Montessori Mindset: A Conversation with Divine Mercy Academy

Dr. Maria Montessori began her revolutionary work with children labeled "unteachable." In this episode of The Montessori Mindset, we return to those roots to explore how the Montessori method provides a uniquely therapeutic and dignifying environment for students with neurodivergence and learning differences.

Host Melissa Rohan is joined by Becca Rouleau and Katie Haun from Divine Mercy Academy in Verona, Wisconsin. Together, they discuss their "rights without labels" philosophy, the intersection of Catholic faith and Montessori, and how the prepared environment acts as a tool for healing and growth.

In This Episode, We Discuss:
-The Origins of Montessori: How Dr. Montessori’s work with children with disabilities informs modern practice.
-Rights Without Labels: Moving beyond diagnoses to focus on the inherent dignity of every student.
-The Prepared Environment: How sensory-friendly classrooms support neurodivergent learners.
-Observation vs. Testing: Using scientific observation to identify needs earlier and more accurately than traditional methods.
-Accessibility in Education: Exploring Divine Mercy’s unique funding model to support families burdened by the costs of specialized education.

Connect With Our Guests
Learn more about the incredible work being done at Divine Mercy Academy:

Website: https://divinemercyacademywi.org/

About The Montessori Mindset
Produced by Waterfront Academy, this podcast explores the transformative power of Montessori philosophy in today’s world.

🛒 Looking for more Montessori-aligned activities?

Check out our full collection of printable resources here: 
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/waterfront-academy

👇 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more Montessori activities you can do at home!


📱 Follow Us on Social Media:
➡️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WaterfrontAcademy
➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waterfrontacademy/
➡️ Pinterest: https://pin.it/4MNtyF4kq
➡️ Twitter: https://x.com/WaterfrontAcad

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Welcome back to the Montessori Mindset, a podcast by Waterfront Academy where we explore the transform the transformative power of Montessori philosophy in today's world. I'm your host, Melissa Rohan. One of the most profound aspects of Dr. Montessori's legacy is that her method began with children who were considered, in quotations, unteachable by the standards of her time. Today we're going back to those roots to explore how the Montessori environment is uniquely suited for students with special needs and learning differences. Joining me today are two incredible leaders from Divine Mercy Academy. We have Katie Hahn, who is the lead guide in primary. She's also the director of education for Divine Mercy and a catechist. She runs the CGS training for the diocese as well. And we have Rebecca Roulot. And she is our primary assistant, and she's the development and marketing for Divine Mercy. And so they've been there for a while and they just celebrated their five-year anniversary. Congratulations. If you could do math, it's uh opened in 2021. I want to also just say that at Divine Divine Mercy, they aren't just accommodating special education, they are building the a rights without labels community where every child's dignity is the starting point. Rebecca, Katie, welcome so much to the show. Yeah, thank you for having us. So tell us a little bit about how um Dr. Montessori started with working with children with disabilities and how Divert uh Divine Mercy Academy returned to those origins um in serving the modern needs.

SPEAKER_01 2:29

Yeah, we um I want to say yesterday we just celebrate this a little bit um with Katherine while we were talking about her yesterday.

SPEAKER_02 2:39

Um but just as well, probably I just mentioned the monitoring both roof, and the fact that we are back to the roof and that you brought up as well, um teaching children that maybe um we didn't see that we could do before, but with a method that should research, um and just looking for any children giving that accessibility. That's a real vision of uh accessibility multiple accessible for anyone. Yeah, and really I learned that she was a mother, which is really beautiful. You know, that she worked with and it really um shows itself in um especially in the classroom when the children is already you can see that it's already um you know just how the method works and honoring uh individual nature every time. Um we really found that to be beautiful. Um this is a challenging one, um it's really beautiful to see how to life. Um diversity of learning that we have is a brilliant to see children who are very gifted and working on alongside those who are you know going along, and uh to see them together is really beautiful. Um we get to see the next age groups um and that multi-age classroom um come to life in sort of a new way as well, where they're helping each other academically, um just depending on the type of needs that they have and helping each other socially and emotionally just uh several different ways where um just a really beautiful, um a beautiful vision that she had from the beginning. I mean, I think it's really we were sure how possible it was or what it would look like. Um we're able to work together in a community you know, different community ages or abilities or any of those things we're working together. Um just that community aspect and that you know that as well as yellow.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

