The Montessori Message

The Montessori Message

Tag Archives: teaching

Teaching or Learning

01 Sunday Dec 2019

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

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curriculum, individualized learning, learning, student centered learning, teaching

DSC00177

Educators spend a good deal of time determining what curriculum will be used in each subject area. It has become an industry unto itself, with companies creating and updating textbooks and curricula. A curriculum serves as a means to an end, and the end is, theoretically, learning.

The more we learn about the science of learning, the more we know that learning does not happen in a straight line, nor does everyone learn in the same way or at the same pace. Following a strictly defined curriculum does not leave room for these differences in learning. If tied to a content delivery system and a specified curriculum, a school or school district can guarantee that information was taught. What they can’t guarantee is that the content was learned. Those are two completely different goals. Continue reading →

How do you do your best work?

01 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Montessori Education, Teachers

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collaboration, montessori classrooms, montessori teachers, teachers, teaching, teamwork

I do my best work in collaboration with others. Yes, some tasks, like writing this blog post, are easier done when working alone in a quiet space. Others require undivided attention or concentration. But, I am happiest, energized and motivated to push my thinking and outcomes further and further when working with others.

I realized this several years ago when working on a teaching team. It was a great team. We had the opportunity to share ideas, reject some, modify others and try new things. That process provided great instructional opportunities for us, but more importantly it served students in the best possible ways. Yes, most classrooms are one teacher’s domain. Not so in Montessori classrooms. Some have a lead teacher and an assistant or two, and others are fortunate enough to have two lead teachers. Teachers working together are bound to have more or better ideas than a person working alone. Everyone needs a sounding board. In the best partnerships that is what happens. Ideas are molded and created in direct response to student needs.

I am quite sure I could not have remained in the field of education if it were not for those who have worked with me in various capacities. I have benefited from the wisdom, humor, honesty, thoughtfulness and imaginations of more people than I could count. How do you do your best work?

Off to a Good Start

27 Thursday Sep 2018

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Teachers, Wilmington Montessori School

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academic skills, assessment, back to school, community, formative assessment, learning, measurement, rules, teaching

Heather Siple-elementary shots-013

We are nearing the end of the first month of the 2018-19 school year, and everyone is settling in. Many schools spend the first six weeks of school focusing on two things: establishing the classroom community and assessment of academic skills. These are perhaps two very different things, but both quite necessary to set the tone and the agenda for the year ahead. Continue reading →

Relationships: The True Benefit of Education

06 Friday Oct 2017

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning, Montessori Education, Teachers

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relationships, teachers, teaching

WW - Betsy first dayChildren spend more time in school than in any place other than their homes. Schools strive to make this time productive and worthwhile, but too many schools define productivity and success through the subjects they teach and the grades children earn.

Running into an acquaintance, speaking to former students and catching up with a former teacher recently provided me with perspective on what really matters in school – the true benefit of education: Relationships. As Rita Pierson is famous for saying, “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” The job of a teacher is complex. Universities are good at helping prospective teachers learn how to teach academic content. They rarely include more than an overview on how to build relationships and teach the actual children in our classrooms.

Like adults, children are affected by what is going on in their lives. Their ability to pay attention, interact and learn is dependent on their lives, not just what is happening in the classroom at that moment. A teacher’s primary responsibility is to provide a safe, caring environment for those children. Each child must know that, no matter what, she will be cared for, nurtured and supported as she works to succeed in that class and in life. It’s what all children deserve and what we, as educators and adults responsible for their growth, need to ensure.

Teaching is a tough job with long hours. Many of these hours are not spent in the classroom with children, but are instead spent outside of school hours, learning and preparing for the days ahead. It is a job where great effort is put in and often the outcome of the hard work remains unknown. Teaching is a service to our future. Although a teacher almost never knows if or how he/she has made an impact on a student, our words and actions can leave lasting impressions. Teachers educate for the future; they help children see possibilities. They make it their business to learn about the children in their classrooms, respecting their individual differences and supporting their growth. They may never know the results of their efforts, but they will know the child is stronger, more confident and capable as a result of their time together.

