milwaukee-montessori

Mastery Over Metrics: Milwaukee Montessori's Innovative Math Approach

Tue, 20 May 2025 15:13:01 GMT

Whole-Brain Learning: Transforming Math from Abstract to Achievable

Recently, there has been a worrying trend emerging amongst American math scores. Between 2019 and 2024, scores have been dropping precipitously. While many policies have attempted to remedy the issue, few have had lasting effects. At Milwaukee Montessori School, we have taken a different approach — one that prioritizes individual growth and mastery over rigid benchmarks, and have witnessed encouraging results.

Rather than working from a set curriculum or grading scale, MMS leverages self-adaptive programs like ALEKS and IXL , which allow students to progress at their own pace. Those who want to advance farther than their peers are able to progress as far as they’d like. Alternatively, those who need to solidify their foundational skills will work at their level until they’ve achieved mastery.

While other schools might focus exclusively on the numbers, MMS follows a concept of whole-brain teaching that encompasses more than just putting the numbers together. Whole brain teaching, and therefore learning, is a tailored approach that engages students through all of their senses; whether it’s acting out a motion that correlates with a math concept or drawing visual representations of equations, students learn to make tangible connections . This creative approach transforms abstract numbers into something tangible, bridging the gap between theory and reality.

That isn’t to say that there isn’t any classic math class culture to be found at MMS. Basic math facts, such as multiplication tables, are drilled and memorized through rote practice using traditional flashcards throughout Lower Elementary. When this foundational skill becomes solid and embedded, the more difficult math becomes less time-consuming as students advance through the grade levels. Instead of working out the simple math portions of an equation, our students move into the more difficult, interesting work faster, and in turn move farther ahead than their public-school peers, making math not just memorized, but truly understood .

Kristina Lindsey, UE Math Teacher, and David Swanson, now Head of School, discuss the benefits of flashcards

Not only does the whole-brain approach result in deeper understanding , but we have also gamified achievement to create more excitement and engagement. As Upper Elementary students complete their work and master more math skills, they earn “starries,” which are points that move them up an achievement Super Improvers chart that’s visible to their peers. This visual representation of their accomplishments becomes both a motivator and a trophy case, creating a positive feedback loop. Those who put in the most work and reach the upper echelon of Alpha Hawk status become permanent fixtures on the classroom wall, gaining immortal status and the accolades that go with it.

At Milwaukee Montessori School , we believe that true understanding comes from persistent practice and reflection . Mastery isn’t just a one-time achievement—it’s a constant cycle of learning, revisiting, and reinforcing. By continually circling back, we can ensure that our students do not just acquire knowledge, but retain it.

Studying Countries, Continents and Ecosystems and the Benefits to Children

Fri, 02 May 2025 21:24:06 GMT

"The child gives us a beautiful lesson – that in order to form and maintain our intelligence, we must use our hands."

Maria Montessori

At Milwaukee Montessori School , faculty are always creating units on the study of countries, continents, and the ecosystems therein, using a purposeful, interdisciplinary approach that supports the child’s development in several key areas.

An MMS education is rooted in our mission and the belief that children are citizens of the world. By learning about different countries—their landscapes, climates, customs, and people—students develop empathy, respect , and an understanding that the world is bigger than their immediate environment.

Studying climates helps children understand how geography shapes culture, food, shelter, transportation, and ways of life. It’s not abstract—it’s tangible. Why do people in certain parts of the world wear specific clothes, eat particular foods, or build homes in a certain way? Climate is often the answer.

Country and climate studies naturally combine geography, biology, science, history, art, and language.

In these studies, students learn to:

Map continents and countries

Study native animals and habitats

Understand climate zones and weather patterns

Explore traditional music, art, language, and celebrations

This integrated approach supports deep learning , encourages students to have and articulate actual, relevant, and interesting knowledge, the core goals of an MMS Montessori education. These country studies build initiative, allowing children to engage in independent learning , research , and presentation .

Ultimately, Dr. Maria Montessori believed that peace begins with understanding. Teaching children about the interconnectedness of people and places, and the shared responsibility to care for the Earth, supports her vision of a more peaceful world, and also aligns with the work of our faculty that advances our ideas rooted in our belief in democracy, personal freedom, solidarity with those at the periphery of society, the well-being of our planet, and educating children to become informed, engaged, ethically minded citizens for the world that they will inherit.

Training Tomorrow’s Innovators

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:32:28 GMT

MMS Middle School Students Are Using AI to Get Ahead

At Milwaukee Montessori School, we recognize the ongoing concerns—shared by parents and other educators—about the misuse of artificial intelligence in academic settings. Yes, some students, even here, have experimented with using AI to cut corners: asking it to write parts of papers, translate assignments, or solve tasks without real understanding. But rather than ban these tools out of fear, we take a more intelligent path by teaching students how to use AI responsibly, ethically, and powerfully.

Because here's the truth: we’d rather they make mistakes now, in a learning-centered environment, where a misstep means a month without tech privileges—not later, in high school or college, where the consequences could include academic probation, failing grades, or even expulsion. At MMS, we see these early misuses not as failures, but as teachable moments.

Real-World Applications Start Here

Our middle school students don’t just talk about the future—they build it. Some of the ways they use AI include:

Strategic Planning: Students begin projects by using AI to generate structured outlines—whether for persuasive essays or for designing a fully functional delivery service website for pastries. They use AI to research, prototype, and even generate code, which they then review, debug, and customize for functionality.
Full-Stack Web Development: Students use AI to assist with coding websites—from front-end design to back-end logic—learning to verify AI-generated code and tailor it for real-world usability.
Game Development in Unity (C#): In our advanced groups, students are developing original games using Unity, writing scripts in C#, designing and rigging 3D characters, and building immersive environments. AI becomes their partner in troubleshooting code, refining gameplay mechanics, and even exploring advanced rigging techniques.
Custom GPTs & Prompt Engineering: Students are learning to design their own GPTs (Generative Pre-trained Transformers) to assist with specific components of their projects. They’re mastering prompt engineering—a critical skill in the evolving tech landscape—learning how to ask the right questions, iterate based on feedback, and fine-tune AI performance.

Machine Learning & Image Generation: With tools like Teachable Machine and Runway ML, our students explore the fundamentals of machine learning, creating models that classify images or generate media—essential skills in both creative and technical domains.

Why This Matters

By the time MMS students matriculate into high school, they aren’t just familiar with AI—they’ve mastered how to work with it thoughtfully and effectively. They know how to build, test, debug, and refine with advanced tools. They understand the ethical implications of their choices. And perhaps most importantly, they know how to learn with AI, rather than from it.

In an academic landscape where most students are just being introduced to AI, our students are already working at an applied level. They don’t just use technology—they understand it, manage it, and push it to do more.

That’s the MMS difference.

MMS Students Excel in Reading While National Scores Fall

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 21:38:49 GMT

According to their most recent test scores, every MMS 8th grader will graduate as an advanced reader, well above grade level some at the High School level, others at a college level and yes, a handful are reading as graduate students.

