The Observer
In conjunction with our article about alumna Vanessa Longan training to be an AMI Guide (Association Montessori Internationale), we thought it would be helpful to explain what AMI is, and how our school came to embrace it. Our founders were seeking a method of Montessori education that was truly authentic, and when they came across an AMI affiliated school they realized they had found what they were looking for.
Elementary-aged children need a feeling of responsibility, and the need to be active contributors to their community; whether that community is their family, a group of children they are working with at school, all of the people in their classroom, another group like Scouts or a sports team, or even humanity as a whole. Learning how to care for their environment is one way that Elementary children practice responsibility to themselves and others.
At the beginning of this year, some of the oldest students in Upper Elementary had the idea of reviving a school newspaper that had been written by UE students in the past; they remembered getting the editions of the “HMS Press” when they were in Lower Elementary, and they wanted to start it back up. What a big work they were about to embark upon!
New Hampshire is an amazing place to study civics! Although they aren't yet of voting age, the students of Hollis Montessori’s Adolescent Program (AP) got to experience being active participants in the democratic process this winter. The theme of their studies this term has been governance, and this was a great year to work on that topic. In addition to lessons on the structure of government, the rise of governance (going back to early humans, how laws are made, and political media, they got to visit presidential candidates, the State House, a Courthouse, and attended a convention and debate.
