Monthly Archives: July 2015

Finding a Community of Learners

26 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by in Learning, Montessori Education, Wilmington Montessori School

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This TED Talk shares New York Times bestselling author John Green’s struggles with school, his love of learning and his suggestion that perhaps learning today looks different than ours did when we were in school. He speaks of his attendance at a new school as a sophomore in high school:

“And all at once I became a learner. And I became a learner because I found myself in a community of learners. I found myself surrounded by people who celebrated intellectualism and engagements, and who thought that my oh-so-cool disengagement wasn’t clever or funny, but, like it was a simple and unspectacular response to very complicated and compelling problems. And I started to learn, because learning was cool.”

At WMS our students don’t have to wait to locate their community of learners. They are surrounded by them. John Green’s talk reminds us of what is important, what feeds our curiosity, our intellect and ignites our passions.

Breadth vs. Depth

23 Thursday Jul 2015

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montessori's first great lesson
In reading this article about education, I was reminded of the tension between providing a breadth of knowledge and a depth of knowledge in our schools. At first glance, I went to my default which is that children need to have the opportunity to delve deeply into an area of interest; they need time to explore all aspects of a subject of interest, not just an introduction to a topic. I then recalled conversations with colleagues whose stance is that we have an obligation to teach a wide range of knowledge so as to create a well-informed educated populace. As I pondered these two ideas I again recognized Maria Montessori’s brilliance. Continue reading →

Motivating Learners

13 Monday Jul 2015

Posted by in Learning, Montessori Education, Teachers, Wilmington Montessori School

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scienceisawesome
Many of us never “take a break” from learning. We continue to ask questions, wonder and play with ideas. For others, it can be more challenging to engage in learning. The questions that they ask might be more along the lines of, “How or when will I use this?” or “Why do I need to know this?” or “Will it be on the test?” All of these questions and the questions that every learner asks have to do with motivation. What motivates us to learn and what keeps us engaged in the learning process?

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Expectations

05 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by in Mindset, Montessori Education, Wilmington Montessori School

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Free the Child's PotentialI was reading Seth Godin’s blog the other day and this post reminded me of what we work toward each day at Wilmington Montessori School. It is all about expectations. We all have them and if we are fortunate we have someone or something that pushes us to meet the expectations before us… not because they are being demanding but because they know we can and will meet the expectations. We are capable. At times when we are unsure, those around us aren’t. They support us and guide us and move us closer toward our best selves.

As Seth Godin says: “If we can help just one person refuse to accept false limits, we’ve made a contribution. If we can give people the education, the tools and the access they need to reach their goals, we’ve made a difference. And if we can help erase the systemic stories, traditions and policies that push entire groups of people to insist on less, we’ve changed the world.”

Summer – A Time for Renewal

02 Thursday Jul 2015

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Summer is a time that school children everywhere look forward to – a time to relax, play and take part in new experiences. The same can be said for the adults in our community.

This summer has begun with an increased feeling of freedom for many of us. It has also begun with opportunities to learn and grow. In the past three weeks, we have had more than 10 staff members attend a variety of professional development workshops. Of course, each workshop has a focus. We will learn skills that help us enhance our classroom community, refine our teaching practice, understand the benefits and challenges of independent school education, network with fellow Delawareans in the nonprofit sector and more. However, what the brochures and websites for these events doesn’t tell us is that we will be re-energized and reinvigorated as a result of attending. We will leave these workshops with ideas that came from talking to other participants. We will begin to wonder anew about how to accomplish our goals. We will sit back, take in the information, participate in the dialogue and reflect… on our school, ourselves, our past and our potential.

Summer is a time for renewal. It gives us the space to wonder and learn, to hit refresh, and move forward with energy and enthusiasm.