Monthly Archives: January 2016

Martin Luther King Jr. and Education

28 Thursday Jan 2016

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MLK on EducationThis is the time of year when many Americans honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Last weekend I had the pleasure – yes pleasure – of visiting Eastern State Penitentiary and attending a reading of Letters from a Birmingham Jail, written by Dr. King, in April 1963. Later that week, this article was published in the Washington Post.

Those of you who have read any of Dr. King’s work or have watched him speak know his messages are calls to action delivered in a most compelling manner. The article by Valerie Strauss shared excerpts from speeches and writing about education by Dr. King, most of which are new to me. Continue reading →

The Whole and its Parts

21 Thursday Jan 2016

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Montessori quote - teacher universe
I was recently reminded of how important it is to know the “whole” and not simply its discrete parts. A fraction only makes sense when you know the whole. If offered a chance to participate in a 50-50 raffle and 10 people are putting in $1 each, many people would not join in because they can only win $4 more than they contributed. However, if 1,000 people are putting in $1, more may take a chance because they have the opportunity to win more money, even though the odds of them winning are actually lower.

The same is true in school. We live in an age when information inundates us; it is literally at our fingertips. How do we determine what children should know? How do we decide what to teach or how their time in school is structured? We could continue to do what schools did when we were young, and that is what most schools do. Or, we could look at the whole and work together with children to learn about the parts that make up that whole.

Maria Montessori said the teacher and the child must first learn to love and understand the universe. That seems like a daunting task, for the universe is enormous and multifaceted. However, learning about the universe and its enormity helps us begin to understand ourselves in context, or how we make up a part of the whole, for each of us is a critical part of the world in which we live.

It is wonderful to work alongside children who are looking at the world and realizing its vastness while simultaneously recognizing that children throughout the world are a part of the same world, a fractional part of the whole. They recognize the ways in which they are the same and embrace the differences working to fit all of it into the puzzle of the whole world. When children have the opportunity to ask questions, delve deeply into something that matters to them, manipulate ideas and wonder “what if,” they are learning. Through this discovery, they recognize their part and that they matter. One drop of water is a minuscule amount. Many drops taken together sustain life. Our children make up the whole that will create and form our future. Recognizing the importance of the whole world and not just their tiny corner matters.

Here we go Steelers

14 Thursday Jan 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized, Wilmington Montessori School

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steelersI am a huge…unbelievably huge…fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I grew up in the days of the Steel Curtain, when Terry Bradshaw was a star quarterback and not a game day commentator, when the original immaculate reception occurred and the Terrible Towel  was first waved. There are those readers who may think less of me for my love of the Steeler Nation and those who may join me. All I know is that for my family, friends, school and town the Steelers were, and continue to be, all important.

When I find myself in situations in which football is the center of the conversation, I am proud of my home team and eager to say I support them. Even when things aren’t going as well as I would like (and after I’ve yelled at them from the safety of my home) or when a new player comes on board who just isn’t doing his job, I continue to be their fan and want them to do the best they can to win the game, the playoff, the Super Bowl. And I might add that they’ve won the most Super Bowls of any team in history. But I digress.

What does this have to do with education? With WMS? With children? What does it mean to be a part of our team? Who is our team?

We are team WMS. We are proud to be a part of such a wonderful school doing such remarkable things. This past week students and parents were invited into our Elementary Maker Studio for a Maker Morning. Those who visited learned about circuits and programming and drawing and creating. Parents were happy to be a part of their child’s school experience, and their children were delighted to share their world. At the same time, parents work hard to support the school through the parent co-op, baking for and running  our events, making copies, working in our gardens, helping out in the classrooms, and cheerfully asking what is needed and how they might help. Parents ask thoughtful questions that serve to make us better.

We are a team and are all a critical part of WMS. Each and every one of us is important. Without each other we cannot do what we do best – support children in their growth and learning. We don’t need a Steel Curtain or a star quarterback because each one of us is the glue that keeps our team together and helps our school thrive.

Thank you for being a part of WMS.

Reading, Writing and… More

07 Thursday Jan 2016

Posted by in Learning, Research, Wilmington Montessori School

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“Reading and writing should be the floor, not the ceiling.”
– Yong Zhao

Room 19 - Dioramas 2The past two weeks have brought time to reflect and catch up on some reading. As I’ve done so, I was moved by the statement above. Yong Zhao is the Presidential Chair and Director of the Institute for Global and Online Education in the College of Education at the University of Oregon. I heard Dr. Zhao speak at a Learning and the Brain Conference a few years ago and have been captivated by his thinking ever since. He is not only entertaining; he also understands the challenges our students will face in a rapidly changing world.

“Reading and writing should be the floor, not the ceiling.” Reading and writing are the basis of an educated populace; our goal is that all of our citizens are able to read and write. That is not the end game. If it were, how would we compete in a world market? How would we inspire our students to create and innovate? It is not enough to read and write and, I might add, to compute numbers. We need these skills to be able to do so much more.

As we begin 2016 and I consider the goals of students at Wilmington Montessori School and at every school, what I know is that the children are at the center of what we do and why we are here. Children are eager to learn, to ask questions, and to play with materials and ideas. They are naturally curious and willing to try and try again. They are thrilled when they unlock the squiggly lines that make up the words they learn to read and write. They can’t get enough.

Our responsibility is to keep that wonder alive. We must create a strong and sturdy foundation of those skills in order for them to apply them to increasingly challenging and interesting work. We cannot simply pat ourselves on the back when we can prove through test scores or other measures that our children can read and write. We must challenge ourselves to do more. The “more” is creating an atmosphere where learning is valued and everyone is a learner. That is what we strive for each day and each new year at WMS.

Learning is at our core, and learning is not defined by a grade, an age or an ability. It is defined by the very children in our midst. What is it that each child needs to remain engaged and inspired and wanting more? That is the question we ask ourselves each day as we greet the children at WMS.