Making money is a central aspect of the final stage of Montessori education at the secondary 12-18 age level during which time the adolescent’s path to independence focuses primarily on mastery of the environment through the attainment of economic independence in society. The adolescent ultimately confronts the opportunity to master the conditions of scarcity within which adult society traditionally has functioned.
Conditions of Scarcity
Adult society traditionally has been dominated by conditions of scarcity as reflected by massive hunger, poverty, unemployment, crime, repression, fear and violence. Although these conditions seem to invalidate and deter any possibility of genuine economic independence, effective engagement with such conditions is possible through realization of the individual’s unique creative intention which is independent of all circumstances.
Created Reality
Mastery of the environment requires a recognition that conditions of scarcity represent a reality created in the past from within the individual. This created reality appears to persist through continued untruthful communication with regard to the source and cause of such reality. An individual can achieve independence and mastery of reality and the environment through realizing and expressing his creative abilities.
Money in Education
Making money in education is the process of realizing mastery of the environment through the completion of a full cycle of created reality; nothing – interest – idea -work – acknowledgement. Receiving money is the final acknowledgement of successful completion of a self-generated, creative effort which has contributed tangible value to others.
Money in Montessori
Montessori schools which operate within conditions of scarcity cannot fully realize their responsibility and opportunity with respect to communication of economic independence to children. Inadequate, low teacher salaries, special fundraising efforts and economic resources from outside normal school functioning, and leaving of experienced teachers from the field for greater economic gain elsewhere reflect an inadequate realization of economic independence within Montessori education.
Appropriate Adaptation
An effective Montessori school realizes its full economic independence through an appropriate adaptation to its circumstances through truthful communication whose aim is financial satisfaction for all parties associated with the school. In this regard, Montessori schools have an opportunity to confront inadequate financial operation through truthful communication among parents, teachers, students, and administrators with respect to salaries, budget and tuition. Effective engagement with detrimental financial conditions acknowledges that reality is created from within the individual and subject to the individual’s creative intention. Such confrontation creates a new condition of abundance within which effective school operation is now possible.
Large Opportunities
The magnitude of the detrimental conditions facing an individual measures the size of the opportunity to realize the ability to master such circumstances. Ability to master such conditions in teachers, parents and administrators can be realized and effectively communicated to children. Notably, this communication is vital to the 12-18 year old adolescent seeking complete economic independence and mastery of the environment through the process of making money.
Originally published in 1981 in Vol. 2, No. 5 issue of The Montessori Observer