GSCM Mission Alive!: Middle School Each week in our school newsletter, one of our teachers shares an aspect of our mission as it takes shape in the lives of the children. This is a compilation of past “Mission Alive!” articles by our middle school staff. OUR MISSION: The Good Shepherd Catholic Montessori is dedicated to providing an outstanding education to children ages three to fourteen in a Catholic atmosphere faithful to the Magesterium of the Church. Using the philosophy and techniques of the Montessori approach, including religious education through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, our goal is to enable each child to develop as a well-integrated human being: spiritually, intellectually, socially, physically, and emotionally.

Contents: • Seminar • 2010 QAMS Middle School Peace Trip • Notes from “Shared Forum on Social Communication and Technology with Adolescents” • Middle School: One Parent’s Perspective • Solo Time in the Middle School • Montessori Middle School Education: Why Projects?

Seminar By Heidi Newell, Middle School Humanities Teacher Montessori said, "The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.'" In the middle school, the students participate in seminars on a regular basis. The purpose of these seminars is to reach understanding together. That might mean tackling a piece of literature which they are all reading, trying to understand a concept, or it might mean exploring a current issue. This year the middle school students have had a number of seminars. For example, they have had them on two novels; The Bronze Bow and Cast Two Shadows. Other examples include alternative energy in science class, right to bear arms, United States foreign relations, the economics of illegal immigration, and reading excerpts from The Earth Shall Weep (a book written from the Native American view of history).

When approaching seminar, there are guiding manners. The manners include sitting in a circle with the reading material on their lap, listening politely and attentively to others, no debating, respecting other's viewpoint, and keeping the conversation on topic or shared reading. They must also come prepared by reading what was assigned and having questions ready to ask during the seminar. In some cases students have found additional information on a current topic and brought that information to the discussion. The teacher remains the moderator. The moderator's role in seminar is to pay attention to what is being said, the questions asked, and the common themes throughout the seminar. There is often consensus among the students and it is the moderator's role to point out where they agree. The moderator is not there to take part in the discussion or to discuss his or her own point of view. After a seminar ends, the students evaluate themselves. How did they act? Were they mannerly? Did they take part? Did they refer to the text? Did they explain their points of view? Have they found ways in which they can improve their time in seminar? They have, as a group, added rules in order to maintain the manners. For example, in seminar, after one student has finished sharing, he or she calls on a students whose hand is raised. After some experience, the students decided that no one should have a hand raised until the current speaker finishes all of his or her thoughts and is ready to call on someone else. Therefore, they are able to display a respect for what a fellow student is saying. Thus, an environment has been created where the teacher is not the center of the room. The teacher has become an observer and recorder of what is happening in the room. What is remarkable are the sophisticated and unexpected points they make after a question has been discussed. For example, in a discussion about fighting terrorism, their conversation turned to the way in which a free nation must listen to dissenting points of view. They discussed the difficulty in acting decisively and quickly a nation with liberty might have and came to a consensus that this difficulty was worth it in order to maintain liberty. Had I, as the teacher, led this discussion, expressed my own thoughts, and not listened, I would not have heard their thoughts expressed as they searched for what is true, good, and noble. Seminar is a time for the teacher to remain unobtrusive and observe and learn about his or her students. It is an opportunity for the students to search out truth and understanding together, in their own way, their own words, and their own noble minds.

2010 QAMS Middle School Peace Trip By Heidi Densmore, Middle School Humanities Teacher "Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war." Maria Montessori As a culmination of our Foundations and Peace studies, the Queen of Angels Middle School took a fourday academic trip to Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area. The goals of the peace curriculum are for the students to develop their own understanding of peace and how that might be achieved. After an indepth study of war, the students develop an understanding of what causes conflict and what steps might be taken towards achieving peace. Students prepare for the trip by gathering information on each site on our itinerary. Prior to visiting the site, selected students give the group an introduction, historical background, and a preview of the significance of each site. On the first day of our Peace Trip, we toured the battleground at Gettysburg. On location, Dane Frank and Mark Pucci presented information on the areas called Devil's Den, Little Round Top, and the ground upon which Pickett's Charge took place. Dane pointed out that "Even though the battle of Gettysburg did not end the war, it is considered the greatest battle. At this battle on July 1,2, and 3, 1863, more soldiers fought and died than in any other North American battle either before or since." Our tour guide was a ranger for the National Park Service who expounded upon the political climate of the Union during the war.

