Tag Archives: learners

Growing & Learning

20 Thursday Feb 2020

Posted by in Learning, learning environment, Teachers

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

One of the first things educators learn about in their quest to become teachers is the zone of proximal development – the “just right” conditions for learning to take place. Just like Goldilocks, if something is too easy or too hard, a student is not likely to fully engage in learning. It’s only when it’s “just right” and the student needs some guidance to achieve his or her goals that the student becomes curious, interested and most able to accept a learning challenge.  Continue reading →

Who are the teachers?

20 Thursday Jun 2019

Posted by in Learning, learning environment, Montessori Education, Wilmington Montessori School

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

IMG_2291

In education today, there is a common understanding that the best environments promote learning among everyone in the school. We are all learners and we all benefit from being with each other. Wisdom comes in all shapes, sizes and ages. In a Montessori classroom, you can be sure that is true.

Montessori classrooms typically have a lead teacher or guide and an assistant teacher. Both are responsible for keeping things humming along. They differ in their responsibilities, but each has the training and knowledge to help the children learn. Montessori classrooms have other teachers as well – the students. In Montessori multi-age classrooms, children learn from other students. The student helping another is learning to do more than help; he or she is learning more deeply. Teaching strengthens knowledge of the teacher, whether the teacher is a child or adult. Asking students to help others who are younger or less experienced is a surefire way to benefit both students.

We often hear that schools are filled with learners, and lifelong learning is certainly recognized as a core value in many schools. Empowering students to share their knowledge and allowing them to lead the way is the best way to promote a dynamic learning environment.

Hard Work

07 Monday Jan 2019

Posted by in Learning, learning environment, Montessori Education, Teachers

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

IMG_3200Most of us think working harder will produce better, different and desired outcomes. This may work when trying to learn to ride a bike or clean a room, but it may not. There is something to be said for hard work. It is the stuff the American dream is made of. However, it can also be said that some things that are easy for one person may be quite challenging for another. If you pay attention, you will notice this everywhere you look.

Most adults drive a car, typically learning it as a rite of passage of their teenage years. Some people are better at it than others. There is much more to driving than learning how to turn the car on, put it in gear and operate the various switches. For instance, figuring out where to look, how to make sharp turns, and how often to monitor the mirrors and cars around you matters… a lot. These skills may be intuitive or not. They may require lots of practice, which may or may not lead to substantive improvement. We all know those drivers who just aren’t as attentive, careful or skilled when we see them on the road. Continue reading →

What don’t you know?

19 Thursday Jul 2018

Posted by in Learning, Montessori Education, Teachers

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

DSC_3417Most of us prefer knowing to not knowing. We derive a degree of comfort in knowing and understanding things. The unfamiliar brings about feelings of uncertainty and maybe even doubt in our ability to navigate a situation or endeavor.

Summertime means traveling for many people. Familiar destinations bring back fond memories while new places can bring a sense of discovery and anticipation along with feelings of uncertainty. You may not know what to expect or what is expected of you. In a new coffee shop, a new city or country, how do things work? How do I navigate the rules of that particular destination? Even something as simple as knowing whether you can seat yourself at a restaurant or have to wait for someone to seat you can cause confusion. Continue reading →

Redefining School

07 Thursday Sep 2017

Posted by in Learning

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

sheep-brains-1.jpg

As another school year begins, it makes me think more about the purpose school serves in our lives and in societies throughout the world. Most everyone reading this post has attended school and knows what that means to them personally. If asked, would we all have the same definition of school? Does it have the same meaning for a 2-year-old as a 12- or 20-year-old? Does it serve the same purpose for us no matter our age or station in life? What do we expect from school?

Many would define school as the brick-and-mortar building where children go to learn. It houses children who are educated so that they may contribute to society as they grow older. School is a place, and what is supposed to happen there is learning. This limited definition of school assumes that students of any age will learn what they need to learn in this space and in a specifically allocated amount of time. It assumes we are all able to meet mandated goals in the same way and along the same trajectory.  Continue reading →

St. Patrick’s Day (and the teacher in all of us)

17 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by in Teachers, Wilmington Montessori School

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

chuck and friends.JPGLast week I was at the American Montessori Society’s national conference in Chicago. It is an opportunity for Montessori educators from around the globe to come together and share best practices, learn from experts in the field and reconnect in order to further Montessori education when they return to their schools. It also happened to coincide with the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Chicago. This wasn’t intentional, I’m sure, but an interesting coincidence. As the saying goes, everyone has a bit of Irish in them on Saint Paddy’s Day.

At WMS, we have our own leprechaun. He came to WMS a couple of years ago and has added so much to the school. Some know him as our Facilities Manager, others note his friendly year-round smile and twinkle in his eye, and simply smile back. But on this day for the past two years, he is a leprechaun. He greets students, staff and families and welcomes them on this magical day. He visits classrooms and gives the children an opportunity to ask him about the origins of his costume, his Irish heritage and his “real job” at the school. Although he frequently states that he is not a teacher, he is that and more.

Our staff, parents, grandparents, and countless others teach us all each day. We learn from each other and we work together to create the finest school community you can find. You see, though some of us have the title of “teacher,” all of us are dedicated to teaching and learning. We remind each other that our goal is to support our students, which means learning from them as well as teaching them. We are learners. We support each other no matter our role or job description. More than anything, this is what schools need to be.