What makes Middle School at Hollis Montessori different? We asked the teachers in our Adolescent Program to describe it for you.
Adolescence is a turbulent, beautiful, and powerful time of life. Far too often it is a time just to "get through." Not so in Montessori middle schools. Our schools are designed to celebrate the unique qualities of young adolescents, to challenge them, and to provide environments in which they thrive. Maria Montessori said "schools as they are today are adapted neither to the needs of adolescents nor to the times in which we live." (From Childhood to Adolescence) She saw a way to approach school differently, and it is a joy every day to be part of the community we create together.
What adolescents need is not the same as people in other periods of their lives.
I grew up as a Montessori child. School was my second home and my extended family. As a young adult working in environmental education I was disheartened by the rigidity of the education system.
In my late twenties, the Head of School of the Montessori school I grew up in told me about Montessori middle school and said she thought I would be interested. When I stepped foot in Hershey Montessori’s adolescent community I knew I was home. I stopped having frustrated conversations about the way school could be; the conversations were not “should we do this,” but “how do we do it.”
I am grateful to be part of a community of passionate educators who are working to implement Montessori’s vision of schools designed to care for and support adolescents. A colleague said once “I am in it for the Revolution.” I am in it for the Revolution too—the Revolution that is educational reform—creating school communities that respect, encourage, and honor the unique development of each person.
—Susan Holmes Glazier, Upper School Guide
I would like to tell you personally why I believe our kids need an experience like what we have created at Hollis Montessori.
Maria Montessori described adolescents as social newborns. During this time of metamorphosis, our youth need diverse opportunities to contribute their developing talents, intellect and energies to the community. They need to see how their efforts benefit the community and feel valued for their contributions.
To that end, we are creating an environment that provides a robust creative and intellectual experience as well as hands-on practical work and never-ending opportunities for problem solving, collaboration, and social and moral growth. Students actively participate in creating and curating the environment.
For example, some students may be building and planting garden boxes while others are building a chicken coop and caring for chickens. To support the work, students engage in research and guides present lessons in areas of chemistry, biology, history, culture and ethics.
Our program doesn’t look much like a school – nor should it. A conventional school is not what young people need. You might say that our environment looks more like a home or a small farm or a small business. Students learn the work of adulthood in this setting as they work with each other and work side by side with adults. They gain a sense of ownership and purpose as they leave a legacy for others that follow while they prepare for the next phase of their education and to become conscientious global citizens.
—Andrew Jeans, Upper School Guide
Before I was introduced to Hollis Montessori School, Montessori education was a mystery to me. Now, seven years later, I can’t imagine a program that better meets the needs of adolescents during their formative years.
We believe in assisting human development to maturity rather than simply presenting a curriculum: our program truly is an aid to life. As guides, our role is to help adolescents understand themselves and reach for their potential. Through opportunities to explore, to question, to contribute and belong, and to express their ideas, students gain adaptability, independence, interdependence, and ethical grounding. Our rigorous program seeks for deep engagement as students grapple with real challenges and purposeful work. Education becomes meaningful through student-driven projects and side-by-side work with adults.
Curious about how all this is possible? We invite you to learn more.