On day two, we visited the Capitol building, the Marine Museum, the Holocaust Museum, Air and Space Museum, and ended our day with a fun evening at a Nationals baseball game. The Capitol building was a powerful experience of the unity our nation has maintained. As Christian Conway wrote, "Even during the Civil War, we somehow managed to keep our government together. Even when we all disagree on an issue we somehow manage to keep our composure and have our government come out better, stronger, and more united." On the third day, we visited the Baltimore Basilica and met with Cardinal William Keeler, who helped facilitate dialogue between the Catholic Church, the Eastern Church, and Jewish leaders. Later, we spent time at Arlington National Cemetery where Karina Cabrera and Clare Rahner presented on the Tomb of the Unknowns and the Kennedy grave site. Madison Todd shared the life story of one soldier, Sergeant James J. Regan, who was recently buried in Section 60 after losing his life in the Afghan conflict. We were able to find his grave and pay tribute. Madison wrote, "He turned down good jobs on Wall Street, just so he could join the army. James always said, 'Somebody has to do it.' He was known for making people feel like family and he was very hardworking." Upon a visit to Arlington National Cemetery by Mark Pucci For the soldiers that fought before us, the unknown who died for us. They died with no name, yet their courage brought them fame. For our presidents who brought us through, when times were rough and war was true. For the soldiers known to all so we respect their mighty fall. The soldiers died at hand, so here we stand. Soldiers fight in war today, so peace maybe someday. We finished the day with a beautiful evening tour of the monuments on the National Mall. Annie Blasch and Christine Lustenberger presented on the history of the National Mall. During our visit at the Mall we were able to visit the Roosevelt monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. On our final day of the Peace trip, we stopped at Harper's Ferry to spend a quiet morning. There we learned about John Brown's Raid and the importance of the town during the Civil War. We all enjoyed it as a quiet spot in the country where we could have a bit of quiet time before the trip home. At the end of their trip, the students wrote reflections on their faith in humanity and thoughts about peace in the world. Clare Rahner ended her reflection with this thought: Sometimes I do find it hard to have faith in humanity since I know some of the things humans have done. But, we also can look at some of the positive, selfless, and loving acts of charity going on around the world. As a single person, I can portray humanity in a positive light by trying to act self-giving towards others. If more and more people do this, the world would have a true reason to have faith in humanity. The Middle School would especially like to thank the parents for making our Peace Trip possible!

Notes from “Shared Forum on Social Communication and Technology with Adolescents” By Dan Teller, Principal and John Bennett, Middle School Teacher

The recent NAMTA (North American Montessori Teachers Association) conference, Technology and the Adolescent, provided much food for thought for the appropriate balance of technology and learning. Our task is to articulate a clear rationale for optimal use of technology in learning, and that is a high-priority project for our staff. We hope to have this in place by the beginning of next school year. Keith Boehme, a friend and consultant for the school, joined Mr. Bennett at the conference and a followup meeting to reflect on its information. Mr. Boehme’s notes provide some broad initial considerations for us as we work towards a clear, coherent rationale that will guide our use of technology. They indicate the complexity and importance of a technology plan that starts with the human person and a consideration of his developmental needs and tasks … and then moves on to how technology can fit this prime consideration.   1. You have to vigilant on maintaining the culture you want. Be involved with talking with adolescents. 2. Always come back to “Who is the adolescent and what does he need?” 3. The adolescent needs include: Identity formation What am I going to contribute? Interested in adult relationships Need to belong and yet be unique Need for valorization Need to be recognized An increase in meta-cognition and abstraction Need for peer relationship Need for mentoring adults – side by side There is a pruning back and growth of dendrites in brain Making decisions in brain not fully formed so making a sound/quick decision is difficult for a 12-15 person (social dilemma) Can’t read facial expressions Focus on self and moving to a social focus 4. The way adolescents use technology is not the same way adults do. 5. Adolescents push boundaries. It is helpful to have a handbook at school for support so that the adolescent can refer to it. 6. Let’s make music vs. consuming music. 7. Use videos for documentation. 8. No walking and listening to technology at the same time. 9. Lap tops are down during discussion. 10. Technology can build a false sense of identity. One must unmask the students so they have a real identity. 11. There is a difficulty in seeing the whole. 12. Need to question technology and how it affects the community. 13. Use technology as a tool vs. banning it. 14. Let the adolescent earn the right to be responsible. 15. The right to silence is more important than the right to music. 16. Children feel they are owed things in technology. How do we guide students to be appreciative? 17. Part of the job is to help students explore other interests.