Yeah, I it's funny because um I wrote this question uh almost a week ago, and yesterday, and it's all kind of coming full circle for me because yesterday I was talking about um discipline. So it almost seems like it's completely different than this question, but here's the thing that I think that is really important to touch on is that the reason that discipline is so a key element of the Montessori method, and it it doesn't mean what a typical school would think of discipline meaning, but it it starts from a very Catholic um tenement, which is the dignity of each human, right? Because we're all born in the image of God, right? And so if we start from that spot and knowing that a child is just a shorter human, it's they're right, they're still a human, and so we can treat them with that dignity, and and so which then also reminds me, I had an um a tour the other day, and the and I felt horrible about this. The mother was apologizing for her child before I ever met the child, and I said, Look, like the reality is is that like I'm not perfect, you're not perfect, but there's no such thing as a perfect child, like that doesn't exist. And so we we take the child where the child is and we work and we got we're on that journey with the child, and and that's true always. And so it just it it kind of it's kind of it's a full circle moment for me because I yeah, uh just to break it down even like to like the the building blocks there, just it it goes back to dignity, and I think that if we could teach that to the children as well, because you're saying they're side by side. I mean, what a beautiful lesson of just accepting each other where we are and then continue on those journeys together, right? In Christ. Can you talk a little bit about the children working side by side in this?

SPEAKER_02 7:34

Yeah, so the children work side by side. Um, again, the diversity of learner just to to be in a wealth of a community where it is there is that diversity. Um, it's it's such a good for them. Um, and I also, you know, we get to see a lot in the classroom um of children assisting each other uh and being on teams and um having partners and things like that, and having those um just sort of natural organic opportunities to work with people who aren't just like you are really, really healthy for the children and they get it, they get a lot of practice. Um, so for I think as parents too, like you know, um, from the parent perspective, this is what we want for that. We want opportunities for this, we want opportunities for diversity. Um, and uh we're all really grateful for that piece too. Yeah, I think they end up being just such a gift to everyone, one another, and that um trying to look for those, you know, gifts in each other and how we can collaborate within the community. It's so beautiful to watch them discover. And I love what you said about dignity because you're you know, you you have um this self-dignity um, you know, that God has given you, but you're also like honoring that in the the person you're with um and offering dignity, uh, and just that um interconnectedness that dignity offers uh to the students is really um a great gift.

SPEAKER_00 9:01

Yeah, I think that um one of the things that is beautiful in design that Dr. Montessori created was this you know, it's freedom of movement in the classrooms, right? And it's freedom of choice. And of course, those freedoms have bright yellow. Right, right. We talk about you're you're you got your freedoms, but here's it's within these limits, right? Uh I always talk about the big highlighter boundary. Big yellow highlighter. And um and so I say that because of this flexibility, there is that room where you can actually and the flexibility of the multi-age classroom, the flexibility of the children had movement around the room, the flexibility of choosing their works, there's so many different little like rooms for you to kind of go in and offer the child exactly what they need and put them on because it it's an individualized curriculum. And so when you have a child of with uh different uh needs or different or any, I mean it's like I we put these labels on some of the children, but like quite frankly, all the children have different ways that they need to be taught to approach to them. Yeah, and so with the Montessori method, you can go into that classroom and you and you've had the child for three years. You don't like kick them out after a year. And so you really get to know the child, and so that third year is just so valuable because you can offer that child something that wouldn't be able to in in just because I mean it takes what like at least three to four months to get to know the child, and then you're halfway through the year and then they're gonna leave. Whereas in a three-year model, when you get to know the child and you know exactly how to be there for the child and where the child needs you, one, and then two, you know exactly where they are academically and you can give them where they need it in that individualized curriculum. And and because everybody's kind of working in their own little like like it's like a high. I always love that, yeah. You can just go in there and like like like a surgeon and and and help where the help is needed and guide where the guided guiding is needed. It's so beautiful how you know, just by design you can do that.

