Mussolini spent years in India sharing knowledge with Gandhi and wrote, "Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war."

By providing your child a Montessori education, you are also taking a step towards peace. Although it is unlikely that their generation will know a world without violence, the world he or she helps create will lay a stepping stone that extends the path. Each generation that learns to understand differences in others, that learns to reason rather than to react, that learns to write history with a pen and ink instead of a sword and blood brings the following generation one step closer to a world based on justice and compassion rather than anger and ignorance.

Through Montessori, your child learns so much more than academics. Your child is provided the guidance to understand that all of life is a learning experience and that humanity shares a common planet that must be treated with respect. Your child learns to respect and understand the culture of others. Your child learns not to react with anger or violence, but with compassion and reason when confronted with opposition and ignorance. Your child learns neither to be afraid of the thoughts of others nor to diminish the value of his own thoughts. Your child learns to think independently of the crowd, and your child learns to express his or her thoughts with words based on reason. The Montessori education you are providing your child is your contribution to the world he or she will inherit. It is an important responsibility that we share with you.