Oak Farm Montessori February 2024
For the next four months, we will look at each of the four characteristics: Leadership, Emotional Literacy, Lifelong Learning, and Citizenship, as outlined in the Visions and Values document, written by our founder, Lorene Dekko Salsbery, and former head of school, Judith Cunningham. We begin by looking at Leadership and the many ways it is established, nurtured, and empowered at all levels of our school. Dr. Montessori created a foundation for this characteristic in her development of the multiage classroom, providing organic opportunities for children to become leaders at each stage of development. First learning, then practicing, and finally, teaching to others. As students mature and move to our secondary program, they are given leadership opportunities to mentor at the Vic House, volunteer in the greater community during Outreach, interview for paid positions at the school, or apply for internships at local businesses. However, students do not have to have a driver’s license to exemplify this characteristic. Each morning I have a birds eye view of Kindergarten students escorting toddlers to their classrooms and lower elementary students delivering thank you notes to faculty mailboxes in appreciation for their work. Enjoy reading what leadership looks like in each of our classrooms, from the teachers perspective, and discover ways to encourage this characteristic in your own homes as well.
Candice 2
HEAD OF SCHOOL
This month we turn our focus from how the classrooms work to fulfill our mission of “providing a Montessori environment that inspires students to reach their potential,” to examining the outcome of this endeavor; the portrait of an Oak Farm Montessori graduate.
#supportourschool
Show me the
way Nefy Hathaway, Toddler 2 Teacher
Folding napkins and preparing the table for lunch is a work choice that students love to do! This incorporates fine motor skills, grace & courtesy, as well as care of environment.
No need to cry if there is a spill! These Toddlers know how to clean up after themselves and take joy in resolving the ‘problem’ independently.
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To help a young child reach his/her potential, we study to understand the stages of growth as well as the child’s inner drive while offering guidance and an environment to foster the child’s development through observations. Only the child can achieve self-construction. It is our responsibility, as the caregiver, to assist him/her through modeling and observations. It is the child who strives to lead, to grow, and to learn. Growing leaders is a primary focus at the Infant and Toddler levels here at Oak Farm Montessori. The aim of producing individuals who can lead confidently is not about creating the next famous inventor or business owner, the true goal is to raise young children into adults who demonstrate characteristics that bring a positive influence into the world. While there are many definitions of what makes for a great leader, the Montessori method nurtures numerous leadership qualities that work toward the ultimate goal of the Montessori philosophy. At the Infant and Toddler level, we educate the whole child by modeling respect, empathy, providing an environment that supports self-guided learning, while encouraging a child to, “Try first,” and problem solve on their own. The Montessori threeyear cycle allows children the opportunity to reach individual developmental goals in the same classroom of mixed-age groups. During the first year of the cycle, a child learns by observing the older children and adults in the classroom, while absorbing new information through all of their senses, and by exploring each material. During the second year, the child
spends a lot of time repeating new concepts that have been modeled; while showing great interest in lessons. By the third year, the child displays mastery with most materials and demonstrates their expertise by helping younger children learn those materials; taking on leadership roles in the classroom. Naturally, the materials in a Montessori classroom call for independent work. As Montessorians, we often say, “Never do for a child for which he/she can do for themselves.” Encouraging independence in a young child will aid in one’s intrinsic motivation, critical thinking, self-worth, and leadership skills. With respect for leadership skills in a young child comes a mindset of, “I get to,” rather than, “I have to.” In our Infant and Toddler environments at OFMS, grace and courtesy through care-of-self work is modeled every day. For example, a child is observed choosing an open glass cup for a morning snack. The child begins to pour their own water from a small water pitcher that’s been prepared at the snack table. While pouring, the child spills the water onto the table and floor. The child looks at the water running down the table, onto his/ her leg and onto the floor. Rather than the adult rushing in frantically to remove the child and to clean up the mess, the child calmly gets up from the table and walks to the care of the environment shelf to find the cleaning bucket with a sponge and cloth inside. The child returns to the table and simply cleans up the spill with the sponge and cloth. The child then takes the soiled sponge and cloth to the soiled laundry basket, restores the work with a clean sponge and cloth, then returns the cleaning bucket back to the shelf. If the child is bothered by his/her wet clothes, they go into the bathroom to change; with little to no guidance from an adult. Observing the pride and joy on a young child’s face when they have accomplished a task completely on their own is our greatest reward.
and evolve mentally. The Montessori method acknowledges that the human brain absorbs information similar to a sponge, encouraging endless discovery both separately and collaboratively. An absorbent mindset produces students; and later, members of society, with the tools that allow them to successfully guide change. Montessori is not just an education; it is a way of life. In the work field, leaders develop the capacity to create results, acquiring new patterns of thought while seeking results for the collective. Good leaders work to keep their brains functioning like sponges, promoting ongoing personal and professional evolution.