  Middle School: One Parent’s Perspective By Tricia Rahner, 8th Grade Parent

Each week, one of our teachers shares an aspect of our mission as it takes shape in the lives of the children. This week, we present our mission through the eyes of a parent. Earlier this year, Tricia Rahner, whose daughter Clare will soon be graduating in our class of 2010, wrote this unsolicited perspective on the GSCM middle school experience. Seventh and eighth grade—“junior high.” It’s a pivotal time in a child’s life, a time of growth and change, physically and otherwise. As mother of eight children, three of whom are teens (at three different schools!), I always find this an interesting topic. While I myself attended Catholic grade school and high school, my children have grown up in the Montessori schools of Cincinnati Public Schools. My oldest has stayed on the Montessori track, currently working hard on her senior project at Clark Montessori. My 2nd daughter was attracted to the broad opportunities at Walnut Hills High, where she is now in 10th grade. When our 3rd daughter was in 6th grade, we didn’t see either Clark or Walnut as best suited to her needs for 7th and 8th grade, and that’s what brought us to QAMS. Here’s why: 1. SMALL SIZE: This is the simplest feature of this program, and yet hugely significant. Considering that social development is one of the most important tasks for the adolescent, having a total class size (i.e. 7th and 8th grades combined) which allows for an all-inclusive community lends itself well to interaction, without the pressures of having to choose a sub-group. 2. CATHOLIC EDUCATION: While my husband and I have tried our best to educate our kids in the faith along the way, more and more we realize how critical that knowledge is, and that what we can do at home has not been systematic enough to serve them best. I have rested in the confidence that GSCM offers a beautiful presentation of the treasure of truth which our Church holds. (We can also trust that this Catholic approach will influence other aspects of the curriculum, e.g. choice of literature. This has been a problematic issue for us at other schools.) 3. MONTESSORI METHOD: This was especially important to our daughter. She couldn’t imagine going to a “desk school,” since Montessori was all she’d ever known. While the curriculum and even some of the approach is much more “conventional” at this level, there are aspects of the Montessori approach that serve this age particularly well: regular seminar-style discussions, emphasis on time outdoors and otherwise taking instruction outside the classroom, service outings, monthly community meals prepared by the class, and all-class trips twice annually. (Our daughter has noted how these experiences have built community and made for great memories.) 4. ACADEMICS: Having kids in high school offered us some perspective in considering this factor. Both our older daughters had huge amounts of homework in junior high. With the exception of math, very little of their course work in high school has depended upon what they did in junior high. Students finishing 8th grade at GSCM have performed notably well on high school entrance exams—some even earning top scholarships to area high schools. Those with aptitude and interest have pursued an accelerated math track. And through it all, their lives haven’t been consumed by homework. In summary, sending our third daughter to GSCM for middle school was the best school choice we’ve made. To see her so happy about school, consistently, for these two years has been a great confirmation. It is our firm belief that the best way to prepare a child for high school (and life) is to provide a setting that is 1) appropriately challenging and 2) positive and encouraging, where s/he can grow to feel self-confident, and at ease with what comes next.

Solo Time in the Middle School By John Bennett, Middle School Teacher “Silence often brings us the knowledge which we had not fully realized, that we possess within ourselves an interior life. The child by means of silence sometimes becomes

aware of this for the first time.” - Maria Montessori “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.” - 1 Peter 3:3-4

Most people agree that having time to reflect alone is critically important in human development. Yet, with the busy-ness of life, many of us do not spend the time to cultivate silence and reflection. The middle school provides this opportunity during three separate, 20-minute periods for reflection of reflection each week. We call this “Solo Time.” During solo time, students and teachers are asked to read or journal alone in silence. Students are given one reflection per week. Reflections are sometimes tied in with trimester themes or other school events. This fall, prior to our rafting trip to Hico, we looked at an essay from Mark Twain called “Two Ways of Seeing a River.” In this essay, Twain describes the majestic experience of seeing river for the first time (like the 7th graders); he contrasts that experience with seeing a river many times (like the 8th graders). Solo time has a way of soothing the community. The environment is quiet, lights are dimmed, and relaxing music is played. Although solo is primarily an individual experience, there is a group bond that occurs similar to the experience of praying in church. Solo reflections occur in and out of the classroom. Pictured is a reflection time provided during our trip to the New River in Hico, WV. The Middle School had rafted on the river the day before and we reflected on that experience from this beautiful vantage point.  

