Our Mission
REIMAGINE EDUCATION through Christian Montessori so all may LOVE, LEARN and LEAD!
Problem
Education comes from the Latin term “educare” which means to bring into the light. However, much of education is a dark and lifeless experience for the millions of children 18 years and younger. Stateside, the education model favors behavioralist-methods, with desks, homework, tests, and a cycle of boredom. Worldwide, there is a depravity of options and some of the most underserved populations are the most forgotten.
Solution
Children matter to Christ both on earth and for eternity. Because of our love for Christ, commitment to children, and passion about constructivism, we want to make Christian Montessori education available to as many children as possible – both stateside and worldwide.
Our Beliefs
We are in the Lord’s hands. He created us with His HANDS and loves each of us. He has written all our names in His Book of Life if we believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Jesus took children seriously and called them to Himself, placed His HAND on them and blessed them, and said the Kingdom of Heaven belonged to those who were like children.
True learning occurs when the child can do things for himself/herself and have the activities in HAND along with freedom and boundaries, and an open work cycle.
Parents are an essential part of education and should be encouraged, educated and embraced with a HAND-shake style partnership.
All of life is better HAND-IN-HAND, as parent to child, parent to instructor, instructor to child, child to child, parent to parent, and all to God.
Our Foundation
Hand In Hand Christian Montessori is a Judeo-Christian educational institution where we nurture the whole child through body, mind, and spirit.
Creation
According to
Genesis 1:1
Salvation & Sanctification
According to
Acts 4:12
Marriage & Sexuality
According to
Ephesians 5:31
Family
According to
Ephesians 5:31
Sacred Identity & Gender
According to
Genesis 1:27
Our Motto
We write on the hands and hearts of our children the truths of God’s Word and God’s World as we rise up, and lie down, as we talk and walk with them.
(Based on the Shema & Deut. 6:4-7)
HIHCM was gifted a Torah by Mr. and Mrs. Ken Larson at our 25th year celebration. Pictured with the Founder and Head of School, Michelle Lee Thompson, and Chaplain Rev. Michael Smith and his wife Sandi.
Our Christian Montessori Philosophy
Active Child
God has created all children uniquely with inquisitive, creative, inspiring natural bents. They move through development stages, called sensitive periods, in which particular learning is at its optimum level. We hold to the truth that God deeply loves all people and has a plan for each of our lives (Jeremiah 29:11).
Prepared Environment
For children, education can be a joyful process in a prepared environment of continuous learning, using proper educational tools that are hands-on and encouraging and self-correct. We believe in creating a cooperative classroom that is child-sized, safe, and sensorial-based that fosters respect, responsibility and resourcefulness. A Montessori-style classroom houses beautiful, natural materials of religious education, practical life, sensorial refinement, mathematics, language arts, natural science, history, geography and creative arts. Children respond differently to lessons because they are created uniquely by God (Psalm 139:14) and have special gifts (Romans 12:6).
Trained Guides
Hand In Hand’s purpose is to provide learners, infant to senior high, with a carefully prepared environments that are brought to life by equipped teachers, who serves as mentors and guides, and who have been trained in this work to help children learn for themselves. Our educational goal is to provide children with a positive, self-initiated learning environment emphasizing God’s unconditional love (Romans 8:38). We hope that this educational experience assists them in growing in holiness, discerning vocations, and preparing for a lifelong ministry for the greater glory of Christ and His Kingdom.
Authentic Faith
Hand In Hand actively disciples children by engaging passionate parents. We invite parents to participate in presentations and discussions related to children and families in a context of godly values and spiritual support (Titus 2:3-5). As advocates of the home, our mission is to strengthen families by educating parents in their role as their child’s first and most important teacher, nurturer, and role model (Proverbs 22:6). Parents of preschool, elementary, junior and senior high children who are intentional about continuing purposeful activities at home and/or in home education will feel supported with our educational philosophy and resources.
Discover Montessori’s Uniquely Christian Past
We share Dr. Maria Montessori’s dream…
That millions of children enter into a hands-on, individual, nurturing place with trained Christian Guides who will inspire them to love, learn and lead. In 1910, Dr. Maria Montessori dedicated herself to the work with young children and said, “I offer myself as a [sacrifice] to Jesus Christ, our Lord, desiring to follow the path of his divine will.”
E.M. Standings, her close friend and confidant challenged: “those who have read [this vow] and appreciate its contents would join in praying for the intention that Almighty God, in his love and wisdom, would raise up some individual or group of individuals, who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, would found such an order – which would in fact be…the Children of Light.”