When the environment is child-sized, it is easy for them to be independent, organized, confident and successful. This older Toddler student models how to fill a pie crust with pumpkin filling for their Thanksgiving feast.
As human beings, it is in our nature to learn #supportourschool
Cultivating Leaders Melissa Kalkirtz, Primary 3 Teacher
Maria Montessori stated that “Perhaps a great future leader or a great genius with us and his power will come from the power of the child that he is today. This is the vision that we must have.” This leadership skill starts with the children at a young age and starts to come out in the students when they are in the Primary, 3-6 year, classroom. Children inherently possess this skill and then want to use it as they see it being modeled by their family members, teachers, older peers, and other important people in their lives. As the adults in these children’s lives, we must ask ourselves if we are modeling leadership for them and following through with this skill. Do we, ourselves, take initiative and lead in a way that is a selfless act and do it because it is the right thing to do without 6
being compensated? Are we showing leadership in ways that the children of this young age can relate to? Are we, as adults, using the experiences that we have had and building upon them while helping and leading others along the way in a positive nature? For the 3-6 year old, this may look different from any other age.
Leadership is a skill that is acquired by students and needs to be cultivated and nurtured as time goes on. One way that leadership can be cultivated is by providing positive childhood experiences that will give them confidence to try new things and giving them the ability to speak their mind and thoughts at the appropriate times (Raising a Leader 10 Leadership Skills for Kids to Develop 8/16/2023).
Just like in many areas of life, communication is key in helping children understand the skill of leadership. If children can communicate, they can speak up for themselves; even if they are not strong in leading others. While not all children are born to lead, having the skill to communicate effectively will make them a vital part of a team or community. By modeling leadership for children, we help them understand why it is important and that helps them want to become a leader themselves (Raising a Leader 10 Leadership Skills for Kids to Develop 8/16/2023). At the Primary level, children are starting to move from parallel work to wanting to work alongside others; this is where they are observing everything
that is happening around them. Leadership at the age of 3-6 grows and flourishes at an exciting rate. This comes as they are seeing older children, who are leaders, helping others; the young child themselves wants to be that person to help others as well. This comes out as one child shows kindness to another student by helping them with their shoes or slippers, without being asked, and then just moving onto what they need to do. Reminding another friend in a time of need to just breathe and it will be ok. Helping the environment by offering to scrub the cabinet or take out the recycling, without being asked. When an entire tray of beads gets spilled by a young classmate, as many as five other nearby classmates come to the aid and help pick up the beads until the floor is clear. Showing a younger friend a lesson that they have mastered themselves, all without being asked. This may look like an older friend
quietly going up to a younger friend and reminding them the correct choice to make, without a teacher being involved. Leadership is a skill that uses not only great communication skills, but many other skills; such as independence and organization, all demonstrated each day in our Montessori Primary Environment. When we talk and discuss our three guiding principles: Care of Ourselves, Care of Others, and Care of our Environment, the children give us examples of what that looks like. We see them taking these guiding principles and showing their leadership capabilities; not only in the classroom, but in the Oak Farm Montessori community as well. Students of all ages have the ability to lead others, even adults if they are given the opportunity and freedom to do so.
