A new season brings a new lesson to learn

Last week I was given this book to read: "A Tohunga's natural world. Plants, gardening and food", by Paul Moon. A Tohunga is a Maori person who is an expert in traditional lore or skilled in a traditional activity. A book on traditional plants, gardening, cultivation, foods and medicines of the natural Maori world. I have just finished reading chapter one.

Everything has a mauri. All the plants, the soil, everything ... People, we all have mauri... A garden has its own mauri. Gardens don't happen - you make them happen...

- A Tohunga's natural world by Paul Moon

This is one of the important concepts of gardening that are important for Maori. After reading these words I think about the mauri of our garden at Tawa Montessori and the purpose of our garden and what we do to strengthen the mauri, and all those other things to do with the garden. Trying to understand its mauri, trying to get a feel for what it is and how strong it is, makes me think very deeply and ask myself the question what is the essence of our garden at preschool? I don't have the answer, yet. But I know that the garden will tell me, in time to come.

Each plant has mana ... What this means is that you have to treat plants with respect ...So really, if you want a good garden, you have to give the plants everything you can and show respect for their mana. ... and make sure that they are treated like I would treat any other living thing... Whatever you do to the land, you do to yourself. So the issue of how you treat the land is really about self-respect. What that means is that you have to respect yourself before you are able to respect the land.

- A Tohunga's natural world by Paul Moon

Talking about connection. This really inspires me to work harder on connecting our children with all living things in our garden. After the winter months, with the warmer weather and longer days upon us, this is the perfect time to reflect, and rethink, and to listen to our garden. To be be able to listen, to be ready to listen, we have to practice to clear our minds, we have to focus on what we see around us, then we can be ready to learn.

What better way to start with the children then with a quiet walk through our garden. At this time of the year, when the birds are singing in the morning at dawn, the fruit trees are in full blossom and the first butterflies are carefully fluttering around, it doesn't take much to notice the mana in our garden. Spring, new life, really is here. And our first lesson this season will be to learn to listen ...

Little Earth Montessori has gone Live

The last three weeks have been hectic, to say the least. After receiving the key of our brand new build enviro preschool Little Earth in Kapiti, we had two days to make the premises ready for license compliance certification. In two days, we had to transform a complete empty building into a fully functioning preschool. But we did it. Thanks to many involved.

On the 31st of August, 2009, Maria Montessori's birthday, we passed the Ministry of Education licensing inspection, a major achievement. But there was more to come. That evening, just before sunset, the Kaumatua performed a Whakanoa, a blessing ceremony.

Before the building of our new preschool started, the Kaumatua blessed the ground and placed Mauri, life force. A Kete, containing blessed stones from the local river, representing each Iwi; Ngati Toa, Raukawe and Te Ati Awa, was placed in a central point, making it a sacred place during the building process. The Whakanoa, the blessing taking place when the building is finished, is to remove the barriers from sacredness and to make it a safe place for the children, to make it warm and comfortable. Karanga, ceremonial call, called the land and ancestors and called for the safety of the children and the teachers who will use the building. It was a beautiful ceremony that touched the hearts of those who were present.

We now had one more week to officially enrol the children, arrange pre-entrance visits, set up our administration, programme planning and management systems, and to arrange the classrooms. In other words, to get completely ready.

On the 7th of September we opened our doors to the first children, who eagerly soaked up the new, beautiful environment. Another opening ceremony took place one week ago, on the 9th of September 2009, by her Worship Jenny Rowan, the Mayor of Kapiti.

We are proud of our beautiful premises. The rammed earth walls, untreated timber, low voc coverings, natural light and ventilation, sandstone pavers, and use of many more natural renewable resources, has created a healthy environment, a living place with a soul, for our children and teachers to learn and teach.

We are now ready to embark on our next journey. We have a vision of a naturalised outdoor environment that functions as an outdoor classroom, a place where children can explore and discover the intrigue miracles of nature, a place where children can nurture their sense of wonder, and a place where children can connect with nature. The field of grass we currently have will be transformed into a natural heaven. Watch this space as we embark on our new journey.