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Hershey Adolescents Masterfully Mural with Grant from Ohio Arts Council

Hershey Adolescents Masterfully Mural with Grant from Ohio Arts Council

Hershey Montessori School extends our gratitude and thanks to the Ohio Arts Council for approving a grant that will allow teaching artist Laurel Herbold to work directly with the 9th-12th grade students in our upper school community for a year-long residency. The yearlong project, titled Mastering Murals: Upper School Adolescent Mural Project at Hershey Montessori School, will provide students throughout our upper school community with the opportunity to learn, grow and mature in their understanding of mural arts. It will also help students develop their creative expression and build skills in areas such as filmmaking, photography, graphic arts, and entrepreneurship.

Laurel will be on campus for an average of 26 hours per week for 32 weeks. The residency will culminate in a permanent, large-scale wall mural with removable sections, videos, images, postcards, and posters that will be presented to the entire school community. For the project, Laurel will guide students through the entire mural creation process including the planning timeline, design, materials, paints and brushes, painting technique, and presentation.

Students working on this project will have the opportunity to share what they are learning with the Concord school community as part of community building and the mastery process, which includes students demonstrating their knowledge and growth through teaching others. Students may join this project throughout the year, and students who help Laurel through the first two quarters will lead a mural workshop for upper elementary (grades 4-6) during the fourth quarter.

This project will be accessible to students and families through both an in-person event and online communications and will be widely accessible from an ADA perspective. The success of the residency will be measured through student engagement, student articulation (the ability to clearly explain what was learned), and valorization (a Montessori term meaning that a student becomes strong and feels worthy, confident in their work, and capable of moving the work and themselves forward to pursue other ideologies) and guide observation.

Hershey is excited to share this opportunity with the adolescents and families in our community, and we are honored to have Laurel join us for the first two quarters of the 2021-2022 school year and the first 2 quarters of the 2022-2023 school year. Once again, we would like to thank the Ohio Arts Council for their generous grant and support for this project.

Hershey would also like to extend a special thanks to Martha Loughridge, a grant writer for Montessori Development Partnerships. Without her help, none of this would be possible. MDP was founded in 1990 by Debra Guren and David Kahn. MDP’s mission is to bring human and financial resources into a coordinated effort that results in greater support for Montessori schools in North America. Their vision is to bring more access to Montessori for more children. You can find more information about MDP by visiting their website, https://www.montessori-mdp.org/.

Staff Spotlight: Sharyn Laux

Staff Spotlight: Sharyn Laux

This month’s Staff Spotlight features Hershey Montessori School Residential Guide Sharyn Laux.

Sharyn grew up a Montessori child and was encouraged by her parents to be herself, to ask questions, to be independent and follow her own path. She has done just that.

In her early twenties, she underwent Montessori training and received her AMI Primary certificate in 2001 and has since worked with both younger children and adolescents. Sharyn has studied theater, art, French, philosophy, business and English literature.

She has a genuine curiosity about life and people. Capturing Sharyn in simple text was not going to be easy, so for her interview, akin to Sharyn’s unique personality, we chose to do something different from our previous spotlights — we interviewed her in podcast format.

We hope you enjoy listening. You will see why Hershey students, parents, and staff embrace Sharyn as a warm, passionate, intriguing soul that lights up our school community.

Click this link and get ready to turn up the audio.

Thank you for all that you carry and exude, Sharyn. We appreciate what you do and who you are!

Resilience, Through a Mother’s Eyes

Resilience, Through a Mother’s Eyes

By Leslie Minotti, Hershey Montessori School Parent

As I have been perusing articles on how to support my child during these stressful, ever-changing days, I can’t help but notice how often I see the words, “resilience” and “adaptability,”  “courage” and “confidence” used to describe the qualities that will carry our children through this unprecedented time. So now as a parent, I ask myself how I can help foster these qualities? Is this something that is in my power to provide for my children? When I observe my children’s reactions to the updates they hear, or the new protocol we now have to follow to protect ourselves, I think about how I can help them adapt.

This daunting, overwhelming task that seems to be a mountain-like obstacle is quickly reduced when I remember the old adage, “It takes a village.”  My family’s village, or community as we call it, has gifted us with stability, peace, and overwhelming support. The Hershey Montessori family has been a beacon through these stormy waters. The quick response to the online schooling and the support in maintaining the Montessori values, such as freedom of choice, hands-on learning with homemade materials, and respecting the child’s individuality,  has shone through. Is this style of online learning ideal? In my daughter’s words,”I’ve realized that distance learning is not the best, but I can get through it.” All three of my children are handling it beautifully. The presence and commitment of their teachers has been overwhelming. They are there for them with answers to their questions, regular check-ins to help them manage their stress, and quick messages to say “we miss you.” All this while balancing their own families, and their own stress. The teacher’s listening ear that recognizes my children’s frustrations has created a beautiful sounding board.