The Definition of Success

21 Thursday Sep 2017

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning, Montessori Education, Teachers

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assessment, creativity, learner outcomes, learning, learning styles, montessori, problem solving, standardized testing, success, teaching, yong zhao

Screen Shot 2017-09-21 at 8.17.07 PMAssessments are performed at the beginning of each school year. Teachers use them to determine what children remember after a long summer, which skills are strong and where additional support might be needed. Most of the assessments are measured against the “norm,” or the average student of that grade or age. When the results are favorable, the student is deemed to be on the right path; when they are less than optimal, it is determined what skills are lacking and what help is needed to reach that benchmark or average. Though this information may be useful in determining an instructional path for the development of specific skills, it cannot serve as the guiding force for learning. Continue reading →

Joy like a Fountain

16 Thursday Feb 2017

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

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joy, teachers, teaching, toddlers

joyfountain.pngNothing is more gratifying than quietly working and hearing the soft voice of a teacher strolling down the hallway singing with toddlers, “I’ve got joy like a fountain in my heart.” Moments such as these literally fill our hearts. Working with young children can be delightful, frustrating, enjoyable, difficult and rewarding. After all, they are children, which means they are all of these things and more. People often ask how one can work with children every day or say they could never be a teacher. Isn’t it hard work? You bet it is, but there is no work that is more important or satisfying than working with children and watching them grow. When was the last time you had the pleasure of hearing sweet voices singing the next verse of a well loved song or asking the teacher to sing it one more time? If your job doesn’t provide this opportunity, ask a teacher what delighted her today, sit back and enjoy listening to the response. You’ll be glad you asked.

Understanding Yourself

12 Thursday Jan 2017

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

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accepting, challenges, knowing yourself, new year, self-awareness, teaching, understanding

longdivision1Early in my teaching career, I had a parent tell me in utter frustration that her son had received the same comments on his report card since he was 2 years old; he was 12 at the time. In other words, he was true to himself. This child was incredible in so many ways. He was kind, caring, hard working, socially adept and inquisitive. He was the mayor of the school. Everyone knew and appreciated him. He also had a hard time staying on task and getting his work done… because he was busy working the room. And that is who he is; sometimes there is no escaping.

This is the time of year when we resolve to make changes in our lives. We seek to become better versions of ourselves and are determined to do what is necessary to make that happen. One thing that can get lost in this quest is the fact that there are some things we just have to decide to accept. Working in a school teaches us this each and every day.

As educators, we have the unique opportunity to help students understand more about who they are as learners and as people. As they grow and learn more about themselves, they learn how to adapt and accommodate their challenges while also sharing their gifts. If they are not so good at math, they may ask a friend for support and guidance. If they are good at writing, they may support someone who needs to grow in that area. The important lesson is that, while they have challenges, they continue to be a valued contributor to the classroom, to learning, and to their friends and families. Learning to garner the support one needs to be successful is critical because some things continue to challenge us no matter how much we learn and grow. And, sometimes, that is the resolution that is needed for children to see themselves as successful. Accepting our challenges allows us to recognize and address them.  

What should be taught in school?

31 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by Lisa Lalama in Learning, making a difference, Montessori Education, Research, Wilmington Montessori School

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Carol Ann Tomlinson, educational leadership, learning, montessori, Montessori education, self-reflection, teaching, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

coverimage_016I used some of spring break to catch up on my reading. I am an avid reader and, as most avid readers know, there are far more books, blogs, publications and news stories to read than can be accomplished in any amount of time. Typically a print magazine falls to the bottom of the pile as it will always be there (whereas online content could be changed or removed at any time). This week, I was fortunate to have read an article by Carol Ann Tomlinson in Educational Leadership. Full disclosure…I am a huge fan of Ms. Tomlinson, having read her books and heard her speak. I eagerly await her column in this magazine each month.

In this article, she poses the question of what she would teach and how would she teach if her goal was to prepare students for the life they live today and will live in the future. In the course of answering this question, she cites the example of the University of Virginia medical school as they struggled with this question. They worked from the fact that “medical knowledge doubles in about every 15 years and about half of that knowledge becomes obsolete every five years.” Given that provocative data, what should the time in school be spent on? What needs to be taught? Continue reading →

Teaching 2.0

10 Thursday Mar 2016

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

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fractions, graphing, hands-on learning, iPad, montessori, skittles, teaching, technology, upper elementary, Wilmington Montessori, Wilmington Montessori School

skittlesI have had the great pleasure of working with a small group of students during the past few weeks. Our focus is on math, specifically fractions. I haven’t been in the classroom full time for a few years and, although I knew that children pretty much remain the same, I wondered how I would adjust to the “new ways of doing business.” I found some constants and some things that made my “work” a bit simpler.

As we gathered for a lesson using Skittles candies, the reception was much as it has been throughout time – utter joy. Children love candy, and nothing is better than participating in a lesson where one gets to eat one’s work product! Skittles were sorted by color and fractions were determined and a graph was created that displayed the data. Next was the part children dislike the most…having an assignment. They were given the work to complete and told the expectations that would need to be met to successfully submit the assignment. This is where things shifted. Continue reading →

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