SPEAKER_02 11:25

Yeah, again, I love how you said by design because she designed it this way. She designed it this way. And for us, I think as educators, it's been a bit of a discovery of her and and what her tools that she offers us um as educators um to see those in a really um to see the breadth of those, to see how the breadth of what she offers um serves um the breath of child has been really a discovery for us as educators too. I would say that our teams as well are very close-knit. There's this close-knit communication um between each other, um, just like, how did this go? I want you to know about this. Just some very practical tools that we've implemented that have been really helpful. Uh so again, I think having that close-knit team of um of guides and support teachers have been really uh helpful in um uh helping children to succeed. Yeah, I'd say in order to be able to provide you know this kind of community and learn, we've really integrated both our team, but it's the idea to um like I grew up with family with special education within the system in public school. Um, and what I I saw and my mother worked as well in special education was there was lots of children coming out of the classroom, there was less time spent in the classroom. Monitoring is kind of the way she envisioned it and the way we work on it. The classroom is your home base and you're primarily in the classroom. This is your community. We have all these tools at our um disposal, and your access is here for that. Um, so that's just like a beautiful thing that I've been able to witness. So they're integrated in the classroom, our team is integrated in the classroom, and just really collaborative as a community as well, which is mirroring the classroom. Yeah, that inclusion piece is just that's the that's that's the best thing because the the Montessori method is the source, it's the source um for all the other things. Um so having children included in the classroom as much as possible throughout the day, throughout the morning work cycle is really our goal.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

Yeah, yeah. Um can you talk a little bit also about how um being the Catholic your Catholic identity, how that is woven in into this as well?

SPEAKER_01 13:47

Oh beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 13:48

Yeah, so Catholic identity, so we are a young school, uh, and when we were founded, we really had this blast opportunity to say who we want to be. And um having a commitment to special education was absolutely part of that. That you know, um the the board blesses us with children, and um you know, and children come in all shapes and sizes and needs and all the things. Um and to be able to have a place within a Catholic community of peers who love them and who are also with their siblings. Um the children with special needs are here with their siblings too. Um, that it's been such a gift. So it was really a commitment for us at the beginning. So even when we were founded, that was one of the pieces we got in place right away was uh sort of this um special education. What would that look like for us and let's invest in it uh so that it doesn't become something that we're trying to piece together because we don't have it all figured out. Um, children are teaching us a lot, um, but it's something that we felt was worthy of our investment, uh, and it's just been um such a case. So uh that's and it felt wholeheartedly Catholic to do that too, just um honoring the dignity of again the the children around us uh felt like what we wanted to do um as a Catholic community too. We just there's a right to it, it felt right. Uh and the Catholic piece paired with the Montessori piece. Montessori gave us the tools to do it and the tour tools to do it um well. Uh so the two of those pieces, the Catholic Montessori piece, uh, have really just been such a gift. They really complete each other, um, especially when we're talking about um children's special needs, uh, because it's uh uh it serves them um just by design, by by definition, by how they were created, uh they serve each other.

SPEAKER_01 15:48

Yeah, I think you started the conversation with the word dignity, and I think that's where we just go back, which time just drawn back to that dignity growth and you know, needing a child's potential, um, each child was created, and that we want to serve them and be able to allow that growth in that space if need so keeping the environment. All the tools we have within Monitory, um, our commitment with working with the family, um, which goes back to even just the catechism and the focus on doing this as well as the parent is also weaken that.

SPEAKER_02 16:25

Um so we we lean a lot on parents as primary educators, like they they're the ones who know their children best. Uh, so we lean on that a lot. We have a lot of home and school connections um in writing our support plans for children. If that's all part um well done with the families, um, because again, those parents are just so integral to um having success for the child.