This statistic is, to put it mildly, absurdly excellent.

But nationally, a different trend is emerging, one of a discouraging decline in reading scores. According to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NEAP), only 30% of 8th graders in the United States read at or above a proficient level. In Wisconsin where scores are continuing to slip, only 31% of 4th and 8th graders are able to meet proficiency standards in reading.

So why are middle schoolers across the country struggling with comprehension on standardized tests?

A growing body of research points to an overlooked culprit: multisyllabic decoding . Many students can read simple words, but they stumble when faced with complex academic vocabulary. In other words, students can read “photograph” but struggle when confronted with the pronunciation of “photosynthesis.” If decoding skills aren’t automatic, comprehension suffers and it’s a bottleneck that is halting growth for 70% of American students by middle school.

But not at MMS. 

The prevailing thought in most schools is that once students are taught to read, they can read to learn, but we know at MMS that this is fundamentally untrue. In our Children’s House, our 3-6 year old students learn fundamental decoding skills. In Lower Elementary, our students in grades 1-3 learn the Dolch Sight Words: these are the thousand most commonly used words in the English language. We continue to build and reinforce sophisticated decoding skills by asking students to read non-fiction books and complete book reports about them. We also ask parents to read aloud with their children every single night to develop reading fluency and listen as their children decode the ever-more complex words in their non-fiction books. Finally, students in Lower Elementary use a program called Lexia that focuses on decoding skills that will apply through middle school texts.

In 4th grade, when many American students seem to hit a wall in their reading progress, MMS students are decoding more complex words using Reading Plus and IXL. These are both reading tools that measure reading speed, decoding capacity, and comprehension. In addition, our students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade read 27 novels a year, far surpassing the average of public schools that relegate reading to textbooks and short passages.

MMS Junior High students read a whopping 53 books per year in both 7th and 8th grade, and our reading list is formidable. Titles include Antigone , Macbeth , The Great Gatsby , and Animal Farm . Large portions of these works are read aloud in class, introducing students to difficult new vocabulary while explaining its pronunciation and meaning. This is the perfect instructional strategy for improving multisyllabic decoding. They continue to work through the entire Reading Plus program until they test out at the 12th-grade level.

The result? While the national trend shows students stalling out, MMS students are accelerating. According to the latest NAEP assessments, only 4% of American students read at the advanced level. In contrast, 100% of MMS 8th graders scored in the advanced range on this year’s winter assessments. That’s no accident. We’re using a time-tested program that builds and sharpens the key skills essential for long-term success.

Monica Van Aken, Ed.D

On Technology 2025

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:03:45 GMT

The Impact of Technology on Childhood Development

Last year, when we ordered Jonathon Haidt’s then-new book, The Anxious Generation, we knew it would be a seminal book based on its topic, and it also confirmed that our instincts about technology use among children have been spot on.

Haidt proposes four norms that can help restore children to a healthy childhood despite the creep of technology into every area of their lives. At MMS, we had already adopted those norms by 2008, when we became among the very first paperless elementary and middle schools in the nation, earning us recognition as one of six “Schools of the Future,” by the National Association of Independent Schools. Through foresight and implementing these norms over the last fifteen years, we have been able to hold back the tide of problems other schools have had to address.

While we are a high-tech school, it should be clear that our version of tech training doesn’t include ‘passive screen time.’ At Milwaukee Montessori, technology is not a distraction, but a sophisticated tool for intellectual development, creativity, and academic excellence.

Advanced Digital Fluency: Preparing Students for a Digital Future

Our students graduate with an advanced digital fluency that sets them apart from their peers. Many are able to take AP Computer Science as early as ninth grade after graduating from MMS with a comprehensive skill set that includes managing up to 16 electronic notebooks across subjects, efficiently organizing academic work, and navigating the ethical landscape of digital learning. They understand the real consequences of plagiarism and the misuse of AI tools, and instead, use these technologies responsibly and effectively.

Our students are taught to harness the power of research databases to locate original sources, construct well-reasoned arguments, format professional-level papers for both literature and science and deliver compelling, visually polished presentations. In short, our students don’t just consume technology—they command it.

Our technology program was always designed to be a purposeful and integrated effort to prepare students for the demands of higher education and the complex digital world they are about to inherit.

MMS Approach to Haidt’s Four Norms

And to accomplish that, for fifteen years we have been implementing the same norms that Haidt proposed as a cure in 2024:

1. No Cellphones Before High School.

Since cellphones became ubiquitous, we have held fast and true to this advice: “No cellphones until high school!” Even with the culture pressing in so strongly, and many citing safety issues, we remind our parents that their young children are always supervised, and they can always call the the school and someone will relay the message. Once a parent asked us, “What if there is an emergency?” We responded, in an emergency at home, you need an adult to facilitate information to your child. If there is an emergency at school, we need children to listen to us and not be distracted by their cell phones.

2. No Social Media for Minors.

Social media is wildly inappropriate for minors, and it didn't take technology experts to know that this was going to be a serious problem for children. In fact, over ten years ago our biggest issue was alerting parents to the dangers of setting up social-media accounts for their young students, including lying about their age to say that they were 13 years old when they were much younger. These sites collect and sell children’s data, capture their attention for an average of five hours a day , and routinely expose them to inappropriate content of all types.

3. No Phones in School.

Students have never and are never permitted to use cell phones in our building or during the school day. If they have them in their bookbags, they must be turned off and if they are ever out, they are delivered to the office where parents come and pick them up. Unlike other schools that still struggle with cell phone use in schools, our students just know not to use them. It is baked into our expectations our cultural norm.

4. More Independence, Free Play, and Responsibility in the Real World.

Haidt maintains that smartphones are the symptom of a deeper problem: the crisis in childhood itself. Children need vast quantities of free play, independence, and responsibility to guide brain development and social development. Central to human development are the fun, risk, challenges, and thrills of exploring the richness of life with friends at your side (and no parents in sight). Most people born before the mid-1980s cherish memories of this kind of childhood, which perhaps makes them more receptive to this fourth norm.

Here at Milwaukee Montessori, students are given abundant opportunities to be outside, engage in physical activity, build fitness, learn playground games, and spend meaningful time with friends across age groups. While they are always supervised, we are intentional about giving our students the space to form friendships and, just as importantly, to struggle with maintaining them.

The only way to truly learn how to work well with others and become a cherished friend is to have the freedom to make mistakes, sometimes be a lousy friend, receive difficult feedback, and learn to self-correct. This kind of real-world social interaction—both successful and unsuccessful—is essential to child development. We encourage students to use problem-solving skills to address social disturbances as well as intellectual ones, not always rushing in to offer top-down management.

