Tags
elementary, engaged learners, engagement, following the child, gallup poll, high school, learning, middle school, preschool
Recently, I came across a Gallup poll, polling students in grades 5 through 12 about their level of engagement in school. The poll measured hope, engagement and well-being of nearly 500,000 students from more than 1,700 public schools in 37 states. The poll found that nearly 8 out of 10 elementary students who participated in the poll are engaged in school. That number dramatically decreases the longer students are in school, with only 4 out of 10 high-school students stating they are engaged in school. The data suggests that the longer students stay in school, the less engaged they become.
Educators, both in and out of the classroom, are constantly striving to learn how to best serve the students they encounter each day. The best teachers and schools are continually wondering what they can do better, even when things are going well. They are lifelong learners as individuals and as institutions. School is never finished.
Interestingly, the high-school students who said they were engaged in their learning report that high school feels much like their elementary school. As a Montessori school, one of the things we pride ourselves in is student engagement. Students want to come to school. They can’t wait to see what the day holds for them. They engage not only with the teachers and students, they engage with the classroom materials, the environment, the ideas, lessons and the broader community. They yearn for more. And if a student doesn’t have this eagerness for learning, solutions are sought. What is the child excited about? What do they spend their time doing outside of school? How can we serve that student in ways that may be unique for him? What can we do to help them more and what can we do better?
Students come to us from a variety of situations. Schools are set up to help students gain knowledge, understanding and skills that will serve them throughout their lives. To think that simply imparting content will engage and interest them is a mistake. Students are just like adults in that they have interests, curiosities and are continually trying to make sense of their world. They enter school at a young age with hope and fascination as doors are unlocked for them. Our job – no matter the educational setting from preschool through college – is to help them find the keys.
At Wilmington Montessori School, we take pride in the quality of the education we offer at all levels. Following the Montessori Method allows us to establish classroom practices that support exploration and learning for all children. The prepared environment is set up for children to succeed. They are gradually introduced to each item on the shelves and how they are used. The social environment is safe and welcoming; children learn to care for each other through positive interactions as well as the predictable challenges that occur while building relationships and sharing spaces. 
One of the best things about sending your child to a Montessori school is the social curriculum that is embedded in every aspect of the day. Whether children are playing together, sitting on circle to greet one another, working on an assignment or choosing what work to do, our classrooms are filled with what Maria Montessori called grace and courtesy – teaching children to be kind, caring and work together. When my son entered his first Montessori classroom, I was struck by the courteous manner of not only each adult I encountered but also by the children. They greeted classroom visitors in a polite manner. They interacted with each other, noting differences but also embracing them. Yes, they may have also been a bit mischievous at times, but they also respected and cared for one another. 
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