SPEAKER_00 16:48

Yeah, I I 100% wholeheartily agree because I mean we're I mean we're we're taught that, right, uh um as Catholics is that the parents are the first educators and I I talk to the I also talk to our parents about that a lot. I think that um I think it's I don't want to say easy, but I feel that when you have a certain amount of brain space as a parent, whatever you can like check off, you're like, okay, that's taken care of, and I can move on. We're okay, good. I'm I'm alone. And so I have to remind parents, you are the first educator, right? In like bringing them back into the fold. This is a team effort. We're working together. And uh in Dr. Mama's story, when she put this together, she wrote about it. She didn't write a lot on it, but she did, and she was very, it was very poignant. It was she was like, this is not supposed to replace the mother. This is this is to add. And also, you know, there was um a lot going on in Italy at the time, and so a lot of mothers had to leave their children for the first time to go to work, and so she wanted a nice little soft landing place that was very similar to what was going to happen in the home. So this is yeah, the it it's always been the parents are the first educators, and we should continue that. We they're not our children, they're they're yours, and and they're just your sound definitely super attractive to me from us and to hear from parents as well.

SPEAKER_01 18:35

Some of the skills that are learning in the classroom. The fact that they've called children's house, we call our classrooms migrate, but of course it's the children's house. Um, but the way it works together, which is you know, we talk about community teams working together, but a lot of the skills that they're learning are able to call and um one big piece of monitoring this is for you know someone with with neurodivergence and whatnot.

SPEAKER_02 18:59

Um, but we're building this confidence, independent, um, which is a great catalyst for so much growth and learning.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

And I think that what you mentioned really quickly about the um having siblings in the classroom, I think that is so funny. I've had we've had several, I mean, we currently have a s uh a few sets of siblings here. Um and I but every once in a while I'll have a parent who's like you're gonna have both of them in the same classroom.

unknown 19:29

Right?

SPEAKER_00 19:31

It's like I don't know about this. And what ends up happening, tell me if you've had the same uh the same reaction. Um, but what ends up happening after a few months in the school, the parents come and they're like, I cannot believe our children love each other again. Right? It's been like a life it's been a family transforming event for that. And so if I can support the family, I that I won, right? Like I I did my job.

SPEAKER_02 19:59

Yeah, I mean we've had a similar experience where you know children are just the sibling pairs are um you know, they're definitely still sibling. Um, but but it's really a beautiful thing. And I think it's especially for our students with special needs and those who need extra support, that often it's the case where you know a Catholic Montessory education is not available for them. And um and sometimes they're at different schools or you know, parents have to figure out different arrangements, and it's just such a gift to be able to have them all in one place. Uh so that was um really part of our goal. And we um we came across this beautiful phrase when we were um first um being formed as a school, um, and it was from Pope Leo, I think it was Pope Leo the 13th. Um but he and I'm paraphrasing that he talked about the home, uh the church, and the school, uh the home, the church, and the school creating this sanctuary of education. When those three things are united, the home is home, school, and church. Uh when they're all united, it creates this sanctuary of education for the child. And we thought that's that's what we want. And that yeah, that we want to use this sanctuary, and I just that's the peacefulness that comes from a sanctuary, a holy place. I just thought that that is that is Maria Montessori's peace education, you know. So um it was that phrase has just really stuck with us. Um but it requires a strong partnership. Um, and that's partnership we don't take lightly. Um so that's we have very committed families and it's been a great gift.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

That's wonderful. That's that that is a blessing when you have the parents who are so involved and committed. That is that's everything. That I mean, that's really that's the one thing I think that could go make the the relationship go this way or this way, right? Like it's it's it's a it's the glue when the parents are involved. It's it really it works. Um shift a little. And talk a little bit about how um your prepared environment because you're bringing children in of you know obviously different ages, boys, girls, right? But you also there are learning differences as well. So how is the prepared environment supporting this?