From formal debates in American History class — complete with heckling, gavels, and interruptions — to the Peace Game in Upper Elementary that gives students a seven-week simulation of real-world diplomacy, students at Milwaukee Montessori School are consistently immersed in authentic, high-stakes experiences. They perform in plays, take on ambitious independent projects in Lower Elementary, and even travel abroad to Spain in Junior High to expand their horizons.

At every level, the work is real. Students are entrusted with meaningful responsibility and granted the freedom to make decisions that aren’t always good ones, but with natural consequences and guidance this cycle of choice, consequence, and reflection becomes the foundation of sound moral development that is so very necessary in our world today.

We see our respect for child development, both by protecting children from potentially destructive influences and safeguarding the important natural processes of trial and error, to be one of the greatest advantages of an MMS education. Ours is a learning environment in which students are not only preparing for life in the future, but living fully in the work they engage with now.

Click here to read Haidt’s article in The Free Press: https://www.thefp.com/p/taking-back-childhood-from-phones-jonathan-haidt .

How Easy is it to Write Comedy?

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 23:15:40 GMT

Comedy is the Most Difficult Genre of Writing

The MMS eighth-grade students truly rose to the occasion, presenting their comedic masterpieces with full dramatic flair. They even assigned roles to their classmates to bring their work to life. Their task? Take an everyday situation and crank it up to hilariously absurd levels.

The result? A skit about a party so epic that the guests began worshipping their overwhelmed host. When the host tried to set some boundaries with a polite, “Let’s lay some ground rules,” the guests dropped to their knees, chanting, “Let’s pray to him!” Things escalated quickly when the frazzled host suggested cleaning up before it got dark, prompting one zealous guest to declare, “He wants us to sacrifice a life so the sun comes up!”

Meanwhile, the sixth-grade students ventured into skits about ordinary people unfit for their jobs:

An orthodontist who hates metal and insists on crafting braces from wood—mahogany for elegance, pine for budget-conscious smiles.
A funeral director whose eulogies lack tact, “He was six feet tall, and now he’s six feet under,” and “He always thought outside the box—until he ended up in one.”
A veterinarian tragically allergic to animals.
A storm chaser who can’t drive and hails taxis to pursue tornadoes.
A detective who can’t see, insists that the perpetrator is ten feet tall, or maybe no, four feet tall.
A zookeeper mysteriously losing animals while debuting fabulous new exotic fur coats each week.
A baker who treats recipes like vague suggestions.
A racecar driver proudly striving for 20th place—and unable to round a turn - his strength he says, is going straight ahead.

Is Your Civics Knowledge on Par with an MMS Graduate?

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 08:02:56 GMT

Upon graduating from Milwaukee Montessori School (MMS), your student is likely more prepared to be an engaged citizen than many college graduates! But the question is, are you as prepared as an MMS student?

The state of civics education in America is alarming. Many schools fall short in teaching the fundamentals of how our government operates, and this lack of knowledge has serious implications. In fact, our weakened civics education system could be one of the reasons our democracy feels so fragile today. Citizens who don't understand how their government works are more vulnerable to disinformation, propaganda, and political manipulation.

Have you herd about our kids? There are goats in our backyard!

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 07:43:15 GMT

Much like our new eco-friendly parking lot, we have taken an environmentally friendly and exciting approach to maintaining our prairie. Goats! Animals notorious for eating everything and anything. They are the perfect natural defense against unwanted plant growth. This method was once the gold standard in the era before lawnmowers, but now it is a bucolic surprise for our students.

Unlike humans, who require rest, food, and OSHA regulations, goats eat their work and enjoy the process. Our prairie plants are quite dense; it would require a lot of manpower and gas-powered machinery to do what these goats can do naturally. Much of that land doesn’t lend itself to traditional mowing practices, so goats are the premiere solution. Beyond that, goats leave behind fertilizer as they go, a trait noticed almost immediately by the children who cheered them on as they entered the grounds.

Our seventy goats immediately became a smash hit as they began foraging in the yard. MMS students squealed with delight as the goats ambled to the furthest reaches of their pen. The baby goats who trailed behind were especially beloved and fawned over. While there is the practical aspect of their foraging, the student enthusiasm and excitement brings a palpable feeling of happiness that was beaming throughout the school all day. The goats, it would seem, bring joy to an otherwise mundane yard work chore.

These dream-goats are another way Milwaukee Montessori sets itself apart from other elementary schools and preschools in Milwaukee. The enriching, up-close interactions allow students of all ages to experience something often reserved for field trip outings on a daily basis for the two weeks the goats will make our backyard their home. While these fleeting moments are fun, they are the foundation for memories that will last far into the future of our students' lives. I guess you could say, we got your goat!

Animation and Art

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 07:31:15 GMT

On a national level, arts programs in schools have declined for decades. Sometimes considered extras, the arts, including music, are the most at risk when budgeting. In a world that only seems to care about producing effective test takers, these classes are seen as expendable as they are much more difficult to quantify. At Milwaukee Montessori , however, it is quite different.

At MMS, students have tablets beginning in fourth grade. These machines have many art programs built in, and most beneficially, a touch screen and stylus that allows students to draw and play in ways that were once only available on college campuses. Putting this powerful technology in students' hands is just one way our students get a leg up in a heavily computer-based world. By opening up the avenues of self-expression, any student can produce work that satisfies their inner artist.

Not only is there a benefit in the purely artistic world here by acclimating these students to this type of technology, but real-world data proves that students taking art classes have higher verbal and math SAT scores than those who do not. Far from being an extra or expendable class, these arts programs have vast and far-reaching ramifications for teaching the whole student. What’s more, many students love these classes, and the more students who like coming to school, the more likely it is that that will become the dominant attitude within the community. This creates a cycle of highly invested students who push themselves to accomplish amazing things and create incredible work.

Recess: The Undisputed Favorite Part of a School Day

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 22:15:44 GMT

By Monica Van Aken Ed.D and Zack Weil

In what has quickly become one of the most talked-about books of the year within educational circles, The Anxious Generation, author Jonathan Haidt dedicates considerable attention to the crucial topic of recess. Since the 1980s, our country has had a certain attitude about education, needing to focus heavily on reading and math at the cost of everything else. Art, music, and even aspects of science, the stuff most kids find fun, have found themselves on the chopping block when it comes to school budgets. However, more than anything else, recess has found itself excised to an almost negligible amount in America’s schools.

At MMS , we’ve taken a different approach. We believe that recess, along with studio art and art history, music, and athletics are essential to creating a high quality of life experience in school for all children. In a series of loosey-goosey student interviews, nine out of ten children will rank “recess,” as their favorite part of the day (that one kid who doesn’t say recess usually says “lunch.”)

Recess is when kids finally get to run around and enter into their own worlds, which includes playing games without adults telling them what to do. To children, recess is so essential that it’s shocking that it would ever be excluded. What’s more, as Haidt argues in his book, it should be a time for kids to be with kids with limited adult intervention. Why?

Sometimes parents imagine that recess is a cheerful, bucolic enterprise, and it usually is, but in fact, it never seems entirely peaceful. The moment they start their games, kids take control. They form a hierarchy; the older ones call the shots. They make rules and often spend inordinate amounts of time arguing about those rules.

