Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Celebrates a six-year partnership with Montessori Group
May 2021We are delighted to announce the start of an exciting six-year partnership with the Montessori Group. Through the great vision of Maria Montessori, they have led the way in a highly valued holistic approach to children’s education from an early age complimenting the Roots & Shoots values of educating, inspiring and taking action to create a better future for our planet.The partnership started two years ago but today we are announcing a new six year partnership from 2021.Despite the uncertainty of the last 15 months, our partnership has gone from strength to strength, culminating this week in an exciting awards event that was the first time twinned with our member schools in the UAE.Also, as 2021 marks Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots 30th Anniversary, there is much to celebrate.Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots began in 1991 with sixteen Tanzanian High School students.Today, it is a global network of young people of all ages who become involved in hands-on projects of their choosing, for their local community, for animals and for the environment.Roots & Shoots groups are now in nearly 65 countries, with members from pre-school through to university, and an increasing number of adults. It is estimated that there are 150,000 groups around the world.Dr Montessori understood the importance of taking children outside into their natural environment. When the child is outside, all their senses are stimulated. Surrounded by the big outdoors, children can explore by touching, seeing, hearing, and when safe, even tasting.Montessori is the world’s largest global education movement, inspired by Dr Maria Montessori in the early 1900s. It offers a unique child-centred approach to education, used and acclaimed throughout the world. Maria Montessori was one of the most important early years educators of the 20th century, the innovator of classroom practices and ideas which have had a profound influence on the education of young children.Given such synergy between her vision and Dr Jane Goodall’s, a continued longer-term partnership between JGI and the Montessori Group is a perfect fit.“I am very excited about our long-term partnership with the Montessori Group’s charity – Montessori St Nicholas. Our philosophy fits beautifully into successful Montessori teaching practices, which celebrate the ‘holistic’ approach of young people as a whole being interconnected with our planet and the world around them. I look forward to spreading our message to the Montessori community to reach more youngsters in all walks of life through their dedicated network of students, teachers, and families.” Dr Jane Goodall“We are very excited this year to be extending our partnership with Montessori, not just in the UK, but through the exciting development of our Twinning Programme with our members in the UAE. We very much look forward to working with them to bring the concept of ‘holistic’ education both in and out of the classroom, to create better global citizens of the future”. – Tara Golshan, Executive Director, Education“I can think of no better way to celebrate 30 years of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots Programme than by making a long term commitment to continue to work together. Our shared vision of empowering children and young people to implement practical positive change for people, animals and the environment, will be even more effective by our continued long term collaboration.” Geeta Sidhu-Robb, Chair of Montessori St NicholasThe individual efforts of thousands of youth are making monumental change. With an overall theme of learning to live in peace and harmony with animals, the environment and each other they learn to respect others and break down barriers between nations, religions, cultures, old and young, rich and poor, and between humans and the natural world. And they understand that every individual has a role to play and makes a difference every day.We have a great selection of Montessori resources, that we hope all you educators will find helpful.
