The Montessori Message

The Montessori Message

Tag Archives: education

The Key to Success

04 Thursday May 2017

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning, Mindset, Teachers

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challenge, challenges, connections, education, escape room, schools, teachers

You’ve seen them and perhaps entered one; escape rooms are a current fad. They have popped up everywhere. I’ve had fun in two different rooms in two different states. In the first room, there were six of us, and we worked for the entire hour to locate and use the clues and find a hidden time machine. The clock ticked. We ran around the room, giving orders, taking orders, sitting down to think, wiping our foreheads in frustration. It was hard – a lot harder than we anticipated. We worked hard for the full 60 minutes… At 59:59, we unlocked yet another door and were sure we were there, on the verge of discovering the answer to the problem. When they opened the room, that idea was quickly shattered; we had only made it through about two thirds of the maze. Really? The second room was a similar experience. Six of us worked together to find a key needed to solve the mystery. The clock ticked, clues were provided and, again, time ran out. Continue reading →

What do we need to know?

06 Thursday Apr 2017

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning, Montessori Education, Wilmington Montessori School

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curiosity, education, learning, lifelong learning, montessori, questions, standards

What do students need to succeed in school and in life? That is a question that educators have struggled with since societies began offering education to its citizens. Most of us wouldn’t argue with the idea that we all need to read, write and know basic math skills. After that it gets a bit muddier. What content must be “covered” to ensure an educated populace?

If you take a moment to consider your own education, what you loved about it, what you absorbed at the time, and what you quickly forgot and relearned later in life, you will begin to understand the limitations of a singular attempt at becoming an educated person. We have all learned a body of facts about history, geography, varying sciences and more. How many of those facts do you recall? Of those you remember, why do you suppose they are easily recalled? If you happen to have loved learning about Greek mythology as a child, chances are you held onto that information and have added to it throughout your life. If you were not interested in it, the opposite may have occurred; you remembered what was needed for a report or a test, forgot most of it and can perhaps pull up one or two facts years later.

There are national standards for education in all disciplines. Schools and educators throughout our country use those standards to determine what to teach and at what age or grade they should be included in the curriculum. What standards don’t address is how to ignite the interest, curiosity and passion of the children who are the intended learners. Education is much more than sharing facts. Attending school means so much more than being presented information. It is the place where we are inspired by ideas, current and past, by questions that ignite a curiosity and passion to seek answers, and by educators who are learners themselves. It’s imperative that those who call themselves teachers continue to be learners. None of us will ever learn all that is to be learned. Each of us has the capacity to continue to seek knowledge, to ask questions and to ignite curiosity in ourselves and others. Learning for life is preparation for the future and is the best standard we can set for students in our schools.

Powerful Learning

04 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning, Teachers

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authenticity, education, emotional connection, learning, naisslte, powerful learning, Rita Pierson, teachers, trust

types-of-relationships-between-teachers-and-students-9-638The first day of school is just around the corner. Children are preparing for a new school year, already missing the more relaxed days of summer yet eager for what lies ahead. Teachers are doing the same. Many have spent the summer months reading, learning and adding to their toolbox. All of us are learning all of the time. Some of the lessons we learn last for a moment, others a lifetime.

While attending a workshop this summer, I had the opportunity to explore the idea of powerful learning.  A simple exercise gave each participant the chance to share a story about power learning – an experience during which the participant learned something of value that has stayed with him or her. As we reflected on each of our experiences, a few common characteristics became evident. In order for powerful learning to take place, trust, authenticity and a deep emotional connection have to be present. Some stories were shared that were a bit painful – unpleasant even – and the “student” entered the learning experience kicking and screaming. They weren’t necessarily eager to learn. However, when it became clear that the mentor or teacher was their ally in helping them move toward a new level or new understanding, they learned the lesson, expanded their knowledge and moved to the next plane. This was true whether the learning was about school, sports, hobbies or life lessons. It didn’t matter.