The important thing to remember as an adult is that recess is an integral part of becoming a well-educated person. While classrooms can teach the rules of grammar and math, playgrounds are where children learn the rules of life in a society. Recess is not a break in the education of a child, it is absolutely vital to the growth of children. To onlookers, it may look just like fun and games, but the truth is the majority of what we all have learned in life was actually learned on the playground.

Empathy and Literature

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 19:38:38 GMT

At MMS , students are avid readers. They begin reading simple Mac and Tab books, then carry a homework folder back and forth for five years and read to their parents to improve oral reading and reading mechanics. Once in upper elementary, our students read one novel , historical fiction, non-fiction, or fiction every other week, and many read more. But why is reading so important for students, and why is reading a full novel (and not the abridged textbook version) so important?

Books, more than anything else, teach students about empathy. Maybe not always explicitly, but even the most horrible and villainous characters ever created have some trace of humanity within them. We learn through the mistakes our protagonists make and experience the triumph of their successes when they finally (usually) defeat the evils that plague them. This ability to experience stories through the safety of the page means that we as readers can live through all the horrors of war, the ecstasy of solving a crime, or beating a rival in a championship clinch moment without having to change our lives to do so.

We take a pointed approach to this philosophy in our upper elementary classes . Each grade reads around twelve novels a year, along with many short stories, interactive fiction games, and a significant amount of Reading Plus stories of various lexile levels and genres. This considerable amount of literature guarantees that something will resonate with each student and, in turn, spur them on to find something similar to enjoy outside of the confines of the classroom. Keeping our numerous readings varied and consistent has paid dividends in tangible metrics such as higher scores on tests and creating lifelong readers and learners.

Ice Storm 2024 Student Drone Racing

Wed, 08 May 2024 22:02:49 GMT

Ice Storm 2024 Student Drone Racing

The pulse-pounding excitement of our student Ice Storm Drone Racing Competition at the Pettit Center last weekend was an electrifying spectacle to behold! With six fiercely competitive teams from Carroll University, Fox River Middle School, and MMS vying for victory, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation.

Fueling the excitement was our race production powerhouse, MultiGP, fresh off the heels of their thrilling event in Sharjah. Their expertise in crafting intricate courses tailored to our students' hand-built drones elevated the competition to new heights, setting the stage for an epic showdown.

In the early hours of the morning, teams meticulously prepared their drones, ensuring every soldering point was secure and every component finely tuned. The importance of building the drones from scratch became evident as the races progressed, with crashes and rapid repairs putting the skills of the Pit Crew to the test.

Guided by MultiGP, teams were briefed on the course intricacies and race regulations, with dedicated pilots, spotters, and pit crews standing by to ensure seamless operation. With each heat of the race demanding split-second decisions and lightning-fast reflexes, students were pushed to their limits as they navigated through gates and executed precision maneuvers.

As the races unfolded, the tension mounted, with teams battling it out in multiple heats to secure their spot in the finals. With only two teams left standing, the stage was set for a thrilling showdown under the Friday night lights, drawing a crowd of eager parents, student spectators, and a television news crew!

In a nail-biting finale, it was the MMS Team who emerged victorious, clinching the title of champions at the Ice Storm Drone Racing Competition. However, their triumph was hard-earned, with Fox River Middle School proving to be a formidable opponent, pushing them to their limits with every lap. Despite falling short by a razor-thin margin, the resilience and sportsmanship displayed by the Fox River Falcons left no doubt that they'll be back next year, hungrier for victory than ever before.

As the dust settled and the adrenaline subsided, it became clear that the legacy of the Ice Storm Drone Racing Competition would endure. Already, whispers of anticipation circulated among the crowd, with promises of even more student teams from other schools eager to join the fray next year. With each passing moment, the anticipation grew, with the promise of a bigger, better, and more exhilarating event for our students on the horizon.

A heartfelt thank you is owed to MultiGP and the professional pilots whose expertise and dedication elevated the competition to unprecedented heights. Their unwavering support and guidance ensured that the event ran seamlessly, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended. Additionally, the countless Wisconsin Charters who lent their support and enthusiasm played an integral role in making the Ice Storm Drone Racing Competition a resounding success.

As we reflect on the thrilling spectacle that unfolded at the Pettit Center, it's clear that the spirit of camaraderie and competition will continue to thrive in the years to come. To all who contributed to the success of this event, especially Greg Sukowaty, our MMS Director of Educational Technology, Karin Groh, Holly Benson and all of the MMS Faculty who helped make this event a success, I extend my deepest gratitude. Without your passion and commitment, none of this would have been possible. Here's to the future of student drone racing and the endless possibilities that lie ahead!

Debating Before Dating

Tue, 07 May 2024 16:49:55 GMT

Why MMS Junior High Students are

Mastering Debate as Early as Seventh Grade

While many of us didn't encounter debate teams until high school, at MMS, our junior high students are diving into the world of parliamentary debate as early as the seventh grade. Why introduce debate so early, you might ask? To help our students master the art of public speaking, show them that research is more than just busywork, and help them think under pressure.

Debate strengthens public speaking, research skills, and the elusive ability to think on your feet!

Debate at MMS isn't just about arguing; it's about crafting persuasive and well-researched arguments, analyzing data, and honing interpersonal communication skills. Our students learn to research thoroughly, understanding not only their position but also the counterarguments they might face, allowing them to anticipate and skillfully rebut the opposition's points.

Let’s face it: public speaking is daunting for many—some might even joke they'd rather face a lightning strike than speak in front of an audience! At MMS, we tackle this fear head-on by integrating public speaking into our curriculum from the start. In junior high, our students regularly stand up and deliver speeches, often within tight time constraints, learning to handle interruptions and clarifications from opponents with grace.

Lastly, students in a debate must take questions from their opponents in front of a live audience, opponents who would like nothing more than to poke holes in their arguments and further their own victory. Taking tough questions in front of an audience is a real-world skill that will deliver huge benefits to our students later in life.

In essence, at MMS, debate is more than a subject—it's a crucial part of shaping responsible, articulate, and thoughtful future citizens.

Each MMS graduate takes the stage on graduation night, in a compelling three-minute speech before an audience of more than 100 adults, peers and teachers.

AI Lessons: Environmental Impact of Large Language Models

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 19:20:46 GMT

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized numerous sectors globally, and at Milwaukee Montessori School (MMS), we are proactive in integrating AI into our curriculum with a focus on its ethical implications. Our students are educated about the judicious use of AI, distinguishing between its proper and improper applications, particularly within academic contexts. They engage in project-based learning that encourages them to use AI responsibly by developing prompts and feedback mechanisms that uphold academic integrity.

As part of this initiative, we introduced an assignment that delves into the environmental impact of Large Language Models (LLMs). Students explored both the production and operational aspects of LLMs and were tasked with creating a digital news article. This project utilized teachers as 'experts' to provide insights, while students conducted independent research and cited various sources.

