This week, we asked some of our Middle School arts specialists to share a favorite story that illustrates a moment of joyful discovery when an idea really clicks and the “aha!” epiphany brings new life to learning.

Meri-Lee Mafera—Music

The Middle School music elective this spring is a course that studies various national anthems from around the world. At the first class it was brought to my attention that the students who chose this elective did so because it was NOT a performing class. They were adamant, stating that they “would not ever sing in front of an audience!” After listening to their concerns, I asked them to make a conscious choice to have fun during the upcoming weeks, to try it all and to just “dive in and sing.” They agreed, and over the next few weeks we learned much and laughed much, especially at our often-clumsy attempts with the more difficult foreign languages.

As the most recent Morning Share was approaching, I decided to approach my lovable, but reluctant class with an idea. I asked them if they would be willing to choose one of the national anthems we had studied, and perform it for the entire school. As I waited for the shoe to drop, much to my surprise and considerable glee, with no hesitance at all, they unanimously said, “Yes!” and chose Japan’s “Kimigayo.” I was very moved, and I hope that this wonderful group of students will continue throughout their lives to make the choice to “dive in and sing!”

Pam Golden—Art

The Middle School artists in the spring art elective class are a delightful group of students who are happy to explore and experiment with art materials. Our theme this spring has been to play around with color—in a variety of media.

Recently, we began a project inspired by “molas”—the beautiful layered fabric art from the San Blas Islands in Panama. Working with layers of brightly colored paper, the students were using mat knives to cut shapes. The process was to cut shapes from the top piece of paper and then place a different colored piece of paper underneath. Everything was kind of quiet at first. Then, one of the students discovered how many layers of color could be revealed and understood how cool the project could really be. She began to laugh and exclaim about what she was going to create! Then, all the students “got in the groove” (a collective Aha!) and there was a wonderful artistic flow of momentum in the class. It was a thrill to witness!

Colleen Quinn—Movement & Theater

“Aha! I AM funny!”

This particular Aha moment seems to occur every year during the rehearsal process for the middle school play. Each year the students await the announcement of their play with great anticipation, they congratulate each other on their assigned roles, they gather for the first rehearsal and…What? We have to go onstage in front of everyone and sing? Dance? Act?

Now, this should not come as a surprise. Every student at Inly participates in numerous performances throughout their tenure at the school. Still, in middle school the angst of self-consciousness and self-doubt are in high gear. The thought of putting one’s self onstage for all the world to see can be an uncomfortable and frightening prospect for a 12- or 13-year-old. Still, there’s no escape.

So, we work our way through the rehearsals. There is no end to the positive encouragement and gentle requests that are bestowed on the students:

• That line is hilarious. If only we could hear it. Please talk louder.
• You sing beautifully. Please sing louder.
• The dance looks great. Please dance with a bit more energy.

Still, the students are reluctant to completely throw themselves into character. The fear of being laughed at is considerable. I keep promising:

• The audience is going to laugh because the show is funny!
• The audience is going to cry because the show is touching.
• The audience is going to cheer because the show is fabulous!

Only once did I resort to bribery. I literally got on my knees and said, “If you do this dance with lots of energy and smiles and sing out loudly, I’ll make cookies for you.” (Yes…it worked.)

At last, we arrive at the final day of preparation. It is a full dress rehearsal, a performance for the entire school. There is excitement in the air…or is that nervousness? The middle school students step up to the challenge. And then it happens…the Aha moment.

You can almost hear the sigh of relief, the gasp of realization. They seem to finally realize that it will be okay, the earth will still turn on its axis if they sing and dance onstage. They give it their all, they say their lines loudly and with animation, they sing clearly and beautifully, they dance with energy and smiles. They are a hit! The audience is laughing, crying, cheering.

“Aha!” they say. “I AM funny! I DO sing nicely! I CAN dance! I can take the risk and aha! It really is okay.”

[This post originally appeared in Rhythm & News, the Inly School newsletter, on May 22, 2009.]

This week, we asked Lynda Jackson, our Middle School Spanish instructor, to share a favorite story that illustrates a moment of joyful discovery when an idea really clicks and the “aha!” epiphany brings new life to learning.

