“He needs structure.” It’s a phrase we commonly hear in reference to young children, but I recently heard it used to describe a freshman in college. He had excelled academically in high school. He then enrolled at the University South Carolina only to fail out his first year. What was he missing?

Conventional education has put all of its focus on the regurgitation of academic information. The teacher gives information to students, usually orally, and then the students are expected to repeat it back through homework and exams. Good memorization equals good grades.

The Montessori method creates a learning environment to support the student’s whole development. For instance, toddlers are naturally independent beings. Everyone has heard a two year-old say, “I want to do it myself!” There are many parents too scared to let their children do things themselves. Instead, parents should ask themselves, “What are the risks in this activity?” A skinned knee? A small burn? A spill? Disappointment? Or is it death? What are some acceptable risks for children, and do these risks change as children grow?

When parents observe our Montessori toddler classes they say, “He just poured his own water!” They are astonished to watch children clean a spill or wash a dish. What are the risks in these activities? A spill? Maybe some wet clothes? Alternatively, what are the benefits? Independence, confidence and a willingness to simply try. Maria Montessori said, “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” Even at 18-months-old, we are empowering our students to direct their own success.

Which brings me back to our protagonist, the college freshman. The Montessori method fosters the development of independence, risk-benefit analysis, problem solving, planning, organization and time management, all key elements of executive function skills. These are the skills our children need for success in school, at work and throughout life. These skills are missing from traditional education because they cannot be taught in a single lesson and qualitatively assessed and graded. These are the skills the freshman was missing when he left home for college. He did not fail because the classes were too difficult. He failed because he wasn’t able to self-regulate his behavior, manage his time, care for himself and simply get to class.

Structure is not a parent micro-managing every minute of her child’s day. In the classroom, it doesn’t have to look like desks in rows with a teacher at the front of the room following one lesson plan for the entire group. In fact, if you Google, “What is Structure?” the first definition is “the arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of something complex.”

The structure embedded in a Montessori classroom reflects this “complex” ability. It is both overt and organic. The obvious structure comes from Maria Montessori’s research-driven curriculum which identifies developmentally appropriate lessons, limits and responsibilities for students as individuals. Montessori-trained faculty know what each student needs and appropriately provides access to the materials, lessons and concepts the student is ready to learn.

The organic structure comes from multi-age classrooms, a hallmark of the Montessori method. Each child is a member of a community spanning three-year age groups. Students must take responsibility for themselves while also navigating multifaceted relationships between students of varying ages and abilities. The younger students look up to the older students who, in turn, mentor the younger students. They create their own structure by reinforcing positive behavior and reminding each other how to care for themselves and their community as a whole.

Maria Montessori also said, “The children in our schools are free, but that does not mean there is no organization.  Organization, in fact, is necessary…if the children are to be free to work.” Greensboro Montessori alumni consistently thank us for the academic, social and emotional preparation their Montessori education gave them for high school, as well as college.  We’re delighted and thankful they choose to stay in touch and share their success with us.

In August at our GMS alumni reunion, we caught up with Harrison McClain-Rubin (GMS Class of 2010), a junior in the Honors College at University of North Carolina-Greensboro. We were eager to learn more about his recent study abroad experience in Germany, plus how his nine years as a student at GMS shape his perspective on the world.

GMS: What inspired you to study abroad in Germany last semester? Tell us about one of the highlights of your experience.

Harrison: Being a political science student at UNCG, I had programs available in Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Germany. My fascination with German history elevated her above the other countries, plus her central position in Europe was perfect for all the travel I hoped to accomplish. I met so many great people while studying at the University of Mannheim that I now consider lifelong friends. It is hard to think of a single highlight of the trip, but one of the best things that happened resulted from my decision to go to Deutsche Bank to create a bank account one morning. This one morning I was tired (still jet-lagged), late to a bank appointment, and lost in this foreign city. By the time I arrived I found myself behind four French Canadian strangers. For some reason we started to talk, then we grabbed lunch together and proceeded to explore the city. By the end of the day my new French Canadian friends asked if I wanted to go to Munich for the weekend. In my head, I thought, “I barely know these people…maybe some other time… and shouldn’t I start to study?” But in the end, I took the risk and went to Munich. I decided to leave my comfort zone and go on this trip. It was the best decision I could have made because I made four great friends. We bonded during our time in Munich and it helped set the foundation for the best six months of my life.

GMS: Do you think you see the world differently as a result of being a graduate of a Montessori school? If so, how?

Harrison: Having been in Montessori from kindergarten to 8th grade I believe I have a more creative perspective when it comes to solving problems. When problems arise, I do not feel limited by the circumstances and I am able to think critically and creatively to figure out solutions.

GMS: What do you value most about your years at Greensboro Montessori School?