“Perhaps a great future leader, or a great genius with us, and his power will come from the power of the child that he is today. This is the vision that we must have.” ~ Maria Montessori #supportourschool
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Lead by example Abby Minich, Lower Elementary 4 Teacher
Leadership in a Lower Montessori classroom is a natural part of our everyday life and truly happens organically. This is also modeled for the children from guides and peers beginning in early childhood. Montessori education is known for its ability to foster independence as well as develop a sense of community among students. I believe that the role of leadership is one of the key components contributing to the success of this trait. In the classroom, we incorporate leadership roles for the children. For example, each morning the children participate and lead our morning meeting. One of the big leadership roles that happens during this time is that children will bring problems within our classroom to the community. The students will brainstorm, work as a team, and develop a solution to these problems. As a result, this creates a sense of ownership as well as cooperation. Another way leadership is promoted within the classroom is chore teams. By involving students in daily chores, and giving them leadership responsibilities, they not only contribute to the functioning of the classroom, but they also develop important life skills such as teamwork, responsibility, and problem-solving. As chore team leader, your job is to ensure all jobs on your team are done. This includes planning who will be doing each job, each week, and teaching each member how to do each of the individual jobs on your team. Maria Montessori discussed how the children can become both the teacher and the learner. This leadership is fostered by students helping a classmate with a work or giving a younger child a lesson. This also happens organically by children modeling, or even reminding peers of the expectations within the classroom; which are developed by the students at the beginning of the year. The leadership within the classroom is truly beautiful and is allowing the students to develop skills that they will carry on throughout their life. #supportourschool
LIFELONG LEADERSHIP ELIZABETH DANIELSON, UPPER ELEMENTARY 3 TEACHER
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e all have the ability to lead. The upper elementary classroom is designed to foster this quality in all of our students. The three year cycle gives us time to truly get to know our students, as well as time for them to feel comfortable and confident in themselves. Students can show leadership qualities in many different areas. It might be finding a peaceful solution to a problem or speaking up when things don’t feel right. It might be showing self-discipline and completing meaningful work. Leadership could also be exploring curiosities and inspiring others to be lifelong learners. It’s important that we help our students see leadership qualities within themselves and understand the impact they can have on this world. Does conflict happen daily in an upper classroom? Of course it happens daily, it is part of our important work. With twenty four personalities working together, there will always be disagreements, problems, and conflicts. We create an environment where it is safe to speak up; everyone’s voice is heard and we work together to find a peaceful solution. In multiage classrooms, older students often feel the most comfortable speaking up, but it does not take long for other students to realize they are capable of doing this as well. Student-led discussions give children the opportunity to problem solve and collaborate with their peers. Classmates aren’t helping with chores? It’s okay to speak up and find a solution. Something isn’t feeling fair? It’s okay to take action and make a change. These are lifelong skills that we are able to develop through our daily work. The Montessori environment involves a lot of choice and freedom. During the three hour work cycle, we encourage students to find a balance of choosing work they want to do, along with work they need to do. We want them to have time to explore their curiosities and find work that is truly meaningful to them. In our supportive community, students are often seen mentoring their peers. They facilitate discussions, answer questions, and also inspire each other through their self-guided work. A student might have an interest in WWII and begin researching the topic. Before you know it, a peer has joined them or started their own research! Every student has the potential to lead and inspire others. Parents play an important role as well, in nurturing these leadership qualities by creating an environment that encourages independence and responsibility. To support problem solving skills, parents can involve children in decision making processes at home, allowing them to contribute to ideas and solutions. Fostering empathy allows you to encourage open communication about feelings and modeling empathetic behavior. Parents can pursue their own passions and interests while encouraging their children to do the same. Modeling all of these values will create leaders in the home and beyond. #supportourschool
Growing the Next Ge Crystal Leu, Middle School Farm Manager
Oak Farm Montessori School provides unique opportunities for young adults to develop leadership skills each and every day. The work middle school students do on the farm allows them to grow their ability to lead, not only themselves, but also a team of peers in order to accomplish real world tasks with passion and purpose. The learning environment supports students as they evolve as individuals and leaders in the community. During Erdkinder each day, the students are divided into three teams that work on specific projects and tasks to make their farm business successful. Each team is led by two student managers, usually 8th year students, who then serve as members of the Farm Business Board that oversees the student-led business. The Farm Business Board is made up of the managers who meet; generally twice a week. As the year goes on, the board grows and previous managers help mentor the next group. The managers share, and/ or rotate, work assignments on the board. Once work is completed, they return to their assigned area to assist and fill in for absent students. The work they engage with includes budgets (expenses and receipts), research & design, planning sales and events, communication, 12