Lynda’s Final Exam Story

As the end of the school year approaches, I think of many Aha moments I encountered with the middle school students in Spanish class this year. I can recall the occasions when I heard some of them say; “Aha, I understand what the story is about. I get it now.” Or “Aha, I am beginning to understand when to use the verb “es” instead of “está.”  These are gratifying moments when I see that some of the complexities of the language are beginning to make sense to the students. Most encouraging of all is to see how much students have improved with their language aptitude by the end of the year.

The students recently took their final exam in Spanish. It was cumulative so they were able to show me all that they had retained from the year’s learning. In one section of the exam, the 8th grade students were given a list of vocabulary words and asked to write a short story using all of them. After reading each of the stories, I could not help but think: “These are awesome. Aha, they have learned more than they realize!” These students were able to use the vocabulary in context very effectively and to express themselves clearly in Spanish. The spelling and the use of articles, tense agreements, and prepositions were, for the most part, used properly. These students had no hesitation expressing their thoughts and ideas in a second language, and they did it well. Not to mention the stories were creative and quite funny!

Towards the end of the year, I start to feel like there is not enough time to teach them everything I want to, but then when I look at what they have accomplished, I am encouraged and feel fortunate to work with such a talented and motivated group of students.

[This post originally appeared in Rhythm & News, the Inly School newsletter, on May 22, 2009.]

This week, we asked our Middle School literature teacher, Shelley Sommer, to share a favorite story that illustrates a moment of joyful discovery when an idea really clicks and the “aha!” epiphany brings new life to learning.

Shelley’s Quiet One Story

During one of my Middle School literature discussion groups, we were reading a novel about the life of a family of migrant workers in California. This particular book was the first part of the author’s memoirs, and it was my hope that we would have time to read the sequel.

One of the boys in the class was pretty quiet. He did not actively participate in the discussions, but when I directed a question to him, he seemed to have a good sense of the novel. Near the end of the book, I told the class that, unfortunately, we would not have time to read the second book. However, I told the group—which included about 10 students—that I had copies of “part two” for anyone who would like to read it on their own. After class, only one student asked for the book—and it was the quietest member of the group. As I gave it to him, it reminded me not to assume a student’s opinion of a novel based on their in-class comments. It also heartened me to know that the story of this young migrant worker had touched this student.

[This post originally appeared in Rhythm & News, the Inly School newsletter, on May 15, 2009.]

In addition to being head librarian and literature teacher at Inly School, Shelley is the author of Sommer Reading, A Blog About Books.

This week, we asked Derek Stolp, our Middle School math teacher, to share a favorite story that illustrates a moment of joyful discovery when an idea really clicks and the “aha!” epiphany brings new life to learning.

Derek’s Fractal Story

Every day in school, children are working at the boundaries of their knowledge. And, every day, they experience “Aha” moments—many small ones, a few that are more profound and, not every day, ones that seem momentous.

One child who was anxious about learning mathematics at the beginning of the year discovered that, with perseverance, she could sometimes solve even the most challenging problems; and, though these were optional, she pushed herself to tackle them, expressing a quiet sense of delight when successful. Another, who every day has struggled with fractions, found that she understood areas and perimeters, and she eagerly volunteered to show her solutions to the class on the board. A young man who has struggled to make sense of mathematical concepts has discovered that, when he focuses in class, asks questions when confused, and completes his work in an organized way, he’s able to overcome his difficulties and master the ideas.

On the other hand, for those students who seem to grasp mathematical principles effortlessly, the “Aha” moment may take the form of a disorienting perplexity. While studying a fractal shape (the Koch Snowflake), two students discovered that it was a figure with a finite area but with an infinite boundary. “How can this be?” remarked one. “It doesn’t make sense,” said the other. This counterintuitive result forced them to think more deeply about notions of “infinity” because one infinite sum may converge to a finite number while another may grow without bound. This was an “Aha” moment that, rather than answering a question, suggested a whole new set of unanticipated questions, ones that they will revisit for years to come.

[This post originally appeared in Rhythm & News, the Inly School newsletter, on May 15, 2009.]