Harrison: I value the teaching environment. I have always been more of a hands on learner and Greensboro Montessori gave me the platform I needed to thrive and allowed me to focus on my passion for social sciences. The ability to have one on one lessons and focus on my specific needs was pivotal in my early education.

GMS: How did GMS prepare you for your high school and collegiate success?

Harrison: Greensboro Montessori gave me the tools to tackle long-term assignments and taught me to think critically which I fear a fair amount of my fellow students in high school and, even now, in university are still developing these tools. By the time I had left GMS I had written multiple longer papers, critically discussed and analyzed novels and conducted science projects. Leaving Montessori I felt confident in my abilities as a student and I did not feel overwhelmed once I left my graduating class of eight at GMS to my freshman class of 400+ students at Grimsley.

GMS: What are some of your proudest accomplishments?

Harrison: My proudest accomplishment has been taking the initiative and deciding to go to Europe for six months, to a country where I did not know the language or any people. It was an important decision to take that step and just be open to what happens. I discovered how easy it is to travel, meet new people, and participate in local events. I grew more confident and open to new things. To other students considering traveling abroad, my advice would be this - don't worry if you can't do everything, it's only natural and don't feel that you have to be busy every minute of every day. It is just as important to take time for yourself and to relax. Your time abroad doesn't need to always be a theme park ride. The best thing I did for myself was slow down and enjoy the smaller things like spending time in a park with a friend, go for a run, or even slow down and binge a Netflix series. Mannheim became my second home. I was able to spend some time traveling, but I also spent a lot of time just enjoying Mannheim. My time abroad opened my eyes to new experiences and the opportunities that rest outside of the United States. Attending the University of Mannheim was the best decision I could have made.

GMS: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Harrison: In five years I hope to be back in Europe. My time in Europe opened my eyes to life beyond the United States. Who says I have to go to graduate school in the U.S.? Why not Europe? And as for now that is my goal. Once I am finished at UNCG, I hope to attend graduate school in Europe and continue to travel and see the world.

Few things are quite as alarming to parents as being smacked by their once-serene toddler, or watching her use aggression against another child. For so many of us, peaceful conflict resolution and gentle interactions are among the most important values we strive to instill in our children. It can be easy to wonder how toddlers in perfectly peaceful households can suddenly turn all Vin Diesel on those they love the most!

Almost all young children experiment with aggressive behaviors, even in the very best homes and toddler programs. All toddlers - even those who are never exposed to physical aggression or violent imagery - are wired to resolve conflicts in ways that are reactive and impulsive. Because they haven't yet mastered verbal communication, their hands are often the medium through which they express how they feel. On top of that, they are not yet capable of empathizing with others to understand how their actions feel to those on the receiving end. Behaviors like hitting and pushing offer a quick release to their feelings of frustration, get others out of their space - and, for bonus points, they get BIG reactions from grown-ups. Toddlers crave attention, and even the negative variety can feel gratifying. Moreover, getting an adult or another child riled up offers a little taste of POWER - a feeling that’s in short supply in a small child’s life. Therefore, toddlers will often repeat unwanted behaviors over and over just to experience that rush of emotion, and to see how the sequence of reactions plays out each time.

Your toddler knows you love him unconditionally, regardless of his actions - so you're a safe target for behaviors he wants to understand and explore, even if they are negative. In most cases, the best response is as LITTLE response as possible: "No hitting. That hurts me," then moving physically away from the child. You can say, "I can be with you when you're gentle." At school, we may ask children who are behaving aggressively to move away from the rest of the group; do some deep breathing (smell the flower [inhale], blow out the candle [exhale]); then ask them to touch our hand gently to show us they are ready to be close to others again. When they are calm, we help them to recognize the impact of their actions: “Your friend is crying. It hurt when you hit her.” Then we model the language the child might use in the future in lieu of the aggressive behavior: “You can say, ‘Move over, please.’" Toddlers learn via LOTS of repetition, so don't be surprised or discouraged if you find you are using these interventions over and over with seemingly little result. They are programmed to test certain behaviors again and again before they accept that the result is the same every time!

Of all the things we cover in the toddler curriculum, none is more important than teaching children how to exist in a community with others and resolve conflicts peacefully. Monitoring the children for their safety and well-being, and seizing every opportunity to teach prosocial behavior, is incredibly important to everyone on our Toddler faculty. With patience, good modeling, and consistency in our approaches at home and school, we can help toddlers to master alternatives to the "rough stuff" and become caring, empathetic members of our school family!

Dear Parents, Alumni and Friends,

As the search for our new Head of School gains momentum, I wanted to take a moment to re-introduce the Search Committee and update you on the exciting work in which we’ve been engaged. The Board of Trustees created the Search Committee to help identify candidates for the permanent Head of School position, and we humbly ask the entire community to be involved in this important process. The Search Committee is dedicated to a professional, open and inclusive process and is looking forward to keeping you informed along the way. Our Committee members are listed on the right sidebar of this page for your easy reference.

