Hello Friends, As we took 2 days off of school so our staff could receive their second vaccine shots and teachers from each level could attend the American Montessori Society Conference, I wanted to thank you again for your flexibility as we do everything we can to keep our community safe. A recent article in the New York Times titled, How to reopen schools was shared with me by a TNSM parent who added that he thought of The New School Montessori staff when he read the following: “Still, Douglas Harris, the Tulane economist who runs the research group, told me, ‘All …
Biff Maier (former TNSM director) honored with AMS Living Legacy Award
Hello Friends, The week was short but beautiful. Our campus was snow-filled, and when the sun came out every tree, rooftop, and patch of land would sparkle. Our kids put on their boots and snow gear to build igloos, snow people, or just flopped down, hands behind their heads, looking up at the sky. Snow reminds me that the universe loves children and the child in all of us. As many of you know, The New School Montessori is accredited through the American Montessori Society (as well as the the Independent Schools of Associated Central States). Each year, AMS picks …
Take a bow
Hi Friends, Thanks for all the support you have provided your children throughout the last two weeks of shutdown. Our community continues to hold each other up during these trying times in the service of children. It’s both astonishing and thankfully ordinary how hard our community (parents, teachers, grandparents, etc) works together toward holding a space for children to develop joyfully. Each of you, for nearly a year now, has done what is necessary to keep your children safe, loved, and educated. For some of you, it has required a shift in career, a difficult decision not to see certain …
A Door Opens
Hello Friends, These are historic times, but in spite of the challenges we face I am filled with hope. Watching a female vice president of color being sworn in this week with my 5-year-old daughter on my lap was a remarkable moment regardless of political affiliation. Montessori education is focused on unlocking potentials within children. But in spite of our best efforts as parents and educators to encourage our children to confidently believe that if they work hard enough everything is possible, we know the harsh reality of the world often conveys a different message. Your race, gender, class, or …
Kids are amazing at being adaptive, collaborative, inclusive and forgiving
Hello Friends, When I was 25, I walked into my first Montessori school. I was touring the country for 9 months performing poetry for students and training teachers on how to get their classrooms engaged and excited about reading and writing poems. I had never witnessed students like the ones I saw that day. 4th-6th Graders working together in groups on a graphic novel, and next to them another group with a large map of the world spread out on the floor, identifying natural and political boundaries. Some students worked independently and were not interrupted by a teacher or peer. They …
We created an environment that allowed joy to blossom.
Hello TNSM friends, A new year approaches. We know that time is constant and new beginnings are always available to us each moment, however, a new year always seems an invitation to pause, take stock, and ask ourselves big questions. Where are we headed? What did we learn? Who are we grateful for and who will we miss? Amidst a year of great turbulence, grief and soul searching, TNSM was a safe space for our children, families and staff. Not only did we do everything possible to keep our community safe from COVID, but we also created an environment that …
Making our way through grief takes time and a listening and patient ear.
Hello Friends, I remember a parent from the TNSM community sharing with me that our community will be going through the stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) again and again at different times throughout the pandemic. Denial: It’s terrible the pandemic is affecting so many people, but WE won’t be touched by it. Anger: Why can’t people figure out how to fix this or tell us what to do?!!! Bargaining: Can I wear a mask when I go into public places, but have my friends and family over with no precautions? Depression: I am just so tired of this. Acceptance: Well, I don’t think we are …
Students and staff express their gratitude
Hello Friends, We are being inundated with information on how to be safe this holiday. It’s important, but by now, we all know what we need to do. Just in case, here is a link about how to approach travel, and how to safely gather if you decide to take on that risk. PLEASE be safe. Your decisions affect all of us.Thank you. In a video that I shot today and posted on our Facebook page, I was able to go around and ask children and staff what they were grateful for. It was a beautiful reminder that although many …
How to help during Thanksgiving
Hello Friends, I have been sharing with families that we are taking every day hour by hour. Each hour there is something to celebrate and often something that challenges us. This hour, 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, I am sitting in my office, with the window open, listening to our (6-9) Ex-Day kids laugh and play gaga ball. This hour, the sun is setting and the weather is warm enough to take off your jacket. This hour, my only challenge is to adequately express how grateful I am for this community, these kids, this staff and our school. Thank you. A …
Enjoying lunch outdoors with students
Hello Friends, When I walk through campus, watching students eat, play, and learn outside, I am filled with gratitude for how amazing our teachers are and how beautiful our planet is! Today I ate lunch outside with the (6-9). Students sat on the green grass or on tree stumps, laughing and sharing riddles with each other. If you didn’t know what goes up and down but never moves, the answer is stairs! One student had a laptop open on top of a tree stump. He was sharing his lunch time with an online student at home. They laughed and shared …