We all went to school. We all had good, bad and mediocre experiences while there. We all had gifted and talented teachers and others who were just OK. We know the difference. No matter the school, no matter the teacher, no matter the student, we know what it means to learn. We know how we felt and can recall the emotions present at that time. Education does not have a beginning nor an end. Learning takes place all of the time; the conditions must be right. As we get ready for another year of school, it is critical to take the time to prepare the environment, consider the children entering our classrooms and get to know each of them. These are the tools needed to build trust and connections – the tools of powerful learning.

Peace Education

30 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by Lisa Lalama in making a difference, Montessori Education, Parenting

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education, Fred Rogers, Maria Montessori, montessori, Montessori education, Mr Rogers, orlando shootings, peace, peace education, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

Peace Day 2015 - 29“Education is the best weapon for peace.”
– 
Maria Montessori

 

As we continue to hear more about the shootings in Orlando and other acts of violence in our world, we question how this is possible and why it happened. We also struggle with how to talk to children about such atrocities. Many parents work hard to shield their children from these violent events. Sometimes, despite the best intentions, they learn about them anyway. This week I was reminded of the quote from Fred Rogers, of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.

This shifts the focus from the aggressor or attacker to the fact that people are helpers. We want to help. We want to do something meaningful to contribute to those who are suffering.  We yearn for peace. A strong tenet of Montessori education is the peace curriculum. It must be taught each day if children are to grow into adults who promote peace and continue to care for our world and each other.

Endings and Beginnings

16 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Montessori Education, Teachers, Wilmington Montessori School

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alumni, education, graduation, journey, montessori, moving on, thank you, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

Graduation 3.JPGGraduation day has passed. Speeches were given, hands were shaken and accomplishments celebrated. No matter the age, graduation is a time of reflection, a time to look forward and back. At WMS, we celebrated the graduation of the sixth-graders. Tears flowed freely; smiles beamed broadly. The same children who couldn’t wait to be free and leave school, moving on to larger and potentially greener pastures were also sobbing inconsolably. At the same time I attended my niece’s high-school graduation. She loved her high-school experience, participating in every event she could from sports, to forensics, to band. She embraced the experience, and…she’s happy to be moving on. And, a cousin’s child graduated from a Montessori preschool in North Carolina, moving on to first grade next year in a different school. He’s ready to move on to new adventures, though he has no idea what that really means.

Graduation is bittersweet. The very things a graduating students can’t wait to escape are those they remember fondly. The teacher who was “mean” or “not cool” gets kinder and cooler once a student graduates. As you know if you’ve ever left a place or experience you’ve come to outgrow  – whether a school, a job or a group of another kind – it’s nice to move on and sad at the same time. It’s another stage in one’s life, which is met with discomfort and excitement, much as the leaving is met with sadness and expectation.

This time of year is a nice time to say thank you to those experiences you are moving from and look eagerly to those that await you. It’s time to recognize your growth and await the lessons you will learn as you move on. Whatever your next steps are, this is a time of year to take a moment and consider where you’ve been and what lies ahead. Enjoy the journey.

Frank Smith and the Book of Learning

02 Thursday Jun 2016

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

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education, hands-on learning, learning, Maria Montessori, montessori, Montessori education, teachers, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

In one of the blogs I routinely follow, I came across The Book of Learning and Forgetting by Frank Smith. Wow! His premise is that there are two views of learning: classic and official. The classic view of learning states:

We learn from people around us with whom we identify. We can’t help learning from them and we learn without knowing that we are learning…Just about all the important knowledge we have about our personal worlds, and the skills we have developed to navigate through these worlds, are a direct result of learning the classic way.

He acknowledges that learning is a social process that occurs naturally through collaborative activities, much as it is in a Montessori classroom. Learning is allowed to happen and it happens for each of us on a bit of a different timeline and path. We work together and learn from each other. It is how we acquire language, understand systems and, if we are lucky, how we learn in school.

Whereas the official view of learning purports:  

It is a theory that learning is work, and that anything that can be learned provided sufficient effort is expended and sufficient control enforced. The theory has gained supreme power in educational systems from kindergarten to university. It has become so pervasive that many people can’t imagine an alternative to it.

TIMG_2730he challenge with the official view of learning is that it encourages forgetting. It does not depend on the situation or the process. It simply states that if you work harder you can learn anything. It all depends on effort; if you don’t learn, it’s because you didn’t put forth the effort.