SPEAKER_02 22:16

Well, we talked a little a little bit more about Montessori and just the different tools within the classroom. Um, I think I also mentioned having family that went through special education as well. And one of the really important things that was helpful to them is just they were twins, um, is making sure that they had access to a lot of those live skills in practical life, and that's one huge piece that's already open to Monitoring. Um we want self-care, we want self-environmental care, and that's already a part of the environment. Um, but the prepared environment already has different tools for this learner and this learner in the same space. They can learn alongside each other. So they're building all this life skill. They're also growing academically because we have different tools accessible already. It can be sensory um input, which is beautiful. We don't need to go out and create um that type of input in the classroom. We just need to guide it. Um, we can build in gross motor, uh, which is beautiful as well. There's just so many pieces that you just see the need and you just look at what Maria already needs. We just need to discover it for ourselves and present it and guide it and serve the child that way. And I would say too that, you know, she already gives the educator. Maria Monaster already gives the educator like this, its own her her own freedom with limits. And that freedom really helps to foster creativity in our environments. Uh so just being able to curate the space um so that everyone is able to move freely, um, just in little ways. So having that freedom again within limits, um, she she offers help. Yes. Um but it fosters a lot of creativity as an educator. And you know, for some educators, it's it really helps you to come alive, like, oh, we need to find a new way to teach this thing using these things. Uh and so we do have um, you know, creating materials to help with a very specific direct aim or skill that we want for a child has really been a source of, again, creativity partnership um among educators. Uh, and it's just it's kind of fun. It's very you know goal when you're trying to meet that goal together, yeah, strategically through like work or through observation so that it has that scientific pedagogy uh to it, and that's just a great um a great gift. And there are different things in the environment. So sometimes we might have a chair, like a specific kind of chair um that we utilize for a child. Um, it doesn't mean that necessarily other children can't sit there, but it's just child, it's uh something that's in the environment specifically for um a child. Uh so there are different things like that, but we're also able to move materials between classrooms as well. Uh and that's and that's really helpful. We'll swap materials um back and forth depending on the needs um of a child. So there's a lot of creative, collaborative work in that. I think it's great that your your podcast is called the monitoring mindset because that's exactly a huge piece in making it successful, is that you have this monitoring mindset. You're able to create this for this child or bring this into the classroom or discover exactly what um can meet that need and meet the goal with the direct aim, which is people.

SPEAKER_00 25:41

Yeah, I think that like um when I say Messory Metset, and you kind of touched on this as well, is that we're using a lot of the scientific method when we're doing this, right? So we see a problem and we're like, okay, let's you know, let's try and you know, use this furniture or move the furniture this way so we don't have a runway, right? Or I don't know, right? There's different things that we could do, little tweaks, and we we observe, we see if it works out. Um, and if it does, great. If not, we go back. And so yeah, so a lot of and I and Dr. Montis already talks about the pro not only the prepared environment, but the prepared adult, right? To have that scientific mindset for sure, but um and be curious, and um and you know, and I think that I think that like you're doing all the right stuff. I'm very excited about uh about this, and thank you. You know, that's really where the Montessori mindset is, is that we're all little scientists. I know a lot of homeschoolers uh will try and use Montessori at home. And the one thing that I always caution mothers, one, I love it, do it. Like I'm not going to stand in the way of that. I think that's beautiful. Do that. But uh I always caution mothers or fathers, um, if they're going to be doing homeschooling, to understand that you don't just buy the material, put it in front of a child and expect magic, right? So you kind of have to be intentional yourself as the adult in preparing the environment, preparing the materials, and and and observing and making tweaks along the way and moving the child along from uh skill to skill. It's all it's the prepared adult that really is guiding this ship, right? And so I think that that's part of that mindset that really is important for the provider.

SPEAKER_02 27:44

Yeah, when thinking about the prepared environment with this Montessori mindset, it's very humbling too, because we make mistakes all the time. Like that did not work, or this transition plan, or this social story, or this that didn't work. And so to have the humility to just say, that didn't work, and we learned, and now we're let's try this, or we're gonna tweak it this way. And so there's a great openness and humility to um to work on the next thing, um, and to be able to receive those mistakes as opportunities to um to create something, create something better. It was more Catholic identities and what they have wrong.

SPEAKER_00 28:26

I was gonna say this, Anthony. That's great.

