Welcome to Tapestry Talk! This series highlights thought leaders and experts in Parenting, Education, and Mental Health Services, aiming to provide valuable insights and education to nurture intentional, purpose-led, and authentic children who will one day lead fulfilling and impactful lives. We are thrilled to feature Jamie Coppa, who embodies the ethos and mission of The Mindset Tapestry. Let’s dive into our conversation!
Tapestry Talk: Thank you for joining us! To start, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what drives your passions?
Jamie: Phew! Okay. I consider myself a multi-passionate individual that has a strong desire to help others, create community, and share my gifts through my Montessori children’s work, my music and singing, sound healing, and other areas of wellness.
Tapestry Talk: Let’s talk about The Well. What inspired its creation, and what kinds of classes and services do you offer?
Jamie: The Well is a space I created that aims to provide a landing place for families, and more specifically mothers looking to find their community, step out and into this new chapter and find quality, holistic minded offerings that support children in their development. I also offer sound healing and other wellness services as this space is in essence, a place to do the things I love and share that with the community. We offer Montessori playgroups, music classes, open plays, feeding-based therapy classes, occupational therapy, all types of yoga from prenatal to children’s, and wellness events and workshops for adults.
Tapestry Talk: Can you share some insights from your experience as a Montessori teacher and your journey with Lily Montessori?
Jamie: My journey as a director of Lily Montessori non-profit and founder of The Well has been filled with all the expected aspects of start-ups. Initially, I was brought into the Lily Montessori project prior to its launch in March of 2019 to sort of shadow and serve as a right hand to the director and that quickly became a co-directorship and subsequent directorship. I think as with any project, there’s someone holding a vision and others who are tasked with bringing it to life. I had a tough choice to make in whether to keep the project going and carry forth the initial vision of Lily, or pivot and take all that I had learned to create a space that was more closely aligned with my core values and the needs of the community. The Well was created to put the best of what I had learned together with an extensive amount of new offerings to support and resource families whilst building community around my passions and interests.
Tapestry Talk: Why do you believe the Montessori method is so beneficial for child development?
Jamie: My experience in learning and applying the Montessori method to my work with young children is nothing short of magical. You have to see it or experience it for yourself to witness the value and self-esteem of the children who are able to follow their intrinsic interest and skill-build in such an intentional environment. I think the highlight for me is seeing how eager the children are to “do their work”. I think we are still barely touching the surface of how these first several years of life shape and impact each of us human beings and the ways that we relate to others, trust, and grow into the world around us. I feel very confident that the warm mornings and afternoons spent at The Well, in our Montessori playgroups and in Montessori environments around the world are leaving a beautiful and lasting impression deep within the psyche of the next generation.
Tapestry Talk: What are some mental health practices you find essential, and how do these rituals influence your work with children?
Jamie: We are all taking in so much information these days about best practices and the latest wellness trends, but I believe the ability to sit with ourselves in the midst of all that is, to process our day and be with ourselves, is fundamental to our well-being. I think sound and breath are two ways to access the spaciousness that lies just beneath all of our thoughts, anxiety, to-dos, experiences, and so on. In our classroom, we take frequent breaks for “balloon breaths” and other breath and sound meditation practices to cultivate this awareness for children. I believe it’s never too young to support them in co-regulation and especially important for the big emotions that accompany those years of life.
Tapestry Talk: What core beliefs guide your work and approach?
Jamie: My core belief is that humans are inherently good and that both the humans in our lives and our physical environments shape us and mold us to create a baseline for our perception. I believe humans are capable of great change if they pair their will with courage, gratitude, and a consistent effort to support their own potential. I think the world and, more specifically, our local communities need more people willing to invest in one another for a greater good. I believe that the good we do has much less to do with accolades and most to do with the reverberation of our good deeds to create ripples of change.
Tapestry Talk: Looking ahead, what is your greatest hope for future generations?
Jamie: My hope is that children learn to trust their own inner wisdom and move away from the endless information of this time. That they are able to own their unique skills and come together to make the necessary change for a better world.
Tapestry Talk: What do you enjoy most about what you do?
Jamie: I think the smiling faces and the genuine love and thanks from the families who come through is one of the best parts of my job.
Tapestry Talk: Finally, what do you appreciate about The Mindset Tapestry?
Jamie: The Mindset Tapestry is such a beautiful tool for children to cultivate their self-esteem and find a strong sense of self. We regularly use it in our classes and camps to promote positive self-image and share its powerful message.
Thank you again, Jamie, for sharing your insights and experiences with us. Your dedication to holistic child development and community building is truly inspiring!