In addition to teaching math at Inly Middle School, Derek is the author of a middle school algebra curriculum that he has posted on his website, http://www.algebra1models.org.

This week, we asked Tschol Slade, our Middle School humanities teacher, to share a favorite story that illustrates a moment of joyful discovery when an idea really clicks and the “aha!” epiphany brings new life to learning.

Tschol’s Story

A recent example was at Model United Nations in March, when our middle schoolers got together with hundreds of other Montessori students from around the country. For many of them, it was the first time they’d spent a good amount of time with other Montessori kids, let alone so many of them. Many of them remarked on the similarities. They were like, “Wow—we problem-solve the same way, we work in teams the same way, we even form a circle and sit on the floor in the same way.”

In this setting, they really got a sense that the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts. They really understood how unique it is to be a Montessori student, and they felt part of a fellowship. Of course Model U.N. teaches so many other important lessons, but this was a profound one shared by us all.

[This post originally appeared in Rhythm & News, the Inly School newsletter, on May 15, 2009.]

This week, we asked our Middle School director, Julie Kelly-Detwiler, to share a favorite story that illustrates a moment of joyful discovery when an idea really clicks and the “aha!” epiphany brings new life to learning.

Julie’s Internship Story

Adolescence is a time of trying things on, making the theory real, taking a step closer to adulthood. Internships are a big part of this, and we see them make real leaps in their learning and self-confidence from the start to the end of the process.

We help our Middle School students craft their first resumes, and delight with them as they look with pride on their accumulated accomplishments. We discuss writing, punctuation, and word choice as they write their letters of introduction. We practice phone interviews and follow-up calls and watch students who said, “I could never do that” become focused and poised as they push themselves through their first cold call.

And we watch students walk with trepidation into our adult world on an internship and—Aha!—stride back to our school community with new found confidence, insights and a slightly altered view of themselves and their relationship to the world.

[This post originally appeared in Rhythm & News, the Inly School newsletter, on May 15, 2009.]

This week, we asked some of our Lower and Upper Elementary students to share a favorite story that illustrates a moment of joyful discovery when an idea really clicks and the “aha!” epiphany brings new life to learning.

Joseph (LE)
When I learned to do dynamic multiplication in my head! It was when I was visiting Upper Elementary and Zachary showed me how to do it. He did a couple problems first and showed me how. It took a couple tries, but then I did it. So that was a big jump…In the beginning it looked really hard, but now I feel like it’s like “2+2”.

Katie (LE)
I knew that you could stick two magnets together, like in a science experiment, but I didn’t know you could go outside and find things like rocks that are magnetic. That’s really cool!

Caroline and Callie (LE)
Caroline: We learned how the sun and earth move around each other.
Callie: We learned that in Kindergarten!
Caroline: Yeah, but we learned it again! And now we really get it. We didn’t get it before.
Callie: And now we know the earth isn’t next to the sun. We know the order of all the planets–from the song!
Caroline: Yeah, the song from the LE play! The planet song…Oh, what’s it called???
Callie: Whatever–it’s the song from Star Search! And yeah, we all know the order of the planets now.

Morgan (LE)
I learned that you can burn paper with a magnifying glass. I had no idea the sun could be that strong!

Mackenzie (LE)
Did you know that if you spin a bucket really fast over your head the water doesn’t fall out? I can’t believe that!

Alexandra (LE)
I wrote a report about African elephants for the World Tour. I learned that they eat up to 500 pounds of vegetation a day! And they drink up to 40 gallons of water at a time! I learned so much. And that’s why I like Inly so much.

Lucy (UE)
In math, I didn’t know how to combine integers. My teacher tried to explain it to me, but I couldn’t figure it out. Then she explained it in a different way–she drew it–and then I understood it. I needed to see a picture to really get it, and now I do.

Gabby (UE)
In Cultural Studies, we were studying population density of different countries and looking at picture graphs. I thought for sure that China would be the most densely populated, but it wasn’t. When we saw the picture graph we saw that the country is so huge that the people are more spread out. I was so surprised! Singapore was the most densely populated because it’s so tiny. 

