• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

& SCHOOLS GUIDE & 2012 SCHOOLS GUIDE A supplement to 2012 [ 2] PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS GUIDE 2012 Montessori still a strong alternative A century-old philosophy of learning remains relevant, popular with parents and educators BY JACQUELYN BENGFORT Special to The Daily Record “Montessori.” The word alone can conjure images of overanxious parents jostling to get their 3-year-old into an expensive, exclusive preschool in order to ensure the child’s future suc- cess. Yet, the hype often obscures what Maryland educators and parents con- tinue to find: A Montessori education, with its emphasis on engaging children by tapping into their innate curiosity, remains a powerful method for devel- oping students who can think deeply and independently. Features of Montessori An educational philosophy devel- oped by Dr. Maria Montessori at the turn of the last century, the Montessori method incorporates a number of unique features. One of those is the mixed-age class- room, in which children spanning two or more commonly three grades are grouped together. Lainie Santos Tor- res, curriculum coordinator at Love of Learning Montessori School in Colum- bia, said that while they’re sometimes misunderstood as children teaching children, in practice mixed-age class- rooms are effective because they allow children to not only solidify their learning by sharing it with other stu- dents, but also to gain exposure to the concept of mentoring. “If you look at a lot of the big-name companies of today … they’re using a lot of [mentorship] models,” Torres said. “To have children do it is really just modeling real life.” MONTESSORI INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S HOUSE Another feature of Montessori Students at the Montessori International Children’s House in Annapolis provide the inspiration for their instruction, Administrative Director schools is the specially prepared envi- Elizabeth Whitaker says. Teachers there act as guides, rather than sources of knowledge. ronment. Each classroom is filled with sensory objects that aid in learning, and students make choices regarding Family matters both what they want to work with and For many Maryland Montessori for how long, said Tamara Sheesley schools, the admissions process be- Balis, head of the Montessori School in gins when the parent of a prospective Lutherville. student visits the school and observes “Our children have three hours to a classroom. While the child also will go into the depths of their explorations be evaluated for fit with the school, and discoveries,” she said. generally through a visit and possibly The uninterrupted work time al- an interview, parents must “have faith lows children to build self-esteem by in the methodology,” Torres said. The allowing for challenges, Balis said. “We first step is seeing the methodology in want them to learn to persevere and to action. keep working, even if it’s hard.” That belief in the method is impor- And teachers are trained not to in- tant because the school and the fam- tervene when a student is deeply in- ily will work together in a child’s volved in an activity. education. Love of Learning looks for Above all, the Montessori method places the child, rather than the in- families who will “help facilitate their structor, at the center of the learning children’s natural development, process. While the teacher ensures within the classroom and at home,” each student receives education in all Torres said. required subjects, “the student pro- In return, families benefit from vides the inspiration and excitement,” schools that work to support them. Elizabeth Whitaker, administrative di- Many Montessori programs offer be- rector of the Montessori International fore- or after-school care that are a Children’s House in Annapolis, wrote boon to working parents whose in an email. Teachers act as guides, schedules don’t conform to the aver- rather than sources of knowledge, as age school day. is the case in a traditional school set- Families also can tap into what ting. their children are learning and bring Montessori proponents are confi- lessons into the household. dent in the wide applicability of the “We develop a very close working method. “Most children are Montes- partnership with the family,” said An- ONENESS-FAMILY SCHOOL sori children,” Balis said. Oneness-Family School is a Montessori method school in Chevy Chase. Its founder, Andrew See montessori 4 Knutt, is shown right. PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS GUIDE 2012 [ 3] ST. TIMOTHY’S SCHOOL ST. TIMOTHY’S SCHOOL ST. TIMOTHY’S SCHOOL Art education at St. Timothy’s School in Stevenson includes cultural research, art history and an emphasis on individualized approaches to studio work. Past student artwork is shown above, from traditional visual arts courses to fashion design and pottery. Photography, digital media and dance and theater courses also are offered. There’s