Hello Friends, Marta Donahue, a dear friend and colleague, recently published an article in Montessori Life titled, “Montessori’s Plan for the More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible.” It is a thoughtful piece that asks Montessorians to pause and face the question of how we think we are doing as we prepare children for these fascinating and confusing times. Donahue writes, “All methods, materials and lessons are meaningless unless we learn to capture the spirit of the work that opens the door of possibility.” There is a difference between learning the steps of a dance and feeling the joyful …
TNSM to create a Montessori kitchen
Hello Friends, The auction was amazing!!! When The New School Montessori community comes together, great things happen. The Sleepy Bee and Aster team were absolutely phenomenal! The food was delicious (Thank you, Frannie), the space was beautiful, DJ Lani Love put us in good spirits, and the Stagnaro family, the Rambergs, and Mary Hanley were kind enough to donate wine and beer. The evening was full of positive energy created by a community of people who love TNSM. Alumni families, staff members from the 1970s, current staff and families, and alumni students came together to celebrate the past, present …
Life grows or shrinks
Hello Friends, Our (6-9) students recently demonstrated their talents in strings, dance and music. It was a joy to watch how they showed up in ways that fully expressed their individuality and commitment to being a member of a community. It reminded me of conversations I’d had with parents who were touring our school, seeing a Montessori environment for the first time. Some of them had heard about a common misconception that Montessori environments do not emphasize the arts. This false impression stems from the fact that Montessori schools approach art in the same way they approach the their …
Head of School, Jeff Groh, is interviewed in this month’s edition of Cincinnati Parent
New School Montessori director, Jeff Groh, spoke with a reporter from Cincinnati Parent magazine about some of the tenets of Montessori education. Jeff related the importance of the classroom space and described how children learn abstract ideas through the use of concrete materials. Jeff also introduced the benefits of multi-age classrooms and described ways a Montessori education prepares children for the challenges of working in our modern world. Click to read Cincinnati Parent’s February article about Montessori education.
Remembering Mary Oliver
Hello Friends, Last year during our 6th grade graduation ceremony I read a poem by Mary Oliver that ends, “tell me what you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” They all kind of giggled. I understood. It’s a big question. Especially for a group of super excited 12 year-olds all dressed up in ties and dresses wondering when they can meet up afterward for ice cream, unaware they are even participating in a life that is finite, wild and precious. But I couldn’t resist. It was impossible to look at them and not be filled …
Independence comes through struggle – Know it as an educator…learning it as a parent
This winter break provided an opportunity of growth for our family. I have been a Montessori educator and leader for over 15 years and yet what I am discovering as a relatively new parent (Jakob 5, Lena 3) is that theory and advice are easy; experience is hard. The primary goal of Montessori education is independence. Just Google “Montessori Independence” and the Maria Montessori quotes will come flying. “The child seeks for independence by means of work; an independence of body and mind.” “Montessori is an education for independence, preparing not just for school, but for life.” …
Gratitude, Setting Expectations, and a Nice Box of Paperclips
Hello Friends, 2018 is coming to a close and it is impossible to fully express the gratitude I have for you and our community. Our students have grown so much! They have pushed themselves in their academics, navigated new social-emotional landscapes, grown more resilient, and discovered again and again that the world is wide, wild, and wonderful. The TNSM staff wish you a nourishing winter break. Thank you for the gifts you have brought into the world; your children. Each one of them carries a bright mysterious hope within them. We are honored to be a part of …
Supporting others by simply listening and asking questions
Hello Friends, I was fortunate enough to experience a rather profound professional development workshop last week. Parker Palmer is an author, educator, and activist who focuses on issues related to education, community, and leadership. He is also the founder of The Center for Courage and Renewal whose mission is to create a more just, compassionate and healthy world by nurturing personal and professional integrity and the courage to act on it. I spent three days with educational leaders from across the country reflecting on our personal and professional missions and how they intersect. I am so proud of who we …
Gratitude
Hello Friends, How do we deepen our gratitude? How do we foster it in our students? In ourselves? What is it exactly? Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation and to return kindness. In a Psychology Today article it was describes as, “an emotion expressing appreciation for what one has – as opposed to, for instance, a consumer-driven emphasis on what one wants or thinks they need.” A few years ago, TNSM staff went through training on how to unlock and leverage student (and our own) potentials through acknowledging and working with our character strengths. The program is …
Lessons learned by observing
Hello Friends, I had the pleasure of spending a 45-minute recess with our (6-12) students recently. It was a perfect autumn day: bright, crisp, and the trees were all dressed up in gold and burgundy. As I looked around, I was reminded of the essential role Play has in our development. I watched two girls swoosh down the slide again and again, giggling the whole time – delighted by good company, fresh air and the playful tug of gravity. A child hung upside down from her knees, like a bat, and watched the world from a different perspective. One boy, …