marketing, and reports to the community. They also problem solve issues and management techniques for leading a team. Other students on the Erdkinder teams also develop compassion, self-motivation, and self discipline as they work with their peers to care for animals, plants and produce based farm products. It is always interesting to watch as students begin to show individual leadership skills as they navigate all the challenges presented as they maintain a working farm! Some students bubble up as natural leaders, others show those skills as they are nudged outside their comfort zone. Working with their peers allows students to practice the skills of communication, collaboration, and develop an appreciation for the skills of others as they face new tasks and problems every day. An integral component of the Montessori approach is the emphasis placed on respect when working with others for the good of the community and to make decisions that positively affect all members of the middle school farm. Developing this level of respect for self, peers, teachers, and the community at large is foundational for growing strong, effective leaders who build good relationships with those they hope to lead. With
eneration of Leaders the support and guidance of teachers, students find opportunities to try on leadership roles in a safe environment where they can experiment and make mistakes. This allows each young adult to grow into a leader at their own pace and in their own way. Within each area of Erdkinder work there are teams of students focused on specific tasks, from caring for specific livestock, plant projects, or farm product production. Students on these teams also find space and opportunity to learn to lead. In addition, the work on teams during Erdkinder provides a launching point for discussions with students about character and leadership development using information from Cowboy Ethics, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, and Seven Steps to Success. The community gathers each week on Wednesday for the last part of Erdkinder to dig deep into the habits of life that students are developing and will need to build a successful life and career.
projects. All students are members of the FFA, whose mission states that, “FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.” FFA and Montessori education both stress the importance of supporting students in developing leadership skills. The FFA vision is to grow “the next generation of leaders who will change the world.” Oak Farm Montessori School nurtures a learning environment that encourages students to develop the skills needed to do just that!
FFA is an additional opportunity for Oak Farm Montessori students to develop their personal leadership skills through Career and Leadership Development events, leadership camps, officer and committee assignments, and chapter #supportourschool
...a LOT of little steps Diana McCreery, PE Teacher
In a Montessori approach to Physical Education, the emphasis is not only on physical development, but also on the holistic development of the child. Montessori views leadership as a skill that develops naturally as part of a child’s overall development rather than something taught explicitly. The emphasis is on creating an environment that nurtures qualities like independence, responsibility, and collaboration, which are essential components of effective leadership. In our PE classes, we focus on many skills that foster leadership: Collaboration and teamwork: Through “Team Building Challenges,” students work together to overcome obstacles to complete levels of each game. This encourages teamwork and helps the students understand the importance of leadership within a group dynamic. Problem-Solving: Montessori education often emphasizes experiential learning. In Physical Education,
this can involve setting up challenges that require problem-solving and decisionmaking, encouraging children to take initiative and lead their peers through physical tasks. Many of the games we play are built into levels. As students navigate through the challenges within the level, they must communicate and strategize, developing leadership qualities in the process. Communication Skills: Leadership often involves effective communication. Our Physical Education classes can focus on developing communication skills through activities that require students to convey instructions, support their teammates, and express ideas. For example, the students are given a set of materials and they will have to work together to complete the challenges. Reflective Practices: Incorporating reflective practices into the Physical Education curriculum allows students to assess their own leadership skills. Encouraging
self-awareness and selfreflection can enhance their ability to lead effectively. After a challenging activity, students are encouraged to reflect on their individual and group performance; called a debrief. This involves group discussions where the students share their insights on what went well, or areas for improvement as a team, or for the game itself. Confidence and Self-Esteem: Montessori education aims to build confidence and selfesteem in students. This can be achieved by recognizing and celebrating individual achievements; fostering a positive environment that encourages students to step into leadership roles with confidence. Recognize individual achievements, whether it’s mastering a new skill or demonstrating exceptional sportsmanship. Celebrating these moments in class creates a positive environment that boosts students’ confidence and encourages them to take on leadership roles. #supportourschool
Leadership and Valorization at Oak Farm Montessori High School: Everybody does better, when
everybody does better Amy Norton, High School Teacher At Oak Farm Montessori High School (OFMHS), we work to guide all of our students toward valorization. Valorization’s characteristics are joy, selflessness, optimism, confidence, dignity, selfdiscipline, initiative, helpfulness, ability to work with others, and good judgment. And, don’t we all want a leader who holds these characteristics? This means we teach the whole child–not just the parts that can be accounted for in data and test scores. We want students to grow into future leaders who care about the world beyond themselves, and so we provide an environment and invitations to work with a balance of the work of the mind, work of the hands, and work of the heart. This means that teachers place equal emphasis on the mental, physical, and spiritual development of each student.