still a place for art in STEM The push is on for science and math, but arts education remains important BY GINA GALLUCCI-WHITE instruments also are part of the high students can find their passion or find expression of self. Theater, specifically, Special to The Daily Record school curricula. their talent,” Micciche said. trains students to learn how to be com- The arts’ creativity can also give stu- fortable, be vulnerable and expressive in Key School dance teacher Jayne Ancillary benefits abound dents a sense of empowerment, he said, front of an audience.” Karsten was performing an online and reinforce feelings of purpose and ac- The Friends School offers fine and search when she came across a former The arts “help create a vibrancy in the school,” she said. “It encourages complishment. performing arts programs beginning in student’s blog. Micciche said he often sees students pre-kindergarten all the way up to 12th The student recalled when Karsten grade. showed her class how writing is like a “That’s how important we think it dance: After taking a few steps, she let The arts open up understanding of just [the arts] is,” Micciche said. the class imagine how they would fin- about everything. They can be the key to In recent years, as schools nation- ish the piece. opening up a whole new understanding wide have re-emphasized science, tech- “Ms. Karsten taught me about an in- nology, engineering and math, or STEM, terconnectedness of skills and organi- with kids. education, visual and performing arts zation,” the former student wrote. programs in many cases are the first to Karsten was startled her lecture Jayne Karsten be cut or receive reduced funding. had resonated so well that the student Key School dance teacher Karsten said such thinking is short- had remembered the analogy for sighted. Some policymakers have a blind decades. She was not surprised, how- who are talented in the arts also perform spot for the arts and believe it is sepa- ever, by the ways in which arts educa- imagination and confidence building.” “ well in their other classes. rate from other areas of learning such as tion has an extraordinary impact on Throughout her 25 years at the An- “It gives them a reason to be excited history, language and science. students’ lives. napolis-based school, Karsten said, she to get to school,” he said. The Key School makes art an intrin- “The arts open up understanding of has heard students discuss how much sic part of all disciplines, Karsten said. A just about everything,” she said. They the arts programs helped them in other Historical appreciation student may hate history, but if a teacher “can be the key to opening up a whole subjects as well. She sees the arts as a new understanding with kids.” gateway into multiple areas of study. A Authorized to grant international comes at the subject a different way — The Key School, which offers arts minuet can teach a student about math, baccalaureate degrees,” the all-girls St. through paintings or dance — the stu- programs from pre-K through 12th for instance, while a painting can be in- Timothy’s School in Stevenson incorpo- dent will eventually learn to understand grade, is nationally recognized for its structional in geometric patterns. rates art instruction through cultural re- more and do better in his or her studies. Orff Schlwerk music program. Stu- “The arts can be used to clarify and search, helping students to gain Micciche said he is seeing more pol- dents in the early to middle section reinforce the philosophies of a given knowledge of historical art periods or icy papers encouraging educators to re- learn daily about various aspects of time period,” she said. movements, and an individualized ap- think the importance of arts education musical education, including speech, Matt Micciche, head of Friends proach to studio projects. Traditional vi- through STEAM, or science, technology, rhythm and creative movement. School of Baltimore, pointed to studies sual arts courses are offered, including engineering, arts and math. “It really is a wonderful program,” showing how the arts help to shape photography and digital media along The Friends School hosts an art she said. “The Orff program encour- ways of thinking in students and assist with dance and theater. show each spring, for which each stu- ages imagination and taps, early on, them in other academic areas. The arts “Students become better, creative dent has the opportunity to put one or different things within students that can enhance critical thinking skills, pro- problem solvers in all walks of life,” said two pieces on public display. they maybe didn’t even know they duce the ability to replicate other works Leslie Lichtenberg, St. Timothy’s direc- “The pride that they get from having had.” and open students’ eyes to and appreci- tor of communications and public rela- their work displayed is really powerful,” Visual arts including photography, ation for multiple subject areas.

Load more

  24

Copy Link