The culmination of this project is exemplified by the work of Weston Ubell and Nathan Williamson, whose exceptional efforts produced a comprehensive website. Their project highlights the significant environmental challenges posed by AI technologies . To view their insightful analysis and the accompanying digital presentation, please follow the link below to the award-winning article crafted by these talented students!

What We're Reading

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 18:42:31 GMT

At MMS, our faculty reads! A lot. We're constantly talking amongst ourselves, providing our personal reviews, and sharing excerpts, and columns from our favorite authors.

So, it’s high time we share our thoughts with anyone who cares. Of course, we mention tons of books: old ones, new ones, ones we agree with, ones we can't stand. You'll find our (unedited) reviews below.

Monica Van Aken's Recommendations

Ian Anastas's Recommendation

Zack Weil's Recommendation

Karen Gorecki's Recommendation

Scott Bruner's Recommendation

Kristina Lindsey's Recommendation

Dave Swanson's Recommendation

Social Interaction in Montessori Classrooms

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 19:32:27 GMT

The Benefits of a Mixed-Age Classroom

At Milwaukee Montessori School , children learn in multi-age classrooms. As they work and learn together, children build a classroom community. Here they develop independence while learning to navigate the ups and downs of living in community with one another.

Rather than sitting in straight rows grouped only with children their own age, students at Milwaukee Montessori School learn to work with peers of varying ages and abilities in an environment that not only allows for social interaction throughout the day but recognizes the value of those interactions in the child’s overall growth and development. As a result, children show up to a community every day where they know one another for their strengths and make friends by virtue of who they work with. Many children work together, and when they do so, they will have disagreements and learn how to work through those conflicts.

From the youngest age, children in the academic programs at Milwaukee Montessori School have the freedom to work with and learn from classmates of varying ages and skill levels. The multi-age classroom provides valuable opportunities for children to develop social skills, including empathy, respect, and a sense of community.

“We can see clearly what is necessary to give in order to help the child. It is to give the possibility of independence, of living together and carrying out social experiences.”

Dr. Maria Montessori

The Advantage of Mixed Age Classrooms

By observing the work of their older classmates, younger children see what comes next, making them aspirational. As a teacher, I routinely had three-year-olds ask me when they could work with the beautiful Montessori bead chains. I would tell them, first, let’s put the cylinders in size order, match the color tablets, and scrub a table following the many steps needed to complete the task. After you can recognize numbers, we will match the numeric symbol to its quantity and learn about place value. Then, you will be ready to work with the bead chains to learn skip counting and multiplication. A child must learn to order the things in her environment and develop work stamina before tackling more advanced tasks. The children understand this and eagerly work toward their academic goals.

“There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for the individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community.” - Maria Montessori

In Children’s House , children ages 3-6 work side by side, with the older children often assisting with lessons and modeling appropriate classroom behavior. Acting this way is not an undue burden on five and six-year-old children but rather something they have learned to do from their experience within this environment. I often reminded my older students of the kindness shown them when they were younger and that now it was their turn to do the same. The older children take great pride in checking the work of their younger classmates or guiding them as they learn the rhythm and routine of the classroom.

The older students regularly show great patience as they allow younger students to sit with them and observe their work. It is also not uncommon to see older students working together on projects that require days of concentrated effort to complete followed by intense negotiation and eventual agreement about who takes the epic research report home.

The cooperation and sense of community are fostered by the teachers but grown and strengthened by the students themselves. I still enjoy spending time in Children’s House classrooms and seeing the community that can flourish when students have the freedom to work with classmates of multiple backgrounds and ages, often developing lasting friendships.

The Qualified Casa Educator - Milwaukee Montessori School

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 17:52:08 GMT

"Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world." - Maria Montessori

Do you ever wonder if your child's teacher has the experience and training to be effective in the classroom? At Milwaukee Montessori School, the Children's House teachers, classroom assistants, and specialist faculty have a combined teaching experience of 205 years! Montessori Directresses and many assistants have all been trained by accredited, rigorous Montessori training centers. This intense training in Montessori theory and pedagogy means that our teachers are well-equipped to create and maintain classroom environments that allow children to work at their own pace while consistently being challenged.

Teachers bring their interests and creativity to play as they create new materials, lessons, and unit studies based on everything from foreign lands, including France and Sri Lanka, to woodland or arctic animals. The solar system, volcanoes, and even timely themes such as construction vehicles have been presented to our three to six-year-old students, incorporating all aspects of the curriculum.

The Athletics, Art, Spanish, and Music teachers all have degrees and are actively engaged outside of teaching in their respective fields, informing their work with expertise discovered outside the classroom and shared with their students.

Equally impressive to our faculty's tenure is the robust and collegial environment where knowledge, wisdom, and experience are shared in a supportive way that ensures success not just in one classroom but for all Children's House students. Working together, our Children's House teachers and specialists follow Maria Montessori's words when she said, "Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world."

Why Do We Have Drone Teams and Quad Lab?

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 05:56:08 GMT

Contrary to what people may imagine, the MMS Drone Team and Quad Lab are not clubs where students take a drone out of a box and try to fly it.

In fact, we spend little time with Ready-to-Fly (RTF) drones, which come pre-assembled and require no customization. Instead, we build the drones ourselves, which allows our students to grapple with the complexities of assembling a drone from the frame up and requires that they solve a ton of technical problems on the path of getting their drones to alight from the ground.

Building a working drone is just the beginning. Drones have to be programmed with distinct autonomy levels that can range from being remotely piloted, wherein a human controls its movements using a controller, to advanced autonomy, wherein it relies on a system of sensors and LiDAR (light detection and ranging) detectors to calculate its movement.

Believe it or not, programming their drones is easier than flying them for many students. Actually piloting a drone - getting it to fly and stay flying - is a huge hurdle that requires a set of well-practiced skills students must master using Velocidrone, a sophisticated flight simulation program we load on their computers. Our MMS team has practice tracks that we designed, and this customization allows us to start children with a series of learn-to-fly tracks that gradually progress to skills like split-S turns, carousels, and parachutes.

Why does this matter? First, it’s incredibly hard to build a drone from the frame up, and our students gain very complex skills in this process. By building the drones themselves they have the opportunity to work by trial and error to discover what fixes are needed to get the new drone to stay in flight for more than a few seconds. As is true of the Montessori method of learning, the immediacy of the feedback comes from the material itself, not from a teacher.

When the failure is obvious and objective, it doesn’t hurt, rather it invites stymied confusion, a million questions, and then the profound creative process involved in finding a solution that works.

Having learned exactly what keeps their drones airborne, the students must also learn to pilot the drones, act as drone spotters, and learn to repair drones quickly when serving on the team’s pit crew. Each team member learns all of these roles, and only if they all execute these roles successfully will they have winning races.