Montessori Middle School Education: Why Projects? By John Bennett, Middle School Teacher “Here is an essential principle of education: to teach details is to bring confusion; to establish the relationship between things is to bring knowledge.” “Student work should not be measured like inanimate matter, but judged as a product of life.” - Maria Montessori

PROJECTS: AN OVERVIEW Projects are a vehicle for organizing course work and achieving academic standards and objectives. Projects are also a vehicle for achieving the goals and objectives of the Montessori curriculum. They are a way to establish the relationship between the details. How do we do this? We must first figure two basic things: What do we want the students to know and have internalized by the end of the quarter? (Standards, skills, objectives, and assessment.) And secondly, what is the big buy-in for students? How can they be inspired by the work of this quarter? (Creating real world context, placing the work of the quarter in the “big picture” of things, giving the students a reason for learning the stuff, and making the concepts relevant.) The first of these becomes the assessment piece. The second item becomes the Overview and Guiding Questions. This is the glue for all the stuff in the middle that gives the curriculum its life.1 PROJECTS IN ACTION Each trimester, our middle school students take on two projects: one in science and one in humanities. The project design always relates to the current trimester theme. Our school uses six trimester themes over the course of two years (cycles). Cycle 1 Themes: • Transformation • Movement and Migration • Foundations Cycle 2 Themes: • Balance • Change • Connections In science, for example, we see how these broad themes are expressed in science projects: • • • • • •

Transforming energy and renewable energies Movement and migration of birds Foundation of genetics and human development Balance in the local water ecosystems Changing technologies and inventions Connections project is in development

PROJECT GOALS/PURPOSE The goals and purpose of these projects are: Cross-curricular education Through the use of trimester themes, our teachers make connections that cross over the curriculum and show the three-dimensional aspect of issues that impact our society. For example, this trimester theme is Balance. In science, we are studying the local creek and river ecosystems, their current conditions, and how we depend on this water in the Cincinnati area. In humanities, the students are studying how ancient civilizations, such as the Mayans, prospered, sustained, and ultimately perished due to their water system management. Understanding society These two needs of the adolescent: for protection during the time of difficult physical transition, and for an understanding of the society which he is about to enter to play his part as a man, give rise to two problems that are of equal importance concerning education at this age. – M. Montessori

                                                             1

“Why Projects?” Clark Montessori School

Through projects, students begin to learn about the modern society while applying their classroom learning to a real and important issue. Confidence and motivation The adolescent is ready to make a meaningful contribution to society; too often, though, the modern adolescent is not given the opportunity to make this contribution. Instead, their time can be taken up with schoolwork and games that really offers no tangible benefit to society. There is nothing wrong with academic exercises and play; however, the adolescent also needs the opportunity to make a positive, direct, and meaningful impact to the world. They are ready for this challenge. PROJECTS: AN EXAMPLE In the Cycle 2 science project on Balance, students study the balance of the local water ecosystems. Over the summer, the Environmental Protection Agency filed a report detailing the health and condition of the Little Miami River. One finding was that Duck Creek, which runs through Norwood and along Red Bank Rd., is causing the Little Miami River quality to decrease to unhealthy levels before it flows into the Ohio River. To address this problem, students are: ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐

Gaining a better understanding of the problem by reading articles, touring Duck Creek, and listening to a presentation from Gregg Sablak of the Ohio E.P.A. Learning how to test water quality at the Greenacres Foundation River Lab in Loveland, Ohio Sampling the water and conducting tests at the river lab including: pH, phosphates, nitrates, turbidity, conductivity, and fecal coliforms Discussing their ideas and opinions for water quality conditions and solutions based on their readings and research Reporting the findings back to the E.P.A. Making recommendations for change Implementing these changes in trimester two (the theme is ‘Change’)

The project approach to curriculum and course design requires much planning and preparation on the part of the teacher. It is an excellent vehicle to keep our standards high and our work relevant and exciting for the young adolescent