At MLK Montessori, we understand that all children are unique, with their own strengths and challenges, and we educate them accordingly. We offer a flexible, student-driven Montessori curriculum that allows students to learn “where they’re at” and nurtures their individual interests and curiosities. Additionally, our staff members recognize that children develop in their own ways and at their own pace, and we are committed to identifying effective ways to support each student’s needs, including their social and emotional needs.
We would love to introduce you to two of our students so you can learn more about how this approach to early education benefits children:
Quinton
Briana knew that, in some ways, her 4-year-old son, Quinton, was very advanced for his age. For example, he had always excelled at numbers and math concepts. However, with other areas, he was not advanced. He was an only child and had not had many opportunities to practice getting along with others. He was also still working on his toilet training skills. As she began exploring preschools for her son, Briana was worried that she wouldn’t find a school that could support Quinton’s unique needs. However, in the summer of 2020, Briana signed Quinton up for MLK Montessori’s six-week Summer Camp, and she knew right away that they had found a match. “I liked that he was learning based on his skills and at his level,” Briana shared. She was so impressed that she enrolled Quinton at MLK for the 2020-21 school year, during which time Quinton continued to have a wonderful experience. The teachers at MLK provided Quinton with academically appropriate (i.e., advanced) learning activities and found ways to challenge him. They even asked him to serve as their “assistant” and “teach” his classmates; this boosted Quinton’s confidence and helped to reinforce academic concepts that he had already learned. The staff at MLK also worked with Quinton on his personal skills (like toileting) as well as his behaviors, including communication and patience (both with himself and with his classmates!). Quinton had such a tremendous experience at MLK that he and Briana agreed that he should stay on one more year, for kindergarten!
Mack
At the beginning of the current 2021-22 school year, Joanna’s son, Mack, was not enrolled at MLK; he was enrolled in a kindergarten classroom at a nearby elementary school. Joanna suspected that Mack would need support in his transition to a kindergarten, as he never experienced a school setting. However, when she reached out to the school to identify ways they could work together to prepare Mack, they dismissed her concerns. Unfortunately, the first days of school weredifficult for Mack. He was frequently punished for not listening and for not following the procedures, and he was quickly developing negative feelings about himself and school. He would say, “Mom, I’m just bad. I can’t do this.” To further complicate the situation and add to his lack of confidence, Mack was a racial minority at his mostly white school, and several of his classmates teased him and laughed at his hair. Joanna quickly recognized that this school was not a good fit for Mack. After doing a little research, she decided to try MLK Montessori, where she and the staff decided to place Mack in a preschool classroom to help him build some foundational skills. At MLK, Mack has had a very different experience. For example, Mack is very energetic, and rather than try to suppress his energy or punish him for it, at MLK, Mack’s teachers give him opportunities to move and engage in kinesthetic, hands-on learning. Mack is also very inquisitive, and at MLK, his teachers are patient with his questions, seeing them not as interruptions but as opportunities to guide his learning; he is praised for his curiosity! Although he has only been at MLK for a short time, Joanna is already seeing remarkable academic and behavioral gains. Even more importantly, Mack’s attitude has transformed. “He has friends. He wakes up each morning excited to learn and to go to school.” Joanna is confident that, with this strong educational start, Mack will develop the foundational academic, social, and emotional skills that he needs for future academic success.
