Schools of Thought :: by mama

Even before we first arrived in Dhaka, I began hearing about St. Joseph's School.  I have a friend back in the States who had lived in Bangladesh for a time, and she told me about this boys' school where the children learn carpentry, and where many expats go to order custom furniture.  I was curious, and I even brought along pictures from catalogs of furniture I liked, but our apartment here was already furnished, and we really didn't need anything at all.

Then, last summer, I got the book How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way.  From what I've gathered, the Montessori philosophy strongly emphasizes independence and self-sufficiency in children, with the idea that a child who feels capable and competent will be more ready to learn.  Three-year-olds in Montessori classrooms are taught to help out with tasks from preparing meals (including cooking on the stove and using a knife) to cleaning up and doing all sorts of self-care activities. 

The book has lots of suggestions for ways to foster independence, many of which we put into practice right away. We hung towel hooks low enough in the bathroom so Kaya could hang up his own towels; we moved all of his plates, bowls, and cups down to a low shelf in the kitchen; we bought more stools for reaching sinks, shelves, and switches; and we made sure that his toys were organized in a way that was clear and manageable for him to clean up on his own.  Finally, we went to St. Joseph's and ordered a child-sized table, easel, and two chairs for Kaya's room.

As it turns out, St. Joseph's is a pretty fascinating place.  It's a trade school, so they have all sorts of workshops where they teach carpentry, electrical repair, machining, plumbing, welding, metal work, etc. to boys, who are age 14 and up.  About half of the students are local, and half are boarding students who come from all over Bangladesh.  The dormitory is this old, colonial-style building of the sort one sees only in Old Dhaka.  They have a big yard for the boys -- highly unusual in this overcrowded, densely populated city -- and a small pond.  They are also, as the name implies, a Catholic school, which is another unusual thing for this predominantly Muslim country.
 
 

We went to the school back in February with printouts of photos from the Internet, with dimensions for everything.  While they were examining the photos and coming up with an estimate, we walked around the school grounds.  Then we picked out our wood, paid a deposit, and were on our way.

:: Woodshop

:: Machining

:: The welding area

We went back a couple of months later, and all the furniture was ready.  Kaya was so excited about his furniture.  We brought it home, and he immediately set everything up just the way he wanted it, organizing all of his art supplies, filling the drawers, and sitting down to write and draw.  Prior to this, he would just spread out on the living room floor, which was not really ideal for him or for us.  Now, he sits at his table, where he can have everything at hand, and it all stays out of the way.

We are really happy with the way everything turned out.  It is the perfect combination of Montessori inspiration and trade school skill.  We are happy to have supported a school like St. Joseph's, and we already have ideas for more pieces to order from them.  But most of all, we are happy that Kaya now has a little space that is all his own for creating, imagining... and maybe eventually even doing a little homework.