The Montessori Message

The Montessori Message

Tag Archives: school

The Discomfort of Growth

08 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

choices, discomfort, growth, learning, personal growth, professional development, professional growth, school

Heather Siple-roaming 12-4_003.JPG

I made the decision to take an online class this summer. It was a carefully considered choice, one which would push me personally and professionally, and one that I knew would lead to growth in both of those areas of my life. I did not fully think about my discomfort with much of the class – the format, getting to know new teammates each week, and considering ideas that are far from my everyday experience at work or at play. 

As I write this, I am exactly halfway through the course. I have met people I would never have met otherwise. I’ve entertained ideas about subjects I’d never heard of or read about. I was asked to consider questions and reveal aspects of myself that I typically hold on to tightly. It has been a great experience and a scary one as well. 

As I reflected on this class and all that it entailed so far, I was reminded of what we ask of students each day. We ask them to be uncomfortable without fail, and often without giving them the choice to avoid this discomfort. We ask them to work with others who they don’t know, don’t like or who we know won’t contribute fully to the group experience. We ask them to speak up, listen well, be creative, get along with others at all times, and do a good job no matter the subject or their interest in the work. We ask them to be superhuman. Most of us, as adults, would not take on that challenge. Most of us would try to negotiate another way to do things or ask for assistance at every turn. Some of us might even opt out of an experience if it did not have some comfort and familiarity built in. 

There are things we do each day that allow us to have choices, and some things we simply have to do. Children must attend school. Time in school can be spent in a variety of ways that involve student choice along with the “have tos.” How do we want students to spend their time in school and recall their days in school in the future? Will they remember the learning, challenges and enjoyment, or the intense discomfort and unknowns? Balance is the key to building the strength needed to learn and grow.

Do You Want to Learn?

14 Thursday Feb 2019

Posted by Lisa Lalama in 21st century learning, Learning, learning environment, Montessori Education, Schools of the Future

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

creativity, engaged learners, engagement, freedom, independence, learning environment, maira kalman, montessori, school, standardization, Wynton Marsalis

If you want to learn something, I can’t stop you. If you don’t want to learn it, I cannot teach you.

– Wynton Marsalis

Heather Siple-First Day-Rm19-1As I listened to this podcast about creativity, I not only learned a great deal about the lives of a variety of people we would all consider to be creative in very different ways, I was inspired to apply these ideas and experiences to education and children’s school experiences.

At the same time, in talking to a teacher who was attending classes to become a certified Montessori teacher, she shared the idea presented that small class sizes can be detrimental to the idea of children gaining independence. The thinking is that in order to become independent, make the best decisions and learn from mistakes, it is important to have freedom. Children need freedom from adults watching every move they make. They need space for experimentation, for creativity to allow growth in ways they can’t experience if all they know is the “right” way to do things and the rewards are established by someone else, either a person or institution. We need to establish environments that allow students to set their own goals and assess their progress using criteria that continue to evolve through various iterations of a project or assignment. If we don’t allow for this process, students will struggle to become independent and make decisions throughout life. Continue reading →

Making Learning “Just Right”

08 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in 21st century learning, Learning, Montessori Education, Research, Wilmington Montessori School

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

brain, factory model of education, individualized learning, learning styles, school, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

brain based learningSeveral years ago, two friends and I led a two-week summer camp. The theme was the brain and how it works. We focused our efforts on offering activities that would allow campers to give a thumbs up or thumbs down to a variety of experiences. The goal was for them to discover what they find easy or enjoying doing, as well what they find hard or uninteresting. We all participated in activities that were easy, just right, or difficult.

Much of school is about just that. Easy. Just right. Difficult. One person’s experience is not the same as another’s, and yet schools persist in trying to make everyone’s experience the same – a factory model applied to individuals. Factories don’t exist to fit the individual; their purpose is to create conformity and uniformity. That simply doesn’t work in schools. It isn’t an effective way to learn. I may need more time to conduct an experiment or read a book but less time solving a math problem or applying logic to a given situation. We are each individuals, and many of us didn’t learn much about our learning style until we were out of school. If we were successful in school, there could be many reasons but one reason for many is that we simply knew how to “do school.” We understood the way school worked, could manage to meet most requirements with relative ease and fit into the mold. Some of us did not have that luxury. Instead, we may have struggled with things that others found easy; we may have not understood how to meet the mark and succeed in school. But, once we found something we loved to do, we figured that out, no matter how hard it was.

Many schools, like Wilmington Montessori, are trying to do things differently. We are looking for that “just right” level of instruction for every student, not just a select few. We strive to be responsive to the needs of the children in their classrooms today – not those who were there last week, last year or 10 years ago. This is a tall order but it is one that is necessary. We know much more about learning and how brains work today than we did a century or even a decade ago. We have the ability to design instruction with the student in mind. We know that we are preparing students to enter a workforce that is quite different from that their parents or grandparents entered. It is a new world, a world that is moving at a faster rate of change than ever before. We need to be responsive and adapt student experiences, ready to make it “just right” for the children who will be doing all they can to be contributing members of their world as they continue to learn and grow.

Your Educational Journey

09 Thursday Aug 2018

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

back to school, engaged learners, montessori, montessori madness, montessori philosophy, school, trevor eissler

As we prepare for yet another school year to begin, I find myself reflecting about what school is, and why schools are the way they are. Each year brings new opportunities and new challenges. Each year has a fresh veneer on it; a veneer of expectations and wonder, perhaps mixed with some uncertainty and fear.

We all know something about school because we live in a literate society where we have the opportunity to be educated in the public or private sector. We have choices about school. We know about school. We went to school.