Nathan (UE)
“The Periodic Table didn’t make much sense to me until Jessie explained how it was arranged…how the order has to do with the number of electrons and protons. Now when I look at it, it makes sense.”

Maddie (UE)
“I didn’t really like reading before so I didn’t want to read that much. Now all of a sudden I like it and I’m reading a lot more this year up in upper elementary. I like reading the books in our classroom.”

Jeremy (UE)
“When I thought about the meaning of the word ‘percent’ and broke it into ‘per’ and ‘cent,’ which means one hundred, it made perfect sense to me in math.”

Kayia (UE)
“We learned all about the ph in science this year, and about acids and bases–how you measure things from 1-7 and from 7-14 on the ph scale, and how water is in the middle…because it’s neutral.”

Raychell (UE)
“This year I learned how to be a much better writer. I learned how to tell a story that’s really detailed. I went back and added more and more detail until it was really interesting to read.”

Cole, Sam, and Luke (UE)
“In our math group this week we were learning about percentages. When Joanne asked us if we’d been to restaurants and watched our parents figure out percentages to do the tip, then we got it. We were all doing the same type of math—whether in the classroom or in a restaurant.”

[This post originally appeared in Rhythm & News, the Inly School newsletter, on May 9, 2009.]

By Brian and Leslie Golemme, Inly Parents

As parents new to not only Inly but also the Montessori Method, we felt some trepidation as we dropped our kindergartener off for his first day at Inly.  Would Cooper be challenged and grow, or would he take shameless advantage of the freedom offered and do only the things that he wanted to do?  Would he master all of the skills of kindergarten and beyond?  Or would he simply become the best block tower builder ever?  We eagerly awaited the first reports from both him and his teachers.

Cooper works on the six cubing chain, a math material that teaches multiples

Early indicators were positive on the home front.  On the second day of school, Cooper was ready early and waited by the door, ready to go.  A good sign, but he could have been eager to get back to his block tower.  Early reports were also good on the school front as his teachers talked about how well he fit in and how much he was enjoying it.

Over the subsequent months, we relaxed more as we heard about all the great things that he got to do at school – whether it was Spanish, Chinese, working on his math stamps, learning about the weather or planting gardens.  Over the course of the year, we were amazed at the breadth and depth of his knowledge in many areas and also the abilities he demonstrated in core skills like math and reading.

Cooper's Special Day celebration

Because Cooper is on the old side (October Birthday) for his grade and has two older siblings, he doesn’t often get a chance to interact with younger children.  The multi-age approach at Inly enabled him to develop his nurturing and leadership skills and to work patiently with the younger kids, rather than always being the one trying—and often succeeding—to keep up with the older kids. The Inly experience has brought out a side in Cooper that we see only infrequently at home.

As the school year winds down, we reflect on Cooper’s CH1 experience with great satisfaction. Our son has grown in so many dimensions—academically, socially, physically and behaviorally.  When you hear your kindergartener sincerely recite the Ghandi peace greeting (the same child that you have to get to stop fighting with a sibling over a crayon), you know that your child has grown in exciting and unexpected ways.  As the year progressed, we realized it was less about milestones and benchmarks (although they are important) and more about the person Cooper is becoming.

We look forward with anticipation and excitement to see what his next year at Inly brings for Cooper and for us.

“Much of my work in college is actually more similar to my Inly education than high school was. Both Inly and college focus on long term projects, preparation for in-depth class discussion, and conceptual learning.”

Meehan, a 2004 graduate of Inly is a diligent student and a top athlete, and traces her success all the way back to her days in the little Middle School on Watch Hill Drive.

High school, Meehan says, focused on finding the “right answer,” whereas Inly taught her to find her own answer and defend it, a skill she relies on heavily as an undergraduate.

“I’ve found that being able to articulate what I think and form strong opinions (rather than regurgitate something I read in a text book) has been incredibly helpful. I think Inly helped teach me that this way of thinking was acceptable.  My teachers encouraged me to believe in my own intellectual ability and to push my brain past what a text book tells me is right or wrong. In college, these skills have aided me in never settling. I constantly push my own ideas to the next level.”

Meehan can’t swear she wasn’t born with innate characteristics that have helped her, she says, but she is certain that whatever she had, Inly nurtured.