SPEAKER_02 28:28

I know, I yes, we're thinking the same thoughts. Oh man. Yeah, we are definitely growing.

SPEAKER_00 28:37

Yes, yes. Um, so I wanted to quickly talk about this. I know that, like, for example, in the public schools they have something that's called an IEP. Are you using IEPs at Divine Mercy? And what does that look like?

SPEAKER_02 28:53

Yes, absolutely. So our students, um, some of our students do come to us with IEPs already. Uh, at school, when we create um what is kind of an IEP, we call it a support plan. And it really just lays out specifically for the sake of the educators as well as the family, um, specifically how we are going to individualize things for children to succeed. What support we ask ourselves the question what supports do the children need, does the student need in order to have success in the classroom? We're looking for both academic success, of course, um, but also we're looking for just the full child's success, feeling joyful, um, feeling that dignity, um, social emotional growth. And so we're really looking at the whole child when we're working with support plans. Sometimes IEPs, because of their design, are very specific to educational pieces. Uh, and for us, we really look at some the holistic view. Um, so it might be a subtle scale like grace and courtesy, but like we're really going to work on grace and courtesy in this way. Um, sometimes it's interacting with peers. It's not appropriate to ask for a hug all the time. This is what you can do for a hug. Um, and so different examples like that um have really helped us to hone in on um helping the child to be successful with their community and and to be directed about, you know, have some direction about that that is comfortable, what that the home is comfortable with too. Uh so it's great to hear from parents like what what do you want for your child or what's a goal uh that you have for your child, and to be able to ask those questions and get to those specific goals are really helpful. The IEP or the support plan really helps us to get there. It's also a piece of accountability uh that we have an accountability to our students, um, we have a responsibility uh to help them progress, and it really helps to hold us to that. Um we can also look at a support plan and say these things didn't work, so we're going to change them to go down this path, um, or we tried this particular um adaptation, but that wasn't successful, we're going to try this instead. So it's a way for us to track what we're doing with children so that we have forward momentum versus us, you know, either spinning wheels or not not having that that wouldn't be um that wouldn't be good for the child, it wouldn't be successful for them. So that's what it really helps us to do. Um our teams work collaboratively to write the support plans, and those are all written um with uh the help of home. So we have an IEP meeting, which is a support plan meeting that we'll have with um parents, and that's always it's it's just a delight um to be working together. It's just like it's such a gift for the child to have a team of people that is just focused on them and their needs. Um so it's it's a great gift to have the parents supporting that. There's such a like understanding of the full team and like with that home and school, just having that full approach and that we're all on the same page um and how we're approaching. This is exactly what we think will work, this is where we want to grow. It's been beautiful to hear from the parents um where they see the growth too. Um, so we're not out of alignment of what they are looking for too. That's been beautiful to hear from them. We we do we do work in collaboration with the school district where our school is, um, and so there are professionals there that are ready to help us as well. Uh so that is that that's also a professional um gift that we have is working with our closely with our school district.

SPEAKER_00 32:42

That is a gift, that's a blessing for sure. Um I I have a couple of follow-up questions, really, because I'm very curious. Um, and honestly, we might have to like offline, like maybe we can talk together, because I think that like there's this is I feel like that's one area that I would love personally our school to grow in, um, is our ability to help um students of different uh learning differences. Um so you're not just for clarification, you're not diagnosed.

SPEAKER_02 33:14

No, no, we are not diagnosticians, we're educators. Yeah. That's but we even for the those who are specialized, so we so even for someone who is specialized, like maybe they have um speech and language background or something like that, even those um folks who are on our team and help support our team, they're also not diagnostician. Uh so you may come with an expertise. You may come with an expertise, which is great because you're able to like really focus on that with the child, um, but that doesn't mean that we're diagnosing and that should still be facilitated and um and that movement should come from the parents.

SPEAKER_00 33:54

No, I think that's wonderful. Yeah, I just wanted to clarify for it. Yeah. Yeah. The other question I had then is if you are seeing some signs of something, are you asking parents to get the assessment?

