I was invited, with a few weeks notice, to visit a school in Uzbekistan to support their idea of adopting authentic Montessori education into their community. I said yes, of course!
But what is most interesting isn’t that I got to travel to Uzbekistan, but rather, why this organization invited me to begin with, along with what they were hoping to learn from our work in S. Louis.
At Chesterfield Montessori School, we aim to embody Montessori in Every Moment ℠, demonstrating Dr. Montessori’s vision for peace through Prepared Environments, Prepared Adults and Peaceful Relationships. Our community of families and staff represents more than 30 countries, over 20 languages and a wide variety of learning styles, perspectives and life experiences.
Over the past year, our staff worked together to define how we support this unique ecosystem and intentionally recognize the unique gifts of every single child, family and staff member.
We agreed as a school on a set of Employee and Community Commitments, which serve as reassurance that our community operates under a shared promise to invest deeply in relationships and truly seek to understand one another. We acknowledge that everyone makes mistakes, and we view those moments as opportunities to help each other grow.
What Sparked the International Visit
Algorismus School in Tashkent, Uzbekistan has been eager to learn more about authentic Montessori methods and implement them at their own institution. But, when the founder of the Uzbekistan school, Azizbek Ruzimaxammatovich, made a trip to St. Louis and received a tour of CMS, he was moved by something more than the academic rigor at CMS.
Azizbek appreciated the school’s track record of alumni success, our network of international diversity, the commitment to authentic Montessori, and the way children engage with learning materials and each other with Grace & Courtesy. He invited me to Uzbekistan to directly support their quest of becoming an Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) school.
This was not an invitation I expected — and I’m so delighted I agreed to go.
As a former Soviet republic, Uzbekistan became an independent country in 1991, but the region’s history spans thousands of years and an array of cultures. Their cities were important stops along the ancient Silk Roads, where goods, ideas and languages were exchanged for centuries. The country celebrates its heritage as a center of intellectual inquiry, particularly in the fields of mathematics, astronomy and medicine. Some of the most beautiful Islamic architecture in the world can be found in its mosques, madrasas and mausoleums.
Uzbek hospitality is legendary; I found its people warm and its food delicious. It is a wonderful place to visit and I hope to go back.
A Growing Global Legacy
At the end of my trip, our two schools signed a memorandum of understanding to explore ways to support each other, including having CMS host future Algorismus teachers who are pursuing AMI training for student teaching in the US.
Students will have pen pal opportunities that will allow Algorismus students to practice English, while enterprising CMS students may practice Uzbek or Russian! We are also exploring having CMS teachers travel over the summer to offer English-speaking camp courses in Uzbekistan.
My trip made national news in Uzbekistan! We are proud to be recognized around the world as a model of Dr. Montessori’s vision. It is a powerful reminder that connection can spark across thousands of miles and deep language barriers
when a shared vision for peace and human potential unites us.