In the years to come those who have worked with drones will find that knowing how to program using Python, C/C++ and Javascript will help them find summer jobs. Our students who choose careers involving drones will be in high demand, as drones are going to continue to take over tasks that range from the mundane, such as delivering groceries, to the ultra-dangerous, such as rescuing avalanche victims. Even as the world is enveloped in AI, someone, (a human) will be designing, building, programming, and piloting the drones of the future.

Our groundbreaking drone program prepares MMS students to influence, shape, and benefit from the unimaginable new waves of technology just on our horizon.

Repetition in School

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 05:46:20 GMT

Sometimes parents ask me why their child knows how to read a full page in a book one week, but seems dumbstruck when reading pages from the book the following week.

Learning is not a linear progress. Children do not receive lessons, absorb and know concepts immediately, and then move on. What learning looks like is more akin to waves. There is an undulation, a “now you see it now you don’t,” movement toward knowledge retention. Sometimes parents ask, “Why is my child practicing concepts and skills, or repeating lessons that she already knows?”

Some days a child can read a whole page of content replete with 30 sight words, and then the next day that child forgets half of the sight words and fails to read periods or question marks. Sometimes they head off to school ready for a math facts test, only to get here and not remember a good chunk of what was sealed the night before. The “now you see it, now you don’t” undulation of knowledge retrieval is referred to as “conception variation,” and essentially, this is what makes standardized testing such an explosive subject in the US. Some days kids know and recall concepts, facts, and skills, other days, they cannot retrieve what they learned. It’s just the way it is.

At MMS we individualize instruction for children in two ways. First, we give lessons that are hard enough to be exciting, relevant, and timed to meet the interests of your child.

Second, we recognize that students not only progress at different paces, but their conceptual variations (what they remember and what they don’t) differ from week to week. All the lessons that your child receives are based on daily observations and interactions with teachers . Our job is to make sure that the distance between the trough and the crest of the learning wave gets smaller and smaller until the information can be effortlessly accessed and used to connect new information. All that takes practice and hard work -- the ingredients of success!

Anika's Harrowing Journey

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 17:04:23 GMT

When MMS was founded in 1961, we were preparing children for a different world. In the decades since then, communication and computing technology have allowed us to know and see what people are doing in real-time, anytime, in almost any place on this earth!

Whether studying global politics through the World Peace Game, preparing issue papers for the Model UN, learning computer programming to create software content, or studying the effects of storm water runoff on the health of Lake Michigan, MMS is preparing our students to lead in today’s world, not the world of yesterday.

An important aspect of this is maintaining a diverse learning community so our students have the experience of working closely with and developing deep friendships with people from many different backgrounds and cultures. By bringing many perspectives to our community we better prepare students with the complex skills required of a “change-making generation.”

Tuition assistance makes this vision possible. Because we are a school for working families, we do our best to keep our expenses and tuition as low as possible. We do not have an endowment as some private schools do; tuition alone pays for our programs and salaries. To provide support for all of the students and families who need it, we must raise tuition assistance funds every year through our MMS Fund .

Money raised through the MMS Fund goes directly to tuition assistance for students who need it. When you give generously to the MMS Fund , you make it possible for children to attend who simply would not be able to otherwise - children such as Anika.

A few months before Ukraine was invaded by the Russian army, five-year-old Anika had just started Montessori school in Kyiv. Her parents had bought a new house, and Anika’s mother, Iryna, a prominent psychologist, had just opened a new office. “Things seemed perfect,” remembers Iryna. Then, one morning in February at 4:00 a.m. Iryna got a frantic phone call from her sister:

“Everything has started! You need to get out of the city now.

The Russians are shooting, bombing, and killing people! Leave immediately!

It’s only a matter of time before they get to your area!”

Jumping out of bed, Iryna and her husband Vladimir, quickly woke Anika, packed two suitcases, put their two cats in a carrier, and within thirty minutes had left their entire world behind. They began the arduous trek to Iryna's sister's house in a remote, forested area in Ukraine some sixteen hours away by car.

“At first, I told Anika we were going on a weekend vacation, but after a few hours, she knew this wasn’t true.”

Though at first, it was quiet as they hurried away from the city, they began to hear and see missiles flying overhead and then heard them exploding in the distance. Russian tanks were on the other side of the road heading toward the city. Just a few hours later, while her phone was still working, Iryna says that a neighbor reported that the streets were at a standstill; nobody else could get out.

Incredulously, Iryna’s neighbor described how Russian soldiers were bombing lines of civilian cars, and when people tried to run from their cars, they were being shot and killed in the street: “My neighbor said Russian soldiers pulled our friends from their cars and killed them. They went into our homes and shot and killed entire families, including children. They looted and destroyed our homes, even ripping toilets from the floor.”

They drove the whole way to Iryna's sisters without stopping for any food or water, and eventually, they reached the mountains. Iryna's parents did not make it out of the city, instead, they were barricaded in a bomb shelter for eleven days before fleeing to the mountains to meet them. But by then even the mountains weren’t safe, and they all had to flee again. Iryna, Vladimir, and Anika started driving toward Spain before learning from others in Hungary that there was no work in Spain, and instead headed to Italy. Iryna’s mother, father, sister, and nephew fled to France where her mother had a job.

A church in Garda Lake in Northern Italy, gave Iryna and her family a place for three days before they drove on to Bergamo, where the Catholic Church found them an empty room in which a woman had died a few weeks before. “There we lived for six months,” Iryna said. “In this one-room apartment in an attic with a kitchen no bigger than an ironing board, and one small attic window the size and shape of a shoebox. It was so hot that summer, over 100 degrees for days and days. We slept on the floor, but it was free, and we had no money.”

While Anika’s father worked 12 hours a day in a factory to earn enough money to buy food, Anika went to a free summer program where she learned to communicate with the other children. Having fled with only the clothes in their suitcases, they couldn’t afford summer clothes or anything other than food. Being a refugee in Italy was very hard, and when they learned that the United States was accepting Ukrainian refugees if they had American Sponsorship, they immediately thought of Vladimir’s friend, Karl.

Iryna explained: “My husband had a friend from Milwaukee who he met in Ukraine while taking a language course in Kyiv. For over a year, they continued having a conversation online each week, Vladimir speaking to Karl in English, and Karl speaking to my husband in Ukrainian.”

After hearing of their plight, Karl agreed to sponsor the family, so they filled out the paperwork, purchased plane tickets with money they painstakingly saved in Italy, donated their car to the Ukrainian military, and flew from Italy to Poland and then Poland to Chicago. “It was a grueling journey,” Iryna said, “And the entire time we always took our two cats with us too. We arrived in America with two suitcases and two cats.”

While they were waiting to leave Italy for the United States, Iryna started to look on the Internet for schools near Karl’s house. Iryna knew that even though Anika didn’t know a word of English, she could continue to use the Montessori materials to learn concepts and skills:

“I knew I wanted to find a Montessori School because Anika had already been through so much. I needed to ensure that she would be in a predictable, highly structured school with supportive children and families.”