Like other students and families, we have experienced many disappointments from missing anticipated life events. Some of these moments have already been lost, while others are yet to be. However, my children have been given the freedom to mourn these. They’ve also been challenged to create the best “lemonade” possible.

I see resilience, adaptability, courage and confidence in my children because they have absorbed these qualities from the ones who guide them, the ones who have nurtured this growth. I am inspired by the close relationship I observe between my children and their Hershey Montessori School guides, and I strive to mirror their efforts, both for myself and my children.

The waters may continue to be rocky for some time, but knowing we have a solid team on our side makes the journey possible.

Thank you, Hershey Community!

Leslie Minotti

 

About the Author: Leslie Minotti was introduced to Hershey Montessori School 18 years ago when she attended a Parent-Infant class with her daughter, Abriella. Abriella, now a senior at Hershey Montessori Upper School, graduates this spring. Leslie’s other two children, Alessandra, a ninth year student at the Middle School, and Aurelio, a first year student at Hershey’s Concord Campus, have happily enjoyed their education journey where their love of learning continues to be fostered, and their growth to their true potential is honored. Leslie has worked as a staff member in Hershey’s Children’s House and Young Child Community for 10 years. She enjoys observing and guiding young children as they create who they are in a loving environment filled with mutual respect.

Wellbeing and Adolescents

Wellbeing and Adolescents

By Judy Kline-Venaleck, Associate Head of School and Huntsburg Campus Director

Well-being, balance, peace, attitude, emotional health … we have been inundated with messages of how to maintain our well-being during this global crisis. And as we all recognize the significance of prioritizing our physical and mental health at this time, we may often neglect to consider that our adult interpretation of wellbeing may differ from that of our adolescents.

World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental wellbeing as “a state in which every individual realizes his or her own potential and can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” But that definition emphasizes normal stresses of life. How does the adolescent maintain his or her former sense of wellbeing while perhaps enhancing it during these challenging times? As we know, if an adolescent has a high level of mental wellbeing — which is emphasized in a Montessori education — they are more likely to flourish later in life.

The New Economics Foundation (NEF) developed a framework that outlines strategies that have a positive effect on mental wellbeing. They are: connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give. I love these strategies as they can appeal to everyone; they are simple, clear, and can provide a whole host of opportunities. So, please, while you have this time at home, take the opportunity to sit with your adolescent, share these tips, explore them together and be well!

Download a copy of NEF Five Ways to Wellbeing.

What Do Adolescents Need Right Now?

What Do Adolescents Need Right Now?

 

 

 

By Laurie Ewert-KrockerDirector, International Montessori Training Institute, former Hershey staff member, Hershey parent and grandparent

 

Adolescents need us to remember that they are fundamentally human beings who want to be respected and treated with the same level of dignity with which we treat other adults.

Montessori education recognizes that we all share the same human tendencies and basic needs throughout our lives—and that as children grow through stages of development, particular needs and characteristics are highlighted and need support to build the potential of adulthood.

In a time of instability, it’s important to remember what’s fundamental for all human beings—and then consider particularly what is important to teens right now.

The need to Orient:  We are all experiencing new and changing schedules as well as significantly restricted environments. Adolescents suddenly have limited access to peers and adults other than parents and family members. They will GRIEVE this loss on some level. Not having their peers and their “tribe” close by will be impactful for them on a social/emotional level. Sensitivity to that loss is paramount. They are also going to experience different kinds of expectations from everyone than is usual—from teachers, from parents, from friends. And those expectations are likely to change as everyone follows a learning curve and responds to unpredictable events. Expectations of them might also go unarticulated or ineffectively communicated. They need the people in their lives to help them orient to the changing conditions of their lives right now. Clarity, patience, and kind honesty need to rule the day.

The need for Order: We all need enough order and some level of predictability to stay healthy and functional. Everyday chaos is overwhelming. Routines will be helpful—just as long as the routine considers the adolescent’s needs as well as everyone else’s.  Their need for order will be more internal than external, while the adults might cling to external order as an anchor. Give them some space to own their own disorder (like in their rooms) and express where order is helpful to them. Lovingly explain how order helps each person in the family to feel safe and secure—but perhaps in different ways. Offer to help them keep order from time to time—rather than demanding it.

