Equity Statement
Mia Montessori’s Cultural Equity Commitment
Mia Montessori commits to championing policies and practices of cultural equity that empower a just, inclusive, equitable world to support a community of diverse and empowered citizen learners that care for themselves, each other, and the Earth. We are an inclusive school, rather than one exclusively for children with disabilities. Our commitment to providing an inclusive learning environment is achieved only through a culture of trust, collaboration and partnership with each family.
DEFINITION OF CULTURAL EQUITY
Cultural equity embodies the values, policies, and practices that ensure that all people—including but not limited to those who have been historically underrepresented based on race/ethnicity, age, diverse ability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, or religion—are represented in the development of policy; the support of children; the nurturing of accessible, thriving Montessori learning environments; and the fair distribution of programmatic, financial, and informational resources.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & AFFIRMATIONS
In Canada, systems of power grant privilege and access unequally such that inequity and injustice result, and that must be continuously addressed and changed.
Cultural equity is critical to effective education and nurturing children to become empowered and informed global citizens.
We must all hold ourselves accountable because acknowledging and challenging our inequities and working in partnership is how we will make change happen.
Everyone deserves equal access to an authentic Montessori education and the hope for a better tomorrow that it brings.
MODELING ACTION
To provide informed, authentic leadership for cultural equity, we strive to…
Pursue cultural consciousness throughout our organization through substantive learning and formal, transparent policies.
Acknowledge and dismantle any inequities within our policies, systems, programs, and services.
Commit time and resources towards diverse leadership within our board and faculty.
Work in partnership with families to achieve cultural equity at our school and provide a safe and nurturing environment for all our students.
FUELING PROGRESS
To pursue needed systemic change related to equity, we strive to…
Encourage substantive learning to build cultural consciousness and proliferate pro-equity policies and practices as an organization and within our classrooms.
Improve cultural leadership through organizational education and support the development of faculty that reflects the full breadth of society.
It’s no secret that children thrive in a Montessori environment. Montessori classrooms are fundamentally different from traditional ones. They are so unique in fact that it is hard to identify the differences that contribute to enabling children to thrive. We could write an entire book on this, but for now here are 5 key factors that contribute to your child’s success.