CPMS celebrates 18 years of Montessori’s inclusive education advocacy

MANDAUE CITY – The Children’s Paradise Montessori School (CPMS) in Canduman, Mandaue City marked its 18^th year founding anniversary, calling it the CPMS Debut to signify the school’s coming out in the world having founded a strong adherence to the Montessori method of education with inclusion as its continuing advocacy.

CPMS president, Marivic Bathan explained that the school decided to celebrate its 18th anniversary because it’s time for them to show the world the school’s thrust of providing quality education for all, including children with special needs.

Bathan said, the CPMS Debut with the theme “Spark Joy! GRIT Together,” was held on January 28 at the school’s premises which featured performances that celebrated the school’s past, present and the future.

“We felt that “Grit” was the experience of what we had just to get through the pandemic and give us an opportunity to really thrive. Our 18 years were really about growing together, reconnecting, igniting and more reason for us to exist and thrive together,” she explained.

She noted the need for an antidote to the school’s pandemic experience that affected the mental health of everyone due to sadness, loneliness and disconnection. “Our intention is that 2023 is about creating opportunities and moments of joy,” she added.

Bathan bared that GRIT, on the other hand is an acronym for Grow, Reconnect, Ignite and Thrive.  It symbolizes CPMS’s experience at the height of pandemic; the transition that is the present and moving forward which is the future.

GRIT is popularized by author Angela Duckworth who wrote the book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.  

Bathan recalled that they highlighted this during an international training organized for Montessori schools all over the world, which drew the participation of more than 100 Montessori teachers, administrators and medical professionals.

CPMS has strong foundation on the Montessori education method

According to Bathan, Dr. Maria Montessori developed the Montessori Method in the early 1900s when she was appointed co-director of a training institute for special education teachers. The Montessori method was a combination of educational and medical components.   

She pointed out that CPMS is going back to the advocacy of Dr. Montessori with the education component combined with medical part and intervention.

“CPMS is unique in its effective Montessori inclusion model.  It’s a system we have put together which includes integrating children of different needs. The school opened its doors to children with different needs, giving them various interventions so they can be integrated in a bigger society,” Bathan said.

CPMS hired six occupational therapists and two speech and language pathologists and is also considering the promotion of its adult training program.  The school has encouraged parents of the students to participate in a series of workshops which aims to help parents create an environment at home that nurture and help children realize their potentials, she bared. (Photos: MBCNewman)

“Our direction is we want to become an intentional learning community with one of our thrust to promote adult training program.  The school is looking at the possibility of expanding the program to include parents, educators and medical professionals outside the school community,” Bathan said.

The school is also doing community projects in partnership with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. by providing workshops on special education for child development workers or teachers.  Eventually, the school’s goal is to become a center of excellence in 2025, when it celebrates its 20th anniversary, she revealed.