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Choosing A Montessori School: Is It Right For You?

Let’s talk about Montessori schools! The term Montessori is thrown around a lot, especially recently, it’s become a very popular method among schools, caretakers, and parents. But what is the Montessori method? Here’s a quick introduction. 

Maria Montessori developed her method of learning as an Italian physician in the early 1900s. Her work focuses on children being independent in their learning and that they have a natural tendency for inquiry in learning. With the proper tools and set up, the child can be independent in their learning. The typical tools in a Montessori classroom are wooden, simple, and always at a child’s level.

Her work was never trademarked, so any school or center can tag “Montessori” onto their title and claim they teach Montessori method, but may not actually follow exactly what Maria developed. This is important to remember when looking into a Montessori school! 

A few facts about a Montessori school: 

If choosing a Montessori education, you may have to change your expectations of what school will look like for your children. They most likely will not be sitting in desks at any point in the day, but instead wandering and exploring and learning at their pace. 

Because the Montessori method is not a trademarked learning style, it is important to do research on specific schools to watch how they are learning and what the school’s style is to see if it meets the needs you are seeking. 

The Montessori method was well developed for elementary aged students, but Maria never created a curriculum for middle or high school students. Some schools have taken the Montessori principles and adjusted them to a high school level, creating a Montessori secondary education program, however, they may be few and far between. 

If you have chosen a Montessori program for your kids, how did you come to the conclusion that it was the right choice? 

Cover photo from thetot.com

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It’s Graduation Day! Some Tips And Things To Bring

Graduation day is coming! Seniors, buckle up! This is your moment. First, take a look at this letter to the graduating class of 2020. All of it applies to you, too. 

Now let’s talk about what you need ON graduation day. It can be a really exciting day! Let’s make sure you don’t forget anything. 

  • First, make sure you talk with your school or organization before graduation day to know if they provide the cap and gown or if you need to. Look into what color of gown, cord, or stole that you need. 
  • Double-check the night before the event on where you are supposed to meet up before the ceremony, and that you know how to get there. Especially for those participating in college graduation.
  • Use the bathroom one last time before the ceremony. 
  • Take a lot of pictures, you’ll never want to forget this day. However, make sure those batteries are charged on your phone, camera, or any other electronic device you bring. 
  • Wear your semi-formal clothes under your gown, but keep in mind that everything on you must fit into your pockets, you won’t have a bag to tote with you, so keep your items at a minimum and try to wear an outfit that includes pockets, if possible. 
  • Sunscreen! This can be so easily overlooked, but a lot of spring graduation ceremonies happen outside. Even on a cloudy day, you can sunburn. 

Graduation day is a day to be celebrated! Pose for the pictures and allow yourself plenty of time in the limelight. You deserve it, after all! 

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Teaching Feelers: Using Myers-Briggs In The Classroom

the youth of our future is inspiring

This post is part of a series of posts on teaching to different personality type indicators as found in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. To see more, head here. 

According to Myers Briggs, when you are making decisions, you use two functions. Thinking and Feeling. You’ll use both through the whole decision-making process, but one will primarily take over. This blog post is to solely focus on the Feelers. 

Some traits that can define a Feeler: 

They are always considering the feelings of themselves and others in decision-making. 

They are the first to think of how a problem will affect others before they think about the process of the problem. 

When coming up with solutions to situations, they focus on people-oriented solutions and how we can work together instead of work better. 

They are your empathetic students. 

Feelers think more with their hearts and less with their heads. 

Ways you can support a Feeler in the classroom: allow them time to create personal connections to peers, teachers, and even the material you are studying. Consider their feelings in your conversations, if they do not feel supported, they can lose a lot of trust in the relationship, which is a vital part of their relationship with school in general. Let them be heard in their problem-solving. It may seem inefficient to use feelings while solving an analytical problem, but this is the way they need to process information. 

Ways you can push a Feeler in the classroom: challenge them to think analytically. Give them supported opportunities to push the feelings and emotions of others aside while they problem-solve. Pair them with a Thinking type so that both can see different ways to go about problem-solving. 

Have you been able to pick out the Feelers in your classroom? What tools do you use to support them? 

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Your Guide To College Housing

High school seniors! Let’s talk about one thing that may be bringing you stress right now, housing! It can be hard to choose college housing because of all of the different types and pros and cons. Here is a general, quick guide that may be able to help you learn more and make an informed decision. 

The different types of housing in college: 

Dorms 

Resident Halls 

Sorority/ Fraternity 

Off-campus housing

Living at home 

On-campus: Some pros and cons, closer to classes. The great social aspect. Can have more rules for your living situation (smoking, alcohol, pets). Easier to know what’s happening at the school. There are different types of on-campus housing, which include dorms, resident halls, and sorority/ fraternity houses. 

Dorms are on-campus housing that can differ drastically in amenities/layout. Some dorms are strictly a room you sleep in with a community bathroom, laundry, and rec room space. It’s also required to sign up for a meal plan pass to eat at the dining halls since you do not have a kitchen in your dorm room. If you are looking for a great social aspect in college, this is it! 

