Monthly Archives: January 2015

21st-Century Skills (Part 3)

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by in community service, making a difference, Montessori Education, Wilmington Montessori School

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This post is part of a series on 21st-century skills and how Wilmington Montessori School students are prepared in these areas, starting from an early age. View the introductory post.

Meerkat Theatre15Perseverance, self-direction, planning, self-discipline, adaptability, and initiative

Leadership, teamwork, collaboration, cooperation

This week, the 21st-century skills of self-direction, planning, leadership and teamwork were in the forefront of my mind as I attended the Eagle Scout ceremony for Wilmington Montessori School alumnus Nathaniel Ruhl. This young man has accomplished what few others do in achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. What makes it even more remarkable is that he is 15 years old; most young men who have this as a goal hope to accomplish it in their 18th year. Nathaniel worked hard to make this happen well before then.

As you may know, Nathaniel and his team worked to repair the Meerkat Theatre, the stage and seating in our woods, and to mark the trail leading to the stage. He proposed this project to us last winter and spent a great deal of time working behind the scenes to prepare for the workdays that ensued. Nathaniel moved from a “follower to a leader,” which is a stated goal of obtaining the rank of Eagle. He learned how to manage a team, collaborate with his mentors and leaders and make this project happen. Continue reading →

21st-Century Skills (Part 2)

15 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by in community service, Learning, making a difference, Montessori Education, Wilmington Montessori School

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This post is part of a series on 21st-century skills and how Wilmington Montessori School students are prepared in these areas, starting from an early age. View the introductory post.

Critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, analysis, interpretation, synthesizing information

6th graders 003

The skills of critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning and synthesizing information are crucial when considering a 21st-century education. Interestingly, Dr. Maria Montessori considered these skills to be an integral part of every child’s education in the last century and they persist today. “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed” is one of Maria Montessori’s most often quoted phrases. Students at WMS practice these skills from the youngest age to the oldest. They have ample opportunity to try, learn and try again. They are setting the foundation for future learning and entering the workforce as they become adults. Continue reading →

21st-Century Skills (Part 1)

15 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by in Learning, Montessori Education, Research, STEM, Wilmington Montessori School

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3-6 Maker Faires19Education is all abuzz around 21st-century skills. What are they? Will children have them in place when they graduate? Will they lead to gainful employment? What can I expect to see in my child’s classroom where 21st-century skills are part of the learning?

The next several blog entries will focus on Wilmington Montessori School and 21st-century learning. We hear that term bandied about and agree that we all want children to be well prepared to enter the workforce when they complete their education. We even agree on some language around what those skills may be. However, what we know is that many schools are waiting to prepare students until they are older, even as old as college age. That is much too late. In order to build on these multi-faceted skills, a strong foundation needs to be put into place as early as possible. And where is the best place to begin educating children at such an early age? Nowhere but a Montessori environment, and specifically WMS.