Iryna knew that even though Anika didn’t know a word of English, she could continue to use the Montessori materials to learn concepts and skills: “I knew that a Montessori School would be the best chance for Anika to become comfortable in yet another country.”

Karl met them at O’Hare and brought them back to his house in Milwaukee, where they stayed, sleeping on his floor, for three months. Karl’s relatives brought clothes for Anika because she had outgrown her clothing since leaving their home in Ukraine. Going through the refugee program, it took them almost two months to get social security numbers and work authorizations. Vladimir got his work permit and secured a job at Badger Railings on the same day. He also enrolled at MATC to get all of his welding certificates. Iryna took English language courses and continued to provide free counseling and support groups to Ukrainian clients and refugees.

When they found Milwaukee Montessori School , Karl and his neighbors said it was a very good school with an excellent reputation.

“When we took a tour of the school,” Iryna remembers, “I felt like crying and crying. It is such a beautiful school, and the children were working and playing, and they were so kind to one another. The idea that Anika could go to such a wonderful school was the best thing that happened to us since we left Ukraine, and the fact that they could help us financially was such a wash of relief."

Iryna goes on, "As a refugee fleeing a war-torn country, you cannot imagine how grateful we feel to have one thing in our lives that is right. As a parent, I am so grateful that my child is in a good school. It lets me breathe again. Anika attending MMS is the one part of my life where everything is okay. The one place where everything is okay.”

Even after everything that Anika had been through, and just beginning to learn English, her love of learning came shining through in that first year. Iryna says, “Anika loves her projects and loves coming to school. She wants to do hard work, and her lessons are interesting to her. She has no more anxiety. She even speaks Spanish and recites what she learned in her classes with Ms. Gutierrez !”

Last summer, Anika took MMS’ week-long Game Design class, and according to her mom, on the first day she didn’t like it, “but by the second day, she loved it, and for the remainder of the week she told us about Mr. Anastas and his coding lessons; she learned so much!” Iryna described that this year Anika is coming to school as a different person, “with much more confidence and happiness. Her English is so much better, and she loves math and Mrs. Arora and all of her teachers at MMS.”

When we asked Iryna whether she might be willing to share her story and show people what their donations to the MMS Fund can do for families, she said, “I am happy I can tell my story for someone else and hope that my experience can be helpful. It was scary for me to ask for help because I was the one to help people in my country! In Ukraine, I donated; I provided my assistance to people and organizations; here it is still so challenging.”

She says that the tuition assistance that made it possible for Anika to enroll at MMS is what they really needed to settle into their lives in Milwaukee. “We needed a school where Anika could flourish, where she could learn and be pushed to challenge herself, all while making beautiful friendships… Our lives have been hard, in fact, for the first six months that Anika was attending MMS my husband dropped her off by bicycle because we didn't have a car, but all of that was just fine with us because MMS made it possible for Anika to adapt, to learn, and to find joy in her new life here. We are forever grateful to MMS and everyone who thought to help this school so that the school could help us.”

Iryna, Vladimir, and Anika’s story is a powerful testimony to the resilience of the human spirit, the importance of the kindness of strangers, and the determination parents can have to ensure a bright future for their children.

While Anika’s journey to MMS is truly extraordinary, we know many families have gone to great lengths to find us, and we know that it is only because of generous donors to the MMS Fund that we are able to make the dream of transformative education a reality for them.

Please give as generously as you can to the MMS Fund.

Longer School Year Allows for More Well-Rounded Education

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:58:36 GMT

MMS has a unique annual schedule where students have eight-hour school days that allow for a truly well-rounded schedule including art, music, athletics, technology, and Spanish classes multiple times per week. The excellence of the co-curricular offerings at MMS is indisputable as MMS students win more art, music, writing, math and technology awards than any other school in the state of Wisconsin.

Small lesson sizes allow for individual attention

One reason that our students excel academically is a result of our small lesson sizes. In our school, lessons consist of one-to-one lessons, small groups of two children, or perhaps six children, and in the upper grades, fourth thru eighth, never more than 12 students attend a given lesson. These low student-teacher lesson ratios encourage close connections between instructors and students and allow teachers to move kids ahead when they are ready - no one waits for a class to catch up. They learn at the pace that works for them. We follow the needs of your child!

Excellent teachers

Independent school instructors and our MMS faculty teach in their areas of expertise. Did you know that just 20% of America’s math teachers have a degree in mathematics? At MMS our faculty are trained in their specialty and never rely on textbooks to provide instruction. This allows teachers to develop a full understanding of each student’s learning style, interests, and motivation.

Graduates of independent schools have a far greater likelihood of completing a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree.

Education for the whole child

In addition to academics, independent schools also nurture students’ personal and social growth and civic conscience.

Outside the classroom, students participate in school-sponsored athletic competitions, artistic pursuits, Nature's Classroom, Ocean and Landscape Clean-ups, the International Montessori Games in such places (but not limited to) Norway, Mexico, and South America. At MMS we provide a meaningful school experience that challenges children academically and emotionally.

Learning the Values that You Want for Your Child

Schooling is designed to help children learn how to live successfully in their adult life. MMS students learn how to be respectful, kind to each other, helpful, decent and outwardly focused.

Inclusiveness

Independent schools foster diverse and vibrant student communities that welcome and respect every family. While one might think that public schools are more diverse, they enroll students by zip code. MMS enrolls families from all backgrounds. Typically, 53% of our students are non-white, foreign-born, and come from a wide range of economic backgrounds. Our faculty is diverse too by any standard! MMS parents are willing to invest money and time in travel to get to the right school for their child and because they all value a high-quality education, many travel to bring their children to this school every day.

A community of parents who actively participate in their children’s education

Independent schools promote regular communication among students, parents, and teachers to ensure everyone is working toward the same goals. At MMS we communicate promptly, we are responsive and make sure that there are no surprises.

As a parent, you can actively engage in your student’s education, because the staff and teachers want and value your participation. What you do at home matters and makes a difference in school!

Why MMS?

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:48:25 GMT

MMS was established in 1961 as one of the first Montessori schools in America, and that level of continuity, history, and experience matters because after graduating generations of students who now have their own children and grandchildren at MMS, we know what it takes to position your child for success in High School and beyond. Our methods and environment are so well respected that our 8th grade graduates average half a million dollars in High School scholarships annually.

MMS is independent

MMS is independent in the truest sense of the word. Independent schools offer mission-driven education . All of the work we collectively do on behalf of your child is driven by our unique philosophy, values, and approach to teaching, which we express in our mission: Educating youngsters to become an informed, committed and difference-making generation.

Why do we exist?

As an independent school, also known as a private school, we are dedicated to expanding the human potential of all children for the purpose of educating them for a freer, safer, world. The work of our faculty and staff is rooted in our belief in democracy, personal freedom, solidarity with those at the periphery of society, the well-being of our planet, and educating children to become informed, engaged, ethically minded citizens for the world that they will inherit.