Resident Halls are on-campus housing and typically have a more “apartment” set up. They have the rooms, bathrooms, living area, and kitchen all in the same apartment that you share with other roommates. 

Sorority/ Fraternity: These are places that can have housing available, but you must be a part of the sorority or fraternity to live in their housing. If you are looking for a social place to live and a way to be involved with your school, this a fantastic option! They can be on the spendier side though. 

Off-campus housing: You can also find housing off-campus in apartments, shared houses, and more. Off-campus housing is typically further from campus and may require a parking pass so you can park on campus because it is not close enough to walk. Or you may have to look into public transportation to get to campus. There may also be fewer rules in your housing because it is not endorsed by the school you are attending. 

Living at home: If you are attending school in or near your home town, living with your parents is an option, too! It would likely require a commute to school and could possibly have an effect on the social aspect of school. However, it could save a lot of money!

Some schools may have other housing options, but typically these are the main ones you can find on your campus. You can also make the decision of whether or not to live with friends, move in with strangers, or try to find a program that matches you with others in your field of study. 

There are so many options when it comes to college housing, as well as a long list of pros and cons when it comes to different places. What type of housing have you chosen or did choose in college and how did you come to that decision? 

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Teaching the Thinkers: MBTI In The Classroom

This post is part of a series of posts on teaching to different personality type indicators as found in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. To see more, head here. 

According to Myers Briggs, when you are making decisions, you use two functions. Thinking and Feeling. You’ll use both through the whole decision-making process, but one will primarily take over. This blog post is to solely focus on the Thinkers. 

Some traits that can define a Thinker: 

Logical

Looks at the statistics 

Analytical

Truth seekers- even if it’s hurtful

Everything needs to turn out equal

Can put the problem before the person 

How to support a Thinker in the classroom- They need objectives. They need a target goal written somewhere clearly for them to know what the purpose of the work is. They also thrive on conversations with others. Whether this is in a group setting or one-on-one will depend on if they are introverted or extroverted. But they need this conversation because they want to bounce off every possibility and all of the information that they can. 

How to help Thinkers in your classroom grow- challenge them to think about others in their decision-making and how it affects peers. 

Thinkers are a big part of the classroom. You can easily pick them out by holding a class meeting talking about a problem in the classroom that needs a solution. They’ll be the kids talking about how to fix the problem, not who will fix the problem. They’ll bring forward the analytical, sensible ideas that don’t involve the feelings of the whole classroom. 

Have you been able to pick out the Thinkers in your classroom? 

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Online School: Is It Right For You?

Online school is all the rage right now! Given current technology and a global pandemic, it only seems fitting. Online “school” can be a loose term, because it can mean partially online, partially in the classroom. It can mean some of your classes are online and some are in person. And it can also mean that your entire education is solely online. 

Here are some facts about an online school. I won’t list them out as pros/ cons because some of these points will be a positive thing for one person, but a negative for others. 

You typically can set your schedule. When the coursework is online, you can set your own pace and complete work around your schedule. 

Can have little in-person social interaction because it is all online. Some online programs may have in-person meet-up options, but it’s not typical. 

Books and course material can be cheaper since they are not spending the resources printing everything. 

You can work remotely, giving you the freedom to live in different places. Or even travel while going to school! 

It takes a lot of self-driven work because of the flexibility of time.  

Office hours with instructors typically are over video call or email, which can make it difficult when you are struggling with the material. 

Typically more affordable. 

WIFI has a big effect on your success. If you do not have good, reliable WIFI, it can cause a lot of stress and complications with your schooling. 

As a parent with a child in an online school, it can take more involvement from you to help with learning material. 

Online school can be incredibly convenient and stressful all in the same breath. There are a lot of factors to consider when trying to choose an online school! If you chose an online school for you or your child, how did you decide it was the right path for you? 

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What Is The Purpose Of Higher Education?

We’ve covered on our blog that there are multiple forms of higher education. But I think it might be important to take a step back and ask the question- but what is the purpose of higher education? 

Looking at a broad, overall answer, the point of obtaining a higher education beyond high school is to gain the knowledge needed for a profession. It gives you a specialized field of study that later you can boast to potential employers. But, there is also a long list of other reasons we as humans work hard to obtain a higher education. They are (but not limited to): 

The social skills that inadvertently come with being in a school setting.

Networking with professors, potential future employers, and peers. 

Proving that you can work hard and achieve something that takes hard work.

It helps you meet the needs of your own self-fulfillment, giving you a higher purpose in life.  

Learning critical thinking skills, how to adapt to different situations, work with others, and gives you emotional intelligence and resilience. 

Studies show that individuals that have attended higher education courses tend to make healthier decisions in their lives. 

Other studies have shown that those that have achieved a degree in higher education show more success in their careers. There are less unemployment and job loss. 

There are plenty of reasons to obtain higher education from the institution of your choice. Not only are you studying a field that you want to pursue a career in, but you are also gaining relationships, networking, and meeting some of your most basic self-fulfillment needs.