Just reading these two definitions alone is thought-provoking. How do you learn? When did you learn something others thought was incredibly challenging, but you managed to not only learn it but enjoy it? When did you “have to” learn something easy that just kept eluding you no matter how hard you tried? These are universal experiences. If we’re learning to learn and remember and use the information we’ve been taught, we must do it in the classic way. We need multiple ways for learning to occur. When I’m trying to recall something I’ve learned, I can visualize the information and perhaps recall the words or experience attached to the learning. I do not, however, memorize, which is an official link to learning. The things I’ve memorized for tests or other situations are soon forgotten unless they are used each and every day and in a variety of situations. The official way of learning doesn’t promote learning. It promotes immediate recall, if you are lucky.

Frank Smith’s book is yet another reason to pause and reflect on the learning that happens in a true Montessori classroom. Children are learning from everyone and everything in their environment. Dr. Montessori knew how to engage children in learning and to entice them to ask questions and want more. She knew that learning is a social process and that children must interact with the materials, the adults and each other. She understood the possibilities that existed in presenting the world to a child and then set out to do it. Dr. Montessori prompts us all to learn and to remember.

Maria Montessori: Trendsetter

26 Thursday May 2016

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning, Montessori Education, Wilmington Montessori School

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21st-century, 21st-century skills, communication, critical thinking, education, fashion, hands-on learning, innovation, leadership, Maria Montessori, montessori, Montessori education, teachers, teamwork, tomorrow's leaders, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

blog - maria Montessori
Blog - Montessori Fashion

What do fashion and a WMS education have in common? On the face nothing. Yes, we have some nice T-shirts in our school store and the design is changed once in awhile, but you may have noted that we are not in the fashion business. However, Montessori education is a bit like fashion in that we set trends. We also adapt and change, remaining relevant in an ever-changing world…just like fashion.

There are buzzwords in every field; education is no different. The interesting thing about the latest buzz in education is that it centers on words and ideas such as innovation, flexible thinking, social skills, leadership, collaboration, communication skills, critical thinking, teamwork, creativity, time management, organization and more. Most, if not all, of these words – and practices – have been a part of Montessori education for well over 100 years, reminding us of the adage, “What is old is new again.” Continue reading →

Authentic Montessori

19 Thursday May 2016

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

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authentic Montessori, classroom, education, environment, faux Montessori, Maria Montessori, montessori, Montessori education, montessori materials, pedagogy, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

_DSC6093Dr.  Maria Montessori developed an educational pedagogy that has now entered mainstream education. More people have heard of Montessori education than ever before; many think they know what it means. It’s not that every school has adopted the Montessori philosophy or name. Instead, what many schools have done is take her lessons and adapted them to suit their environment – it’s kind of like selling a Calvin Kline instead of Calvin Klein. Education is an open system, meaning that what happens in schools is not top secret. We all know what schools are designed to do…educate children. What many people do not know is how to do it effectively. So, ideas are taken and incorporated into existing systems where they may or may not take flight. Continue reading →

The Evolution of Technology

03 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Wilmington Montessori School

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education, innovation, PETE&C, Pete2016, technology, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

DSC_1801
Do you remember when computers took up entire rooms? When information was input using punch cards? Computers were initially developed for industrial and governmental needs and have evolved to be used by everyone for varying purposes. Where would you be without your device(s)? Technology, however, began tens of thousands of years ago with the earliest humans on the planet. People used it to move rocks and build wonders like the Great Pyramids and the Coliseum. They developed technology in order to meet their needs and improve their lives. Continue reading →

What do you want to learn?

25 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning, Montessori Education, Research, Teachers, Wilmington Montessori School

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21st-century, arts integration, connections, education, engaged learners, engagement, geography, hands-on learning, Maria Montessori, math, mathematics, montessori, Montessori education, motivation, quilting, research, sewing, teachers, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

sewingfinal.JPGTake a moment to think about something in your life you really really wanted to learn. Now think about how you went about learning it. Who was involved? Who or what helped you? Who or what stood in your way? How did you overcome those obstacles? Why did you keep trying in the face of difficulties? Continue reading →

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