One idea: Have regular family meetings to check-in with everyone (even if there are only 2 of you!) What’s going well? What’s challenging? What are everyone’s current needs? How can we help each other? How can we paint a picture of a hopeful future with each other? How can we share some quality time together to be fun, joyful, playful? What will make us laugh?

The need to Imagine positive outcomes: Adolescents need a certain level of consistency and assurance from adults about the future; we will get through this! Help them imagine what that will look and feel like. Invite them to consider positive changes for the future based on what they are experiencing and perceiving.  They need messages of hope and regular assurances that their needs are being considered and attended to as best the family can. But beware—they can tell if you are lying—so this means incorporating hope and faith in the future into your own outlook.

The need for Work: “Work” is what we all do to contribute to the sustaining of our lives and our communities. Humans work to adapt to the environment and improve life. Work gives us purpose and meaning. For an adolescent, work needs to feel relevant and valuable—not just something to keep them “busy” or “out of people’s hair.” Work needs to feel either like a valuable step toward their future or like a contribution to the community’s needs. Their school work should feel like it has a purpose in their lives. The work they do for the family needs to feel like a contribution. Can there be a family rotation of chores, menu-planning, cooking, etc. that includes the adolescent—but also considers that their timeline for getting things done might be a little different than adults? (If they don’t get something done until later in the day or week than you would like—be patient and let the timeline be theirs, if possible.)

Is there community service work they can do in their families or for their community while still maintaining social distancing? Can they write letters to elderly relatives? Can they make babysitting kits for families with young children? Can they record story-telling or reading aloud sessions online for the children of busy working-at-home parents? Can they make board games and mail them to children of family friends? Can they sew protective masks? Can they put together simple building kits for children? Use some of their own Legos to create unique construction kits? (Disinfect and mail or drop off outside the door?) Can they put your family budget on a spreadsheet to track expenses? Organize music playlists for people? Can they work in the yard or take on repair or maintenance projects like painting or building?

The need for Communication: Communication may be humanity’s number one need right now on the planet. Adolescents need LOTS of communication opportunities—lots of opportunities to share what THEY are thinking and feeling

  • Communication from parents: regular, short meetings and check-ins that ask them how THEY are doing and feeling (not just TELLING what the adults need and think); honest, clear information about what is happening in the world (but not so much that everyone is swirling around in the worst-case scenarios); lots of “I” statements from adults: “I think this is what is happening;” “I think this is what we need; but what do YOU think?”
  • Task and responsibility charts for the family—where everyone gets to choose several tasks from a list and they commit to a time frame for getting them done; a sense that everyone is partnering in the situation and no one is shouldering the labor for everyone else.
  • Communication from peers; peers are an adolescent’s primary need—so making sure they have access to friends and classmates is crucial. Seeing their peers face-to-face online regularly would be helpful. Relaxing the phone and tech rules a bit for now makes sense—but not at night when sleep is still the primary mental and physical health requirement for adolescents.
  • Examine your own expectations for your adolescents—what are you expecting them to take on (like care of siblings or housework)? Has that been articulated? Have they been diplomatically asked and negotiated with? Do you know how they feel about that? Adolescents are often very willing and able to step up into adult roles as needed—but they need to feel treated with respect, and they need to feel their perspective is considered.

The need for Self-Expression: Adolescence is a time of life focused on identity formation and internal processing. Self-expression happens through open dialogue with others but also through the arts and physical activity. Being restricted from playing sports, going to music or dance lessons is going to be painful. How can they continue to be involved in their chosen forms of self-expression? What space and materials might they need to set up a studio or work-out space at home? Are there online programs that can keep them motivated? (Don’t be surprised if they feel the need to have a digital connection with friends WHILE they engage in self-expression activities.)

One of the insights of a Montessori approach to education is that whatever a child/adolescent might be doing in the moment (that may look questionable to our adult minds), there may be a very important human drive or developmental reason behind it. We try to stop ourselves from reacting, observe and consider what that need might be, and respond by supporting. Knowing that our Human Tendencies are always an active force in our lives—but may look different at different times—helps us to consider our own humanity and the humanity of those around us. We will all be compelled to orient, order, work, explore, communicate, abstract, imagine, self-express in the coming weeks and months—but those tendencies will look different for each of us. Our everyday work will not only be to remain consistent, calm, and flexible, but to work at truly SEEING each other and LISTENING to each other.