SPEAKER_02 34:11

Uh so that's a good question. We bring up what we observe. Uh so so that's that's what we share with parents often at parent teacher conferences, sometimes at another meeting. Um, if there are incidents or things that happen at school, um, we do keep very close track on that. And we actually have a forum that goes home to parents just to so that there is this back and forth. We want to know, you know, how a child process is that time. Um give us your insights, you know, mom and dad. Um and vice versa, we can really share what we saw at school. Uh, and that really helps us to um to know if we need additional support. Um, it helps us to know more about what to ask for from parents. Um, so there have been times where you know, if it's um, you know, something with speech and having a really hard time understanding what your child says when they're saying something like that. So we'll talk about what we observe, or I'm thinking like with occupational therapy, with like pencil grips, or it's really hard to sit up, um, you know, uh and so there are different things like that where we point out what we observe. The first step usually for parents is talking with their primary care physician. Um, usually those physicians know that child really well. Um so between their expertise and the parents, they're usually able to know what to do from there. And then there's the there's referrals uh from there. And we just we walk alongside the parents with that. Um, really, our hat is education. That's our hat. Um we're definitely ready to collaborate. I feel like that flexibility and collaboration is our great strength where we can work with the other professionals in order to provide in the classroom. And I think it's like that ongoing conversation with observations here's what we have available in our classroom.

SPEAKER_01 36:02

Here's what we're working, you know, handful grip for people are just like working on the grip when we go using the metal in that here's what we can do in the classroom already, but ongoing.

SPEAKER_00 36:13

I think that's wonderful. I I'm 100% with you. I just wanted to I didn't mean to like grill you, but I also wanted to exactly from the community of you know, mandatory and supplementary.

SPEAKER_02 36:27

Yeah, and I do think just from a a school perspective too, like it is important to know what you can't do, you know, to know what your limitations are and to be honest with that. And that that has been really helpful for us too. That um that that again, that's just been helpful for us to know what we're not able to do. Um, because then we know we're going to need to ask for additional help with that um in order for the child to succeed. So and this has been this has been a point of growth for us too. Like this um this is definitely an area where we've grown. We've learned a lot of you know hard lessons along the way. Um but this is sort of our best approach right now.

SPEAKER_00 37:07

So I'm gonna I I was gonna ask about observation, but I think we've covered that a lot. Move on to your community. Um, can you tell us a little bit? Because you had mentioned to me about the family investment model. Is it that is really amazing, unique thing.

SPEAKER_02 37:26

We can maybe manage to one other school that everything's similar but not quite the scene. Um so the family investment we talked about already, that current relationship as far as growth, um, and what where we see the child going. But this is that collaboration in providing and helping the school um grow financially with time, talent similar reflective to the church. Um the time of talent and treasure, um, what the church asks about us.

SPEAKER_01 37:56

Um, but we apply it to school in that model of where are we volunteering, um, where's that parent partnership um financially? Um, so it's still kind of something we've grown in and have worked through, um, but something we've been super committed to with the idea of modular accessibility.

SPEAKER_00 38:16

Yeah, I think that's beautiful. I and and how long has this been like ever since the beginning? Yeah. Okay. Yes. Well, so tell us a little bit about like how is it being received and how much it participation, engagement?