“I can’t tell if I am naturally a creative and critical thinker, or if Inly ingrained these skills in my brain. I can’t help but believe that by honing in on these skills at such a young age that they naturally became the way I think all of the time. I utilize independent study skills every day in college.”

So how did that transition go—from Inly, to Cohasset High School, and later to college?

“I think transitioning into high school is tough in some way for everyone, not just Inly kids. That being said, I was more than ready for what high school had in store for me academically.”

Meehan says that her position in the top 10% of Cohasset High’s 2008 graduating class was earned beginning in Freshman year.  “I was more than sufficiently prepared (academically) for high school, and the way I learned at Inly allowed me to be independent and creative from the start.”

“My social adjustment was more difficult. I found great friends fast (my high school friends are still the best I have), but high school was a little busier than I had originally perceived.  Inly provided me with a strong moral compass that allowed me to make my own decisions, and not be persuaded by my peers.  I found a great group of friends quickly, and I know most of my graduating class (from Inly) had the same good fortune.”

Another huge benefit to Meehan in making the transition to Cohasset High School was her long time participation in town athletics.

“Sports have always been a very important part of my life,” says Colby college sophomore and Inly alumna Sally Meehan.  “I’ve always been heavily involved in many different [athletics], and have played both field hockey and tennis at the college level.”

“Although Inly did not directly provide me with sports, it was not detrimental to my ability to participate in as many as I wanted,” Meehan says.

“When I attended Inly, although we did have fitness as an elective, there were no organized sports like there are now.”  Meehan knew she loved athletics, and with support from the school and her parents, sought ways to feed her passions, joining the Cohasset softball, tennis, basketball leagues, and the swim team and diving teams.

“Like many Montessori families, when I was in sixth grade (after being at Inly since toddler) we had to decide whether or not I would stay at Inly for middle school, or transition. I could not be more happy that my parents saw the opportunities that Inly would allow for me and had me stay all the way through. None of my public school friends had the experiences I was granted at Inly.  I formed relationships that have exceeded the six years since I have attended Inly.

“I strive at college to have the bonds with my professors that I had (and still have) with many of my Inly teachers. So many kids I have gone to school with in high school and college view teachers as people assigned to give them grades, and keep them from spending their time the way they want to.  I believe that at Inly you learn fast that your teachers are people too; people that want nothing but the best for you. They have dedicated their lives to teaching because it’s what they love. As an Inly student, I learned to tap into that. In my second year at Colby, I am beginning to form great relationships with my professors.”

In the end, it seems that Meehan’s strongest connection with the school is about time, and the way the school let her manage her own, and how those values continue to drive Meehan to achieve.

“I still find that Inly’s ability to tailor an education just for me, helped me tune in with my interests and skills far before my public school friends. Inly presented me with opportunities to explore academia as well as the real world (through trips, internships, and experiential learning) that I never would have had in a bigger, more formal institution.”

This week, we asked Pam Golden, our Lower and Upper Elementary art specialist, to share some  favorite stories that illustrate those moments of joyful discovery when an idea really clicks for a student and the “aha!” epiphany brings new life to learning.

Pam’s Clay Story

As a professional sculptor, Pam’s rich artistic life is full of discovery and expression and sometimes sounds like a perpetual aha moment. Here is how she describes her work: “My art tells stories. Many of the sculptures that I create are narrative images that reveal themselves to me as I work on them, as they live in my studio, as they recall myths and stories that have nurtured and inspired me over the years…Clay is an elemental material and how it transforms with water, air and fire to become something new is vital to my creative process.”

As an art teacher, Pam is delighted to witness the creative process as it unfolds in each of her students. Her two favorite aha moments this year came from two students in different Lower Elementary classes. Unsurprisingly, both involved clay. The first she witnessed from a child in the midst of a sculpture project who remarked, “When I am working with the clay my fingers seem to grow!” The second came at the end of a project, when a child explained her methodology: “I was just pounding and squishing the clay…and suddenly it looked like my cat!”

[This post originally appeared in Rhythm & News, the Inly School newsletter, on May 1, 2009.]