As announced at Back to School Night and upon recommendation from the Search Committee, the School has engaged the services of Carney, Sandoe & Associates (CS&A), a nationally recognized educational recruiting firm specializing in independent schools. We selected CS&A after thorough research, interviews and reference checks and are confident the School will benefit from CS&A's nationwide network of contacts and industry expertise in Head of School searches.

Another tremendous advantage of partnering with CS&A is the ability to work with a dedicated, personal consultant throughout the entire process. Marlene Shaw will serve in this capacity for Greensboro Montessori School, and we are looking forward to the rich experience and caring focus she will bring to our search.

Marlene is a former Head of School at Chatham Hall School in Chatham, Va. and St. Mary's Episcopal School in Memphis, Tenn. Marlene holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Louisiana State University and a Masters of Education in Counselor Education from the University of New Orleans. She has also completed postgraduate work in financial stability, advancement and major gifts for independent schools and has attended the Harvard Counseling Institute. For the last four years, Marlene has worked as a senior search consultant for CS&A.

Marlene has already begun working with the Search Committee and School administration to cultivate her relationship with and knowledge of our School. We are excited to welcome her to campus from September 27th through 29th to further her understanding of our unique needs for our next Head of School. While here, she has requested to meet with you, our parents and friends of the School, along with the Teaching Faculty, Administration, Alumni, Search Committee and Board of Trustees.

Prior to her arriving, Marlene would like to gather preliminary views from the community via an online survey which will be sent this Monday, September 19. On behalf of the Search Committee, I respectfully request you make every effort to participate in this survey. Marlene will be recruiting from a large variety of excellent educational leaders who will want to understand Greensboro Montessori School through the eyes of all of us in our school community. Through your survey input and the insights from her visit, Marlene will work with the Search Committee to formulate the formal Head of School position description which will be a primary communication piece used for recruiting candidates.

I look forward to keeping you informed of our efforts and progress throughout the search process. If you have any questions or specific input for me, the Search Committee or Marlene, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, and more importantly, please take advantage of upcoming opportunities – like the survey and soon-to-be-announced meeting times with Marlene – to provide feedback.

Sincerely,

David Bouska
Search Committee Chair

Among many of the most wonderful qualities of Greensboro Montessori School are our parent community and gardening program. On Friday, October 7, we will unite these bodies at an intimate Seed to Table Dinner at the Proximity Hotel. Leigh Hesling, Executive Chef of both Green Valley Grill and Print Works Bistro, and his team will prepare an exquisite meal for us using fresh ingredients from our permaculture gardens and local farms. Even better, Chef Hesling will entertain and delight with a cooking demonstration of each course prior to our enjoying the locavore cuisine. This format mirrors what our students experience in their environmental education lessons on a regular basis.

This exclusive, adults-only evening will include a starter, an entrée and a dessert, each paired with wine. We will also feature a designer cocktail and craft beer. You're probably wondering, "What's the occasion?" We actually have a lot to celebrate:

If you don't know much about the permaculture gardening program, take a look at our School Within a Garden page. This page gets its namesake from Alice Waters who visited our School in the spring of 2010 while in town for the grand opening of the Edible Schoolyard at the Greensboro Children's Museum. Upon touring our 10-acre campus, she called Greensboro Montessori School a "school within a garden."

The Fall Festival is our biggest annual community event and is family-friendly party on the school field. Attendees bring their own chairs, blankets and snacks and spend the entire afternoon visiting various activity stations along the perimeter of the field. Past activities include inflatables and stations sponsored by each classroom in the School.

The Annual Fund is a yearly giving campaign designed to propel Greensboro Montessori School from being excellent to exceptional. The costs to run an excellent School like ours are tremendous. Simply keeping the lights on, providing a clean environment and maintaining our impressive facilities totals $177,000 a year. It costs another $137,000 annually to ensure each classroom has excellent Montessori materials and every student has life-changing experiences through unique curriculum like the Land Laboratory. And most importantly, to provide the very best in professional, passionate and credentialed educators, the School spends $2,479,000 in annual employee salaries and benefits. There are other costs, like depreciation and interest expense, that take the School's operating budget well over $3 million.

So how does the School implement the extra touches that make us exceptional? The answer is the Annual Fund. Through the benevolence of parents, alumni, community partners and friends of the School, Greensboro Montessori School is able bridge the difference between covering the basic expenses and positioning the School to deliver exceptional educational experiences to our students.

We invite each of you to an evening of delicious food, festive camaraderie and powerful learning (not only how to cook, but also how to keep our School exceptional). Tickets to the all-inclusive evening are $100 per person and you can register online or contact Jillian Crone to pay via check or cash. Seating is limited to 50 guests, so don't delay and purchase your tickets today!