Kinsey's Journey starting a Montessori High School in Vancouver Washington"

 

“As a public high school educator, I started noticing that there were high school students that would be flexible with changes, problem-solve challenges, and not be overwhelmed comparatively. Through conversations, I started realizing these were Montessori students. Their genuine depth for learning was refreshing and inspiring. As I researched what Montessori was, I mentioned it to one of my best friends. Ironically, she had her preschoolers in Montessori at the time. She raved how much she loved Montessori because it was about practical life skills. She said they would make pasta from scratch and use real porcelain tea sets for tea time. This sparked my purpose-heart  to help create a Montessori High School that would be relevant to Montessori type learners. I interviewed Administrators and Educators around the country that worked in Montessori High Schools. 

 

I realized the closest Montessori High School was in Bothell, WW and drove up to observe. The students came into the classroom with comfortable lighting, couches, chairs, etc. Some were writing in their journals, others were reading, some were preparing the work they were going to do for the day. It was like a calm productive office where people were working and intentional. The Teacher Guides called the students together and introduced what lessons and plans were available that day and week. The students used their journals, held group planning discussions, and told the Teacher Guides what their plan was while using their composition journal to organize their thinking. It was a community working together intentionally and meaningfully. As an Educator, I got chills and I left inspired.

 

I signed up for an online class to teach how to start an alternative school. Once I realized Vancouver, WA had no secular Private High School and no Montessori High School... I knew it was a gap. It meant so many students were getting a type of primary education (such as discovery based education) but then having to switch into a different industry that would not optimize their next level up. 

 

As my kids would enter the Montessori preschools, I would talk to the Montessori Preschool Guides and the Families to find out if they would think a Montessori High School is needed. Their responses were in unison "Yes!!!" and sometimes they would say "I just got chills". It makes sense because the Montessori philosophy works for types of learners. Everyone is different and it is okay to have different types of learning structures for different types of learners. As a Montessori parent, I appreciated that my children were learning grace and courtesy, practical life skills, and not held into a box due to their age. These young preschoolers were fostering independence; the Montessori philosophy is "teach me how to do myself". They were learning how to become who they are in a community with depth of learning. The Guides would not stop their discovery learning, they would cultivate and support it to ride the in-the-moment passion and interest.

 

In adolescent Montessori, they foster to 'teach me how to find my place in the world and become a steward of the world' by learning about their passions, interests, talents, skills and the world.  I get so excited to envision the Montessori High School of students channeling their energy and time for preparing for their passion path. Where students have discovery learning, apprenticeships, & project based learning to grow skills, develop their passion to grow their confidence and enjoy learning while they are meeting expectations and standards for their high school diploma. Students have the space, support, and ability to write published books, start a micro economy business, learn from community specialists in careers, go on scientific expeditions, travel internationally, etc.

 

In 2022, we invited the Cascadia Montessori community to a Focus Group. I asked the parents if they would want a Montessori High School. Some people cried and said they thought they would have to move to find one in California, Arizona, or Ohio. They were thrilled to help create a Montessori High School in Vancouver, WA. I explained to the parents that this would be a community effort because I am not a millionaire but I am a caring Montessori parent, adolescent educator, and humanitarian Rotary member. The Community showed up for meetings, planning sessions, fundraising events, etc. Montessori parents and educators have helped with every aspect of the organic creation of Atlas Montessori High School. It truly has been a Community effort and I am honored to be a part of it!”