Leadership type can be diverse–some can be vocal and up front, some can be quiet and an example for the larger community. We want students to discover their own unique type of leadership. The Oak Farm Montessori School Portrait of a Graduate specifies a leader as someone who is self-motivated, self-disciplined, compassionate, empathetic, and collaborative. At OFMHS, students practice and grow in these ways every single day through our carefully prepared environment, high regard and respect for the community, and our teachers’ intentional curriculum planning. This is evident in our multi age classes, community meetings, Pathways career exploration, Socratic Seminars, field studies, classroom lessons, activities, and more. The environment is so important to fostering leadership in our students. Students also do practical life skills every day. They take care of meals and dishes and restore the environment– and will be prepared to take care of these things when they leave home. This sense of independence leads to confidence. And confidence leads to leadership. Additionally, the pathways career work the students do teaches them real-life career skills, with a supportive expert, in an authentic environment. Any Pathways experience, whether it be the farm or bike shop or coffee shop, teaches financial responsibility, customer service, and adaptability necessary to thrive in society beyond school. Students practice respect and responsibility for the environment within the school building, the Pathway, and on the farm; they leave our high school with a sense of confidence and pride in their environment. Teachers nurture this reverence for the community in the form of scaffolding boundaries and guidelines within curriculum, the classroom, and beyond. We nurture the behaviors of a leader in our interactions with each and every adolescent and adult. We may model the leadership roles for a morning meeting, or we may provide self-assessment rubrics that foster self awareness of leadership on a field study focused on participation, building community and respect, and attitude for the work at hand. We might give intentional lessons on collaboration and the difference between a boss and a leader. We take time to observe students while in their
cycle work time--examining executive function skill sets, grace and courtesy, and, of course, their intellectual work–and then discuss noticings with students. We provide project work with choice and encourage unique voices. We want our students to do meaningful work with independence. Community meeting is a place that fosters a safe environment and promotes leadership for our students. It is a time for us to build a safe environment where everyone has a voice and a chance to lead the group. It is a time for us to check in on our executive functioning areas of planning and prioritizing, task initiation, and organization– and the scaffolding these meetings provide will serve these adolescents well as they move into college or the workforce as young adults. This is a great time for our younger students, in this multiage environment, to be inspired by our older students, and for our older students to see how far
they have come in their organization, leadership, and social maturity. Students must have opportunities to practice leadership, and many are provided. The students always have a voice in creating our school expectations. Our guiding principles–created at the beginning of each school year–are composed by, and voted on, by students. These principles push students to think about individuals in relation to the community and the environment. In our multi age classes, older students tend to guide the younger students toward quality work, but that is not always the case. Because of the community’s value of diversity, and our emphasis on creative expression, students have a variety of interests, skills, talents, and unique potential. When they
work together, students build confidence working in diverse groups which appreciate this potential. This confidence fosters leadership in all of our students, no matter the age. The goal of all of the faculty who work with our high school students is to pave the way for valorization of each student’s personality. Our hopes are that each of them becomes a steward of kindness and respect to mankind and our world. In doing so, they will become a leader who is empowered to make a difference in our world through the joy, selflessness, optimism, confidence, dignity, selfdiscipline, initiative, helpfulness, ability to work with others, and good judgment they practice and build during their time at Oak Farm Montessori High School.
Mark your calendars Parent Education Infant/Toddler Infant/Toddler Tall Oak P/T
Gala
Event
February 1st, 2024
Closed
february 9th, 2024
Closed
february 23rd, 2024 february 24th, 2024
Conferences
march 7th - 8th, 2024 TALL OAK FUND
SGO
VOLUNTEER
DAY OF GIVING
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“To provide a Montessori environment that inspires students to reach their potential through meaningful work.”
Oak Farm Montessori School | 502 Lemper Road | Avilla, IN 46710 | 260.897.4270 | www.oakfarm.org