Tag Archives: parents

Oh, what fun!

22 Thursday Feb 2018

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

Heather Siple-writing museum-013.JPGSchools are interesting places. When I was in school, students remained many steps removed from the adults in the community. A distance was set by the adults, and it was not crossed. Not so today. Research shows time and again that building relationships between teachers, families and students is the best way to support learning.

Last week, I spent time in a number of classrooms. I raced children on a typing app, seeing who was the fastest typist. Phew! It was so much fun! Then I had the chance to work individually with a student, administering an assessment and sharing reading. I joined a current events discussion, listening to students’ ideas about the happenings in our world. Later that same day, I was invited to participate in a hands-on “museum” of writing. Children used various communication tools to write: a typewriter, feather pen and ink, small letter tiles, clay and stamps. They experienced the communication of yesterday and loved the experience. All of this happened, and it wasn’t even lunch time!

At Wilmington Montessori School, relationships are at our foundation. No matter the age of the students, they are building connections with each other and the adults in our community on a daily basis. These relationships are the foundation of what motivates students to learn more, encourage others and wonder about possibilities. What connections have you built today?

The Power of Observation

22 Thursday Sep 2016

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

observing-blogObservation is a key component of Montessori education. As part of a Montessori teacher’s training, she is taught how to be a thoughtful observer. Teachers are given lessons on how to allow the space for observing students during the school day, and in those observations, much is revealed. Watching children go about their work, play, interactions and lessons helps a teacher more fully understand the students in her classroom. Through these regular periods of observation, teachers are able to determine which lessons need to be reinforced and the next steps in each child’s path of academic and social growth. Continue reading →

Progress

11 Thursday Feb 2016

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

ProgressAt Wilmington Montessori School, we have just sent out a new progress report and are in the process of conducting conferences with parents. As we worked to help parents understand the new format of the reports and think about the reasons for including each element on the report, I have been thinking about progress. Now, you may be nothing like me in this way, but in my life I have progressed and regressed many, many times – probably more times than I would like to consider. Interestingly, as we observe children and their growth, we look for and yearn for steady progress with few, if any, bumps along the way. Is this realistic?

Children grow in predictable ways. We know they generally triple their weight in the first year of their lives. They walk between 9 and 15 months of age. And, they begin to talk sometime before they are 2 years old. There are exceptions and there are children who follow these trajectories like clockwork. The same is true for their learning.

Each child in our school is unique, although they are all children of a certain age and are predictably learning in their own unpredictable ways. We recognize the standard patterns of growth and development as well as those that may be a bit less typical. We pride ourselves on being able to match lessons to the students’ needs; we don’t give lessons just to meet curricular or teacher needs. We very much want all of our students to learn at the pace that suits them best and to learn what they are ready to learn when they are ready to learn. Just as some of us run faster than others, we learn things at different rates.

Learning is a recursive process. Progress will be made in fits and starts. The way to ensure that children will want to learn more and will find the wonder in learning is to be keenly aware of who they are and how they learn, then wait for the moment to dangle the carrot that entices them to go further than we might have imagined. They most definitely won’t always progress in a straight line and they will have bumps along the way, but they, and you, will be glad they had the opportunity to do it their way with the appropriate support, opportunities and encouragement.

Here we go Steelers

14 Thursday Jan 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized, Wilmington Montessori School

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

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.