the project

educational project
Second Body Montessori is a bilingual (Spanish/English) school, offering innovative and quality education to children born in 2018 and older. The pure Montessori based curriculum offers children learning environments with mixed age groups, designed for the academic, social and emotional growth of each individual. Second Body Montessori’s unique approach to weaving learning opportunities with skills practice extends beyond the traditional work cycle, as project work takes on a new approach.
The educational project aims to create relevance and application using a variety of skills and expressions through the child’s experience of art, music, bodywork, sports, activism, and artisan and survival skills. Instead of block classes, children’s learning is nurtured in uninterrupted work periods, realizing relevant projects, utilizing and integrating their learning.
Children at Second Body Montessori engage in self-assessment, guided by their teacher’s observations and feedback. Students engage in weekly student check-ins and record their work in their student agenda, which moves them forward to become active participants in their daily work. Taking inspiration from the Scouts, Second Body students will work towards mastering skills that will prepare them for life, as well as for their lives as future citizens. Student success will be measured on how well the child knows her learning attitudes, how she challenges herself to grow, by knowing herself and by moving towards her own cosmic task.


quality and assurance
The path towards continual growth will be guided by critical feedback from students, families and staff. The school project will be accredited by Spain’s Ministry of Education, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and through consistent guidance and feedback from the Montessori community.
Additionally, we will seek Montessori school accreditation through the American Montessori Society, to ensure that we plant our school project and continue to grow in alignment with our values and pedagogy.
Children graduating from Second Body Montessori will qualify to continue in the Spanish school system or transfer to American or International schools. We will work closely with families to understand their needs and work towards preparing their children for education beyond their time at Second Body, whether that be traditional, public or private school systems.
location
The school is located in the center of Valencia, in a prime location that will allow students to access their city and foster community engagement. Second Body students will have cultural museums and community centers at their fingertips, promoting their full autonomy in “going-out”, a fundamental concept of Montessori Education. The school’s location allows students to engage in the cultural energy and historical traditions of Valencia. The school is accessible by public transportation, bike lane, and by car. We are minutes away from the Parque Río Turia which allows us to enjoy green, open air space.
Second Body Montessori School
Plaza Rodrigo Botet 6
46002 Valencia, Spain


School Identity
cosmic education
Cosmic Education is the driving force behind Montessori’s holistic approach to child education. Cosmic Education guides children forward in their innate abilities to self-construction – including curiosity, lifelong learning, interdependency with nature and society. Cosmic Education is the foundation for children to build love and respect for themselves and for others.
the second body community
”Your first body is your self. Your Second Body is another person who you look after as an extension of yourself.”
The school community is guided by the concept of the ‘second body system’, as described by Thich Nhat Hahn in his book, Happiness. It is a system that was developed in the Buddhist community, Plum Village. He explains, “your own body is your First Body, and someone else in the community is your Second Body. Your Second Body picks someone else to be her Second body and so on until you make a circle. In this way, everyone has someone to look after, and everyone is looked after by someone else.”
”Caring for our Second Body is a very concrete practice that reminds us to stay connected to each other and to realize how we are all truly parts of one body.”
At its core, Montessori’s Cosmic Education is based on interconnectedness. Montessori’s 5 great lessons are designed to spearhead all other learning beginning the elementary years, giving the child a greater concept of the universe, the Earth and all living beings. The academic lessons circle back to these 5 great lessons, instilling fundamental ideas of humanity’s gifts (intellect and will) and how those are connected to the formation of societies, the plant and animal kingdoms, and respect for Mother Earth. The Second Body Community concept is the school’s identity that is closely linked to the aim of Cosmic Education and the young citizens of our world that will grow to be the future of mankind.
”Everyone in the community has his Second Body. Thus, the person whom your Second Body is taking care of is your Third Body. Therefore, by taking care of your Second Body you are taking care of the whole community.”
This is the guiding principle behind the school community; practiced by children, families and staff. It is one of the measures of the school’s success.
peace education, activism and collaborative entrepreneurship
Preparing children for an uncertain future is something we embrace at Second Body Montessori. The world continues to change and evolve and our goal is to provide real and applicable opportunities to integrate core skills, preparing children for whatever their world will look like as they move into adulthood. Children organize their ideas and materialize projects influenced by peace education, equality, tolerance and change making initiatives. An education that gives children understanding through historical relevance, of social change over time, and important leaders who have led with peace. Children will explore what it means to be a leader, a collaborator and how to make decisions in their lives based on their understanding of peace. This is progressive Montessori Education.
Maria Montessori