SPEAKER_02 38:31

I I'll say from the beginning, we were having our discussion as families being part of the co-op, now moving towards um establishing ourselves as a nonprofit in school. Um, it was a discussion right away, and it wasn't very much Jesus I trusted you. I I think this is where we're laughing because of our our main choice of just how much that has grown with us. Um, we did not know how much we moved into our our school divine works the cavity in the words of St. Austina, um, that Jesus I trusted has been definitely something that has carried us through this. Um, but just some amazing work that God has done um through the gifts of our family, through our benefactors, and just tremendous. Yeah, so it's definitely it was definitely a leap of face when we started in that same like founding moment when we had to look at who we wanted to be and ask ourselves that question. Um, special education was a big part of that, and accessibility for you know, regardless of a family's income, um, was also a big part of that. That um when we have such a great gift in a school that we want to share, you know, if no one can afford to go there, you know, then it's it's such a challenge. And um, and many families have um, you know, a lot of children and and things like that. So we we've recognized the families that were in front of us, and we knew that we wanted to create something a little bit more unique that would honor the families that we have. So we do have some families, you know, and it's not everyone gives in the same way, uh, but everyone gives. Everyone gives, everyone sacrifices. Um, so but it looks different for different families. Some families have more time to offer, like maybe there's one stay-at-home uh parent and they come and do recess duty every Monday or something like that. We have these parent partnerships that really work well because that often those families as parents really want to be involved in their children's education and they get to see, you know, they get to see their son or daughter um, you know, at recess. Uh, and it helps the school. Uh so in a very, very tangible way. Um, so we have those strong parent partnerships and the other end too. Um, we have some families who don't have a lot of time to give, but they do have treasure, they do have a financial contribution that they can give. Uh, so it really creates this um uh just cohesive, close-knit community where we're all really trusting um the community. Uh, so it does um we have had some hiccups along the way for sure, like anything. Um, so it's still something that we're refining, something that we're committed to, um, and it does make our school uh easy. Yeah, and it is such a young school. Like you mentioned, we just celebrated five years this year, so that was just amazing. Just two weeks is all we celebrated five years. Um, but it's definitely been something that I don't know, we've worked through. I know there's something I was gonna say was part of that, but oh, I think just seeing the answer to where Montessori has come. Um, you look at the Montessori Ruth and who she was, you know, teaching at the time. Um, and then it comes now, and there's a lot of monastery schools that are just not valuable. It's not a part of a lot of families' thought of being able to send their child to that school. It's just not affordable. Um, so this is kind of that answer to go back to Maria Montessori Ruth and be able to offer something so beautiful to more people.

SPEAKER_00 42:03

Oh, I love that. I I love so many things that you're doing. I am inspired by you. And five years, like, really like put your house. I've only been there for five years. No, you've been there for five years, and like that's a big, big deal because um, how many businesses shut down after the first year and don't ever make it to five years? You've been there, and if you've done five years, guess what? You can do five more. No problem. Because the hard part is over, right?

SPEAKER_02 42:44

Maybe. Maybe more important. No, it's great. It doesn't, it does, it definitely feels something is working. It feels affirming that something, something is working. It's not working perfectly because we're we are all human. I was just um, but something is working. We have parents are inspired, um, and the generosity shows. Uh so it's really like it.

SPEAKER_00 43:11

I I kind of think it is like the three-year cycles, right? We've got the three-year cycles for the human development. Well, we also have the three-year cycles for our community.

SPEAKER_02 43:22

I I often most recently have been thinking of just our organization and like this we are just really just like child and even just the little waves of growth that we've had. I mean, oh, this just makes so much sense.

unknown 43:36

You know.

SPEAKER_00 43:39

You know, just here we go. Well, ladies, I had such a great time talking with you. I just want to be mindful of the time. And I wanted I know that I'm gonna get a lot of people in the audience who wanna know where you are, how to get a hold of you. So can you like let our audience know like how to get a hold of you?

SPEAKER_02 43:57

Yeah, so we're just uh I don't know if we can

SPEAKER_01 44:00

But we're just outside of Manhattan, Wisconsin. Our website is www.designwrittenacademy WI.org. So you can reach out that way. And you can connect.

SPEAKER_00 44:13

Well, we'll go ahead and put all of that in the show notes so that hopefully we can so people who are interested can reach out to you. And I again I want to just say how inspiring it is to hear how you're honoring the dignity of the child by simply meeting them exactly where they are. Becca, Katie, thank you so much for the work you're doing at Divine Mercy Academy to ensure that a holistic education truly means an education for every child. If you'd like to learn more about their mission, you can visit their website, Divine Mercy Academy WI.org. And as always, if you're looking for more Montessorial resources or want to join our community at Waterfront Academy, visit us at waterfrontacademy.org. Thank you for listening to the Montessori Mindset. I'm Melissa Rohan and I will see you in the next episode.