Many educators are fed up with the traditional education system and many parents are weary of remote learning. So much so that they’re taking matters into their own hands and creating schools that make more sense for the wildly different children in their lives. Some students thrive in a traditional setting but so many don’t, making micro-schools a long-term solution that makes sense.
“Fed up” was where today’s guest was several years ago. Rachel Cole and her husband saw the dysfunction in traditional schools and wanted to make a change to help tweens and teens that were falling through the cracks. That’s where her school, Bauhaus Montessori, came from.
On this episode of the Education Evolution podcast, Rachel talks about the importance of getting to know the families of the students you serve, why every class needs to serve a purpose and how to ensure that teachers get the support they need so they can serve their students well.
About Rachel Cole
Rachel is a co-founder and the lead teacher at Bauhaus Montessori, a micro-school designed specifically for adolescents. She is an alumna of Tulane University, credentialed by the American Montessori Society, has a Master of Education in Montessori Integrative Learning, and has years of experience teaching middle and high school in both Montessori and traditional environments. Rachel is passionate about curriculum design and creating an inclusive community where adolescents flourish.
Jump Through the Conversation
[3:00] Educators are energized when work is meaningful
[4:30] The relationships that are missing in traditional education
[5:34] Where Bauhaus admissions process starts
[7:46] What Montessori looks like for middle school
[8:36] Middle school learners need developmentally appropriate tasks to straddle childhood and adulthood
[11:08] Mutual respect and feeling liked and respected…norms at Bauhaus Montessori
[14:45] Teacher’s ongoing job to have “innerwork sorted out” with a sense of purpose
[19:57] Model “Daily Personal Reflection”
[20:58] Rachel’s Magic Wand: Offer middle school education that is small and focused on meeting their community needs and respond in an appropriate way. I want to see more micro-schools led by teacher-leaders who know students and forge great relationships with them.
Links and Resources:
- Email INFO@nolamontessori.org Bauhaus Montessori
- Follow Bauhaus Montessori on Instagram
- Find Bauhaus Montessori on Facebook
- Angela Watson’s The Cornerstone for Teachers with blog, Truth for Teachers podcast, books, teacher’s 40-Hour Work Week club
- Angela Watson’s book: Fewer Things, Better: The Courage to Focus on What Matters Most
- Education Evolution episode 9: Making Learning Stick with Interdisciplinary Learning
- UK’s IRIS Connect blog: How to Encourage Reflective Teaching in Your School
- Email Maureen
- Facebook: Follow Education Evolution
- Twitter: Follow Education Evolution
- LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution
- Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids
Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show.
Latest Episodes
Teaching Executive Function for School (and Life!) Success with Sean McCormick
We assume our children will organically learn how to organize their thoughts and belongings, be able to manage their time, and more. Not true. In fact, if you thought about it, you’d realize that you struggle with this too. We must teach these executive functioning...
Using Acting to Support Neurodivergency with Theater of Possibility
Neurodivergent students often get pulled out of classrooms and taught separately because they are “different.” Well, we’re all a little bit different. Does that mean we should all be taught in silos? Not a chance. There’s an inclusive program in the Seattle area...
Why Traditional Assessment Methods Don’t Work (and what to do instead)
How do we know if our children are digesting what we’re teaching? We give them assessments! And if you’ve ever stepped into a traditional classroom in the U.S., this could mean many things. Often it means large, summative assessments at the end of a unit or school...
Latest Blog Posts
Why Isn’t Educational Change Happening?
School change is so much harder than I thought! When I did my doctoral research on school innovation and created a hands-on learning school-within-a-school in the 90s, I had no idea that I’d spend the next few decades making tiny changes. Changes that often...
Instilling a Practice of Gratitude in Uncertain Times
Thanksgiving looks different this year. Traditions are being shattered in 2020 and new realities are emerging. Thanksgiving is no exception. After Canada’s Thanksgiving in October, COVID statistics jumped, reminding us that, sadly, the pandemic isn’t taking a break...
Building Interdisciplinary Learning into Traditional Classrooms
A traditional classroom setting is just that...traditional. Teachers must teach specific subjects for a required amount of time, often using prescribed curriculum materials that may be a decade old. There’s little consideration for the individual learner--their...
Categories
Coming Soon!
Subscribe
Related Posts
Using Acting to Support Neurodivergency with Theater of Possibility
Together we explore the role the current education system has had on neurodivergent youth, why pull-out programs might work in some instances (but generally don’t), the problem with special education, and why acting is a valuable tool for students with autism.
Why Traditional Assessment Methods Don’t Work (and what to do instead)
There are many ways to assess student learning, aside from the traditional test. And traditional summative assessments only test a student’s ability to memorize information for the short term. What happens when they need to remember information long-term and apply it in different scenarios?
Supporting Neurodivergent Youth in Schools with Vanessa Castañeda Gill
This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Doug Roberts, an educational consultant who works with education entrepreneurs and district superintendents. He’s recognized the importance of connecting leaders across state lines to help bridge the gaps that are all too evident now.
Sign Up for Podcast & Blog Announcements
and Get our Free Guide:
Five Interdependent Hacks to Lead the Creation of a Learner-Centered Culture!
By providing your email address you are agreeing to receive email communications from Education Evolution.
You can unsubscribe at any time.