We hold high standards so every child is academically challenged

MMS nurtures intellectual curiosity, stimulates personal growth, encourages critical thinking, a growth mindset, a robust work ethic, and promotes a love of learning. Every child is known, challenged, and invested in. More students in independent schools enroll in advanced courses upon High School matriculation than in public or parochial schools. On average, 93% of our 8th-grade graduating class enrolls in one or more AP-level courses in their freshman year.

Public or Private: Not all Montessori Schools are the Same!

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:41:26 GMT

Public or Private: Not all Montessori Schools are the Same!

Based on the groundbreaking educational method designed by Maria Montessori, Montessori schools are respected throughout the world for delivering high-quality, well-rounded education that gives children a huge advantage for earning lifelong success. However, as Montessori schools have grown in number in the United States , it has become clear that they are not all the same.

One of the most important benefits of a Montessori school experience is that each child is understood as an individual learner who will naturally seek to excel when their strengths, weaknesses, and interests are understood and taken into account.

By design, Public schools are focused on educating the largest number of children to a minimum standard, and they use their teachers, curricula, resources, and standardized tests to accomplish that goal. The standards for public schools, even public Montessori schools, often far underestimate the abilities children actually have to learn, and because test results determine the allocation of school funding , Public schools must “teach to the test.”

To further simplify curricula and the movement of students between grades, public school systems often divide children into “tracks” when they are still quite young, such as “remedial,” “average,” or “college-bound,” and there is often very little mobility once children have been placed in these tracks. Sadly, this process is not free of bias for factors such as socio-economic background, nationality, race, or disability, which entrenches children in limiting pathways that may have little to do with their nascent intellectual capabilities.

In fact, Maria Montessori designed her method for children who had been underprivileged to give them access to the skills and knowledge that the more privileged children already had because she believed that all children could learn and excel if approached individually and with systematic materials and lessons.

Whereas Public schools are given a state mandate to educate the most children to a minimum standard, Independent Montessori schools, such as Milwaukee Montessori School, are governed by an independent board of trustees who implement the school’s own mission, not a public school board, and are supported by tuition payments, charitable contributions, and endowment revenue, which allows them to implement their own curricula to achieve their mission.

At Milwaukee Montessori School teachers continue to have the freedom to create individualized educational experiences to meet each child’s needs without the burden of state mandates for curriculum, textbooks, and standardized tests, and they continue to hold the highest expectations for each child without artificial or biased limitations.

copy of weekly broadcasts dinner summer 2023 where are they going

Why is Bedtime So Important?

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 22:56:00 GMT

Why do we tell MMS Parents to keep a consistent bedtime?

Oftentimes at Milwaukee Montessori School , students aren’t getting enough sleep at home. How do we know?

There are lots of signs! They can’t seem to stay on task in lessons, are irritable with other students, get frustrated easily, and lack the stamina needed to finish both easy and complex academic work.

Lack of Sleep Impacts your Child’s Friendships, Academic Productivity, and Emotional Management.

Up to 50% of children experience a sleep problem, according to a study published in American Family Physician . Though there are sometimes biological explanations for disrupted sleep, "the vast majority of sleep problems are caused by parents unintentionally not allowing children to get the sleep they need," asserts Marc Weissbluth, M.D., author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and an associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Medical School. "There are too many activities—both parents and child's—that interfere with an early bedtime."

Something you should keep in mind when planning your family’s weeknight extracurriculars!

Other experts point out that many children, having been rocked or nursed to sleep (or allowed to fall asleep in their parents' beds) since birth, have simply never learned to fall asleep on their own . As much as we love snuggling those babes to sleep, it’s important to lay them down when they are drowsy and let them fall asleep on their own, too.

So, here we are, a few months into the academic year at Milwaukee Montessori School, shouting from the rooftops that it is vital for you, our families, to develop good sleep hygiene early!

A proper night's rest is crucial for children's healthy growth, immune function , and behavior. Exhausted kids are more likely to be cranky, impatient, and do poorly in school.

So, exactly how much sleep do your children need?

According to sleep experts at Yale Medical School, your child needs:

Age 1-2 years old: 11-14 hours
Age 3-5 years old: 10-13 hours
Age 6-12 years old: 9-12 hours
Age 13-18 years old: 8-10 hours

Sometimes, parents tell us that their 4-year-old child is not tired. But when children are fatigued "Instead of becoming quiet and somnolent, as adults do, kids become hyperactive and out of control," says David Gozal, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Sleep Medicine Center at Tulane University Hospital Clinics, in New Orleans. "Their ability to pay attention decreases, as does their ability to concentrate, solve problems, and retain what they learn."

So when 7:30 pm rolls around and your child is bouncing off the walls, it’s time for bed!

Consistent, early bedtimes is good for you, too! When the kids are asleep at a decent hour, they will be in better moods and you will have time to yourself to read, watch your favorite shows, or share your day with your partner.

Teaching Cursive Handwriting - Why?

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 15:20:35 GMT

Why do we teach cursive at MMS?

We’ve been teaching cursive since our inception, but both the New York Times and the Atlantic Monthly have joined in the cause by publishing editorials recently showcasing the benefits of teaching children to write in cursive.

According to new research, not only does cursive increase the speed of writing, it also improves brain development in the areas of thinking, language, and working memory by stimulating brain synapses and synchronicity between the left and right hemispheres, something absent from either printing or typing.

At MMS , we appreciate these new findings, but our purpose is more.

Learning to write in cursive is easier for young children for three reasons:

Every single letter starts on the baseline.
The pencil never comes off the paper.
Cursive writing prevents letter reversals that we see in print, specifically letters b, d, q, p, f, t, a, and c.

Starting on the Baseline

The cursive e starts at the baseline, swings up to the midline, the pencil pulls straight down, and the release is up. The pencil never comes off of the paper.

When printing the letter e , the student does not even start on a line, but has to begin between two lines, moving backward, then arcing up and over. To ensure that the letter is centered on the first line, children often pick up the pencil, thereby breaking continuity.

In fact, printing requires the student to lift the pencil often to make calculations for space. Consider the letter t where again the student has to determine a start between two lines.

Cursive letters always start at the baseline and extend to the top line. The letter t is crossed at the midline, and once children learn how to write a few cursive letters individually, they learn how to connect the consonants with vowels. Connecting letters together is easier than writing each letter individually.

Finally, reversals just disappear. In cursive, none of these letters below looks like the other.

Whereas man y young children working in print struggle with reversals for some time, making it hard for them to read their work and spell correctly.

With the advent of computers and keyboard communications, handwriting seems like a lost art, much more so cursive handwriting. Some researchers say that current graduate students have trouble reading cursive from primary sources written in the 20th century!

Because learning how to write is an essential part of learning how to read, and the benefits of learning to write in cursive are clear, at MMS, we will continue to teach young children the art and skill of writing in cursive.