Moments of Belonging: A Partnership from Day One
Moments of Belonging: A Partnership from Day One
This story is part of Childpeace Montessori School’s 50th Anniversary Stories of Belonging Project. Throughout this year, we are highlighting moments that demonstrate what it means for Childpeace students, parents, faculty, and alums to belong to themselves, to others, and to their community. Each memory shared helps us honor five decades of Montessori education in Portland.
Follow this link to share a story of your own!
When Vanessa Nitibhon’s daughter, Gemma, was 3 years old, she was already the "Mayor" of her local daycare. She knew everyone’s water bottle, every classmate’s schedule, and exactly where every stray stuffed animal belonged. But when the family moved Gemma to Childpeace in the middle of 2022, her social confidence faced a new challenge: a brand-new environment where she was no longer at the center of her familiar world.
"The transition was hard," Vanessa recalls. "But from that first difficult moment, the guides were our partners. They didn't just tell us what to do. They strategized with us on what worked best for Gemma. It felt like we were in a partnership from day one."
Following the Dinosaur
If there is one thing to know about Gemma, it’s that she doesn’t just "like" dinosaurs — she investigates them. It’s a passion that began at age 1 and hasn’t let up since. At Childpeace, instead of being told to put the prehistoric books away to focus on "school work," Gemma’s guides used her passion as the key to unlock the rest of the world.
"They incorporated her interests into everything, including reading, math, history, and geography," says Vanessa. "When they did maps of the continents, Gemma wasn’t just learning shapes, but she was researching exactly where specific dinosaurs were found. It kept her completely engaged."
This personalized approach to belonging — where a child’s inner world is respected and integrated into their education — is a hallmark of the Childpeace experience. Because the guides invest so much time in observing who Gemma is as an individual, they are able to pivot and adapt the environment to meet her exactly where she is. This deep level of intentionality ensures that as Gemma grows and her needs change, her education evolves right alongside her.
Little Feet, Big Goals
Now 6 years old, Gemma’s interests have expanded to include dragons and tsunamis, but her approach remains the same: deep, unadulterated research. She can tell you exactly why the
Utah Raptor is superior to the
Velociraptor (size-wise, the movies got it wrong, she’ll point out) and is currently co-authoring a research project on tsunamis with a classmate.
For Vanessa, the most profound "moment of belonging" isn't a single event, but the trust that has developed between her family and the school.
"I can pick her up at the end of the day, and we can just have quality time. We go ice skating or to the library, and I don't have to worry about worksheets or homework," Vanessa says. "I trust the school. I know she’s getting everything she needs there, which makes our lives at home so much fuller."
As Childpeace celebrates its 50th year, the school’s mission is reflected in Gemma’s career goals — all at the age of 6.
"What I hope she carries with her from Childpeace is that pure love of learning. She’s already connecting her big goals to the work she’s doing today," Vanessa says. "She told me, 'If I’m going to make a career of researching dinosaurs, I have to know how to do research.' She knows she belongs in those big conversations because Childpeace has always made space for her."
