Maria Montessori was an Italian physician who dedicated her life to improving the education
of young children.
She opened her first school in 1907, which was met with huge success.
Many more schools around the world followed this model.
One such school was the Wilmington Montessori, which opened in 1964.
A Montessori education follows the principle that children should develop independently
through their own initiative and hands-on experience.
So what's it like?
Let's find out.
This is the only school that really is free, and so, like, the other schools are sitting
at a desk and you were, but here, it's just fun.
I think there's a lot of things that make it unique from my perspective, um, I think
are our sense of community here and our ability to work with kids where they are so that we
can have small groups of kids and make sure they're learning what they need to learn instead
of learning something too challenging or learning something that's too easy for them.
Generally you don't have conferences without kids so that they set their goals and parents
and their teachers are there to support their goals.
We also get to spend instructional time outside, and last year the sixth grade class left to
the school a labyrinth in the woods, so we've been out walking the labyrinth, which is great
centering kind of activity.
I'll do a morning meeting day, so some days start with morning meeting and then, um, where
we just gather and greet each other and maybe have some news or share and announcements and
sometimes an activity, and then get started by nine o'clock, nine o'clock is the work
time.
People get called for, like, math lessons, if they need one.
Sometimes we'll have, like, a book club if we're reading a certain book and reading,
and then after that we got to recess, and we can go to art recess so we can work on
art projects, or sometimes there's music recess or Spanish recess just to work on different
things in those subjects, or you can go outside and play.
In the afternoon we'll have specials, specials we have, RP, music, Spanish art.
In our classroom we don't have library, but that is another special.
The end of the day we do our jobs, so we all have different jobs in the classroom to keep
it clean, so kitchen, and we have pets, so there's different jobs for the animals that
are in the classroom.
Because everybody has their own pace of learning, and so if you don't get something, you can
go one on one with the teacher, so you kind of have more freedom than other schools.
It really encourages kids to be different without having to be judged, and it's also
a really easy environment to just like fit into.
I think why the school is unique is because of the hands-on materials they use, and how
they teach different from other schools, and the relationship that builds between teachers
and students, and the friendships that we have.
It was kind of like a second home to me, because they just made you feel so comfortable, and
they taught you in a way that was fun, but yet effective.
I think it's like a good thing here, which I think is very cool, and I love it to ask
questions, and I ask questions a lot.
Probably either math or music, the R, P, E, music, and culture.
Math.
I like art and math.
I like our teacher Lori, she's just so funny, and it makes art really fun, but she's also
kind of a strict teacher too, so she always has me check about when I have to get my projects
done, and how many I have to get done, and she's really critical about your work, and
it just helps a lot with our projects.
I like art too.
It's one of my favorite subjects, and especially when you get to the 9 or 12 programs, because
then you can choose your projects, then also I like how when the sixth grade is graduating
to let us sign our name on the wall, you kind of leave a little legacy.
Math is fun.
There's a lot of great materials, and regardless of the level, even as they get a good bit
older and you don't use the materials quite as much, there's still really great materials
that kids can use.
They love being hands on, they love discussing.
Fun.
Awesome.
Inspirational.
Welcoming.
Respect.
Individualized.
Freedom.
Unique.
Home.
Community.
Supportive.
Empowering.
Unique.
Home.
Community.
Supportive.
