Alumni Story: Lynda Court’s Legacy

Lynda Court’s four children were part of MMC during the 1980s – now her grandchildren are following in those footsteps.

When Lynda Court was considering which school would be best for her children, she visited a lot of kindergartens and classrooms. When her brother and sister-in-law suggested Lynda consider the Montessori school attended by their own children, Linda decided to investigate that option, too.

“My brother and sister-in-law sent their children to Melbourne Montessori College in Caulfield and recommended it very highly,” says Lynda.

“It looked very different then – it was located in an old house and I remember a gorgeous playground that looked like a huge backyard with lots of places for children to explore. I loved the outdoor environment that had been created – it wasn’t full of asphalt like other school playgrounds.

“A lot of other places I visited were also very busy – they had lots of things on the wall and they were faster-paced and overloaded the senses. I liked the slower pace of Montessori and the fact that the process of inquiry and learning was valued in and of itself. I still believe that quieter approach to early learning is valuable.”

Lynda’s children all joined Melbourne Montessori College in Cycle 1 and spent varying lengths of time at the school. Her daughter, Hannah’s, two children now attend the school, too.

“I see my grandchildren engaging with the Montessori materials and equipment just as my children did. The self-directed learning is still evident and so is the philosophy of treating each child as an individual, and of children learning to respect each other,” says Lynda.

“When my children joined Melbourne Montessori College, I hoped the school would develop a love of learning and an excitement about learning and it did. I see that excitement in my grandchildren, now, too.

“When I collect them from school and ask them what they’ve done that day they’ll tell me how they’ve learned about the skeleton of a horse, or how they made a volcano as part of their science lesson. I remember my own children doing that same experiment and it was just as big a deal for them, too!”

Through her grandchildren, Lynda remains part of the school community and volunteers her time whenever she is asked.

“I enjoyed being part of the parent community years ago. We did classroom jobs once a term back then – jobs that probably don’t exist anymore, like taking home the tea towels to wash once a month,” laughs Lynda.

“I go to events and as part of the Jewish community, last year I helped cook potato pancakes or latkes Hanukkah. Then we spoke to the children about why we eat potato pancakes at that time and we talked about the meaning of Hanukkah. The children loved it and it was good to see them learning and enjoying the pancakes.”

While the school has been renovated and updated and is barely recognisable from the days when Lynda was a parent, she says the relaxed atmosphere and welcoming community remain unchanged.

“The teachers are still just as passionate about the Montessori method and they instil good values and ethics,” she says.

“When I wait outside the school at the end of the day to pick up my grandchildren, I watch the parents arrive and it’s wonderful to see such a diverse parent group. You can sense how much the children have an ownership of the school and enjoy being there. There is great trust between students, teachers and families.”