The Montessori Message

The Montessori Message

Monthly Archives: May 2018

Who wouldn’t want to teach?

31 Thursday May 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Teachers

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teachers, thank a teacher

Lynda and GakThere was a time, and maybe it’s even still true in some cases, that people envied teachers. They wanted their schedules… The holiday and summer breaks, the sweet hours – school’s over at 3! And, how hard is it to teach a bunch of little (or big) kids? If you are aware of current events in the news, you know that time may have passed.

Teachers know what most don’t. It is a tough job. To be fair, some teachers have a harder job than others. Some of us teach in schools where children come to school ready to learn and are supported by families in every possible way. Others teach in under-served areas where they are not only trying to teach, but also helping to meet children’s most basic needs. No matter where we teach, the job is one that requires great dedication, tremendous effort and hours well beyond those idealized by the general population. Continue reading →

What do you know?

24 Thursday May 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning

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Tags

applied learning, deeper learning, knowledge, learning, memorization, progress, standardized testing

DOK Levels
As another school year ends, thoughts naturally turn to student progress. What have the students learned this year? What should be practiced over the summer? Are they prepared for the next grade level?

The answer to many such questions depends on the goal. Grades don’t really tell a story, nor does standardized testing. Is the goal memorization, acquisition of a skill, critical thinking, or extending thinking and applying learning to new situations? Learning begins with recall or memorization. Whether learning to ride a bike or read a book, you begin by memorizing the parts of the desired action or outcome. However, most learning has to go deeper in order to be meaningful. Learning has to have an application. Deep learning is applied to other situations and allows for creative and extended thinking.

Tests are given to assess knowledge. What they typically measure is memorization. Think back to a test you took in school, maybe in a subject that you didn’t like or was hard for you. Do you recall much about that subject? Did that information stay with you? Probably not. If you are lucky, you had a good enough memory to pass the test and move on… and you wanted to move on!

Now think about something you really wanted to learn. When were you finished learning? When did you decide you had enough? My guess is that you still aren’t done and are continually learning about a subject that interests you. Not only are you still learning – you are well beyond the memorization or summarization phase of learning. You are probably applying the knowledge you’ve gained to other situations, asking questions to further consider the ideas and in new contexts.

Progress is measured by an individual’s learning. What has your child learned this year?

Change

21 Monday May 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Wilmington Montessori School

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change, education, graduation, school, travel

butterfly change.png

I have done quite a bit of traveling over the past few months – nothing exotic, but each trip was a visit to a different part of the country. Some places I have seen before and others were new to me. I did some of the traveling alone and others with a co-worker or family member. Each place I visited held different experiences. When traveling, most of us expect a “different” experience or a change from our everyday routines and experiences.

As we return from a trip, we settle back into our homes and expect a return to our typical routine; it is comfortable. We are not seeking change or looking for new experiences. We do not look forward to something different happening each day; we mostly follow the same routine. This is often true of our work lives as well. We want the predictability of each work day and do not necessarily want anything to change.

However, we all know that sometimes change is necessary. Our world is changing faster than ever before. We need to adapt and change with it. It is often more comfortable to maintain the systems and routines that we have followed than to seek new ones. This is the time of year in the life of schools when things change. Students move up to the next grade or graduate to attend their next school. As the school year ends, there is the anticipation of all that summer brings. There are also questions about the future and what the next year may bring.

Change. It happens whether we are ready or not. How do you respond to change?

All Are Welcome

10 Thursday May 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Montessori Education

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grace and courtesy, kindness, Maria Montessori, montessori, montessori method, prepared environment, social curriculum, welcoming

“What is social life if not the solving of social problems, behaving properly and pursuing aims acceptable to all?  [It is not] sitting side by side and hearing someone else talk…”
– Dr. Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

20170517_WMS_082.jpgOne of the things that mattered most to my mother was welcoming others to her home. She set the stage for people to enter, relax and enjoy their time there, whether the visit was for a few minutes, hours or days. Hospitality was the order of the day. The same could be said of Maria Montessori. The cornerstones of her method are a prepared and inviting environment with grace and courtesy extended to all who enter.

I have had many occasions throughout my life to consider hospitality or preparing a welcoming environment and treating others with grace and courtesy. Sounds simple, and it can be if it is taught and expected. Most people can rise to expectations if they are clearly established and followed by all. It is a tall order, to be sure, but one that we each need to give and want to receive. Continue reading →

Poem in Your Pocket Day Inspires Joyful Learning

03 Thursday May 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning, Wilmington Montessori School

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inspiration, joy, joyful learning, National Poetry Month, poem in your pocket, poetry

IMG_7629Last year at around this time, National Poetry Month led to an impromptu celebration of Poem in Your Pocket Day. Students throughout the school were encouraged to share a poem, listen to poems and revel in the delight that is poetry. Many adults consider poems inaccessible and may have some less than favorable memories from their own school experiences related to poetry. However, when the purpose is to delight in a poem, the words carefully chosen and arranged in poetic fashion, smiles and joy prevail.

This year, for this particular day, one student woke at 2 a.m. to write poems in celebration of the day ahead. Now, that may not necessary be a desired outcome in your house, but sleeplessness aside, isn’t that unbridled enthusiasm something every school wants to inspire? As she delivered her poems and read them to the delighted recipients, it was clear that this day, a day that isn’t noted on our school calendar and doesn’t require anything from anyone other than to share a poem, meant a great deal to this child. And, as we embark on one of the busiest times of year in the school year cycle, I hope you find inspiration in the joy that is learning.

 

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