I challenge you to think about the school of your childhood and maybe even beyond. Think about what you learned. Reading? Check. Writing. Check. Math? Indeed. But what did you really learn? My guess is you learned to do what was asked of you in the most efficient way for the adults. My guess is you learned reading, writing and math relatively easily if you didn’t have a learning disability and were a compliant student who could sit in a desk for extended periods of time. My guess is that you could either do school well or not. Continue reading →

Change

21 Monday May 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Wilmington Montessori School

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

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?

You Know Something I Don’t Know

01 Thursday Mar 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

bill nye, education, learning, school

Bill Nye QuoteThat just about says it all. We can never know everything about everything. It is simply not possible. Schools teach a body of knowledge striving to ensure that children evolve into literate and educated adults. No matter what is included in that body of knowledge, no matter what electives students choose as they move through school, and no matter how long they are in school, they will leave not knowing things. That is the paradox of education. We are in school to learn; we leave with more knowledge than we started with and even more things we don’t know.

Education’s purpose is not to fill young minds with information. It’s true purpose is to promote thinking, questioning and understanding. Children aren’t containers to be filled. Bill Nye the Science Guy says it all in the above quote. Everyone has something to teach us. We may not know what it is or what to expect, but we do know that we will learn something from each and every person we encounter if we are open to the learning. And if that is what we learn in school we will be held in good stead during our school years and beyond. What have you learned from someone today?

Oh, what fun!

22 Thursday Feb 2018

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

community, connections, families, museum, parents, relationships, school, students, teachers, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

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?

Building Blocks

14 Thursday Dec 2017

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

building blocks, foundation, knowledge, learning, memorization, school

Building blocksNew math. Digital literacy. Executive function. Soft skills. None of these things were “things” when we were in school. Education seemed straightforward to us. We were taught something, memorized it, shared it on the test and moved on to the next topic. Most of us had no clue as to how rules of language, math or science came to be. We accepted what we were taught. The end.

Fast forward to 2017… or even 2000. Life has changed. Yes, there are still things that are taught today that were taught when we were in elementary or middle school and will continue to be taught forever. We learned to read, to compute and to write. We all have to memorize facts and figures. However, some things have changed. Are we to teach children the skills needed to function in the world or do we need to teach them the concepts that build those skills? What will serve them in the long run? Continue reading →

Success in School… and Life

08 Friday Dec 2017

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

education, lifelong learning, school, success

Photo - Primary A Words

At many junctures in a child’s life, teachers ask parents what their goals are for their child. The purpose of the question is to understand what parents expect – what their hopes and dreams are for their child. Invariably, parents will say that they want their child to do her best and to be happy. We all want to raise human beings who are happy and well-adjusted.

Recently, many in the field of education have began to question the true purpose of school. Do we send children to school to learn facts, to be the “best” students or to question ideas that have withstood the test of time? Should an established curriculum be the focus, or is it important to learn to think and discover facts beyond what is taught in the set curriculum? What approach will best set children up for success in their future lives as adults in a rapidly changing world? Continue reading →

Going Out

10 Friday Nov 2017

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

expeditionary learning, field trip, hands-on learning, montessori, montessori philosophy, school, travel

Photo - UN

Most students go on field trips. Some go on one or two trips each year, and others, like many Montessori school students, go on many. “Going out” is an important aspect of the Montessori curriculum. As adults – teachers and parents alike – we often enjoy these trips soaking in the sights, information and wonder of what each experience has to offer. Do children feel the same way? What is the reason for field trips? Many educators wonder about this very question. Some state that field trips are simply a change of scenery, offering no “real” learning. Others feel they are a distraction, and still others contend they open the eyes and ears of their students. What makes the difference?

In order to fully consider this question, one must return to the question of the purpose of education. Is the goal to convey the same designated body of knowledge to all students or to expose students to ideas, opening doors and provoking a sense of wonder? Field trips are no different. When children visit the fire department or the orchard, the goal is to show them a little slice of life, to help them understand the world beyond their school, home or neighborhood. They are learning about others, the work they do and the place that hold in their lives. Visiting a museum or attending a play allows them to experience culture in various formats and to look beyond their everyday world. The field trips they have today are the building blocks for future experiences throughout their lives.

Education, in the classroom or in the form of a field trip, has the higher purpose of showing the world to students. Each time they visit a new place or learn more about the world, they are building their understanding of their place in the world. They explore ways to contribute to the world and ask questions about it. Our goal is not to simply have students memorize a body of facts or to recall where the pumpkins are planted or the names of the paintings viewed. It is instead to help them see the world today, tomorrow, and many different days and times throughout their years in school and beyond.

Photo - Room 15

← Older posts

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 3,024 other subscribers

Like WMS on Facebook

Like WMS on Facebook

Recent Posts

  • It’s time to leap!
  • Growing & Learning
  • It’s All Academic
  • The Art and Science of Learning
  • Teaching or Learning

Recent Comments

Gilles on What are you reading?
Manigandan on The Montessori Difference
Gilles on Do you believe in your ch…
missbritt88 on The Montessori Difference
Phillip Montessori on The Montessori Difference

Categories

  • 21st century learning
  • Camp Montessori
  • community service
  • education systems
  • Extended Day Programs
  • Learning
  • learning environment
  • making a difference
  • Mindset
  • Montessori Education
  • Parenting
  • Research
  • Schools of the Future
  • STEM
  • Teachers
  • Uncategorized
  • Wilmington Montessori School

Archives

  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014

RSS Feeds

  • RSS - Posts
  • RSS - Comments

Blog Stats

  • 56,983 hits

Wilmington Montessori School

1400 Harvey Road
Wilmington, DE 19810
302-475-0555
blog@wmsde.org

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • The Montessori Message
    • Join 144 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • The Montessori Message
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...