Milwaukee Public Schools

Networking with Central Office Administration

The History of MPS Montessori Programs

MacDowell Montessori est. 1978 Greenfield/Fernwood Montessori 1983 K-5 Extended Day est. 1984 Craig Montessori est. 1996 Expansion to K-8 Programs from K3 -5th gr. 1996 Highland Community School becomes a

Instrumentality Charter in MPS Maryland Avenue Montessori est. 2001 Kosciuszko Instrumentality Charter est. 2003 The Montessori High School est. 2006 Angeline Lillard Study @ Craig 2006 Garden Homes Montessori est. 2010

How do you make it happen?

Long wait lists resulted in parent lobbying Dispel misperceptions about Montessori being

elitist Education of the School Board and Central

Office Establish a political Montessori body The MPS Montessori City-wide Council est.

1997 Neighborhood support to open new schools

due to the reputation of success in the Montessori Schools

The Need for Teachers

The Montessori Institute of Milwaukee est. 1988 A consistent supply of Montessori trained teachers 1995 $100,000 given to the Montessori programs

to train teachers. Milwaukee Teacher Education Montessori

Collaborative MTEC Licensed Trained Montessori Teachers in a cohort for only Montessori teachers new to teaching. 2001

2009 We asked for $200,000 from the Obama Stimulus funds for teacher training and professional development and received $400,000 over the next two years.

The Leadership Challenge

The first Montessori trained principal appointed in 1995

The second in 2002 Teacher Program Coordinators were

required since 1978 In 2007 administrative positions were

created “The Curriculum Generalist” Create a succession of leadership

How to Network

Go to Central Office and talk to people about what you are doing.

Talk their talk, not Montessori jargon in the beginning.

Know who to know: The Superintendent and the Chief Financial Officer.

Create a relationship with the school board members. Go to their fund raisers.

Encourage parents to advocate in the community.

Share the data that Montessori is successful.

The Data

Num

Student Group Prof School District StateAfrican-American 353 238 67.4% 50.9% 56.9%

Asian 25 17 68.0% 65.7% 73.9%Hispanic 51 40 78.4% 61.4% 64.8%

Native American 5 4 80.0% 65.1% 70.9%White 242 208 86.0% 76.2% 86.9%

Female 375 297 79.2% 62.3% 84.3%Male 301 210 69.8% 53.6% 78.6%SpEd 112 44 39.3% 25.9% 46.4%

Non-SpEd 564 463 82.1% 65.2% 87.0%ELL 2 0 0.0% 47.6% 53.7%

Non-ELL 674 507 75.2% 58.9% 83.1%FRL 311 194 62.4% 53.9% 67.1%

Non-FRL 365 313 85.8% 72.7% 88.9%Total 676 507 75.0% 57.8% 81.4%

Reading

Enrolled

Percent Proficient

More Data

Num

Student Group Prof Schools District StateAfrican-American 353 197 55.8% 37.7% 44.4%

Asian 25 19 76.0% 64.8% 76.2%Hispanic 51 34 66.7% 53.7% 59.9%

Native American 5 2 40.0% 52.2% 62.4%White 242 195 80.6% 69.6% 83.2%

Female 375 251 66.9% 47.8% 76.8%Male 301 196 65.1% 47.1% 76.7%SpEd 112 52 46.4% 24.5% 44.4%

Non-SpEd 564 395 70.0% 52.8% 81.9%ELL 2 1 50.0% 45.5% 55.4%

Non-ELL 674 446 66.2% 47.7% 78.1%FRL 311 158 50.8% 43.3% 60.4%

Non-FRL 365 289 79.2% 63.2% 85.4%Total 676 447 66.1% 47.4% 76.7%

Mathematics

Enrolled

Percent Proficient

A New School of 400 Students

Model for a New Montessori School of 400 Students

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 K3 80 70 60 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 K4 80 70 60 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 K5 70 60 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 1 60 54 45 45 45 45 45 45 2 56 51 42 42 42 42 42 3 52 48 39 39 39 39 4 49 45 36 36 36 5 45 42 34 34 6 26 23 20 7 24 21 8 22

Total 160 210 260 260 298 334 366 380 393 409 # of

Teachers 4

7

6/3

5/4

5/5

5/4/2

5/4/3

5/4/4

5/4/4/1

5/4/4/2

comment all students attend

1/2 day

primary primary/ lower elem

primary/ lower elem

primary/ lower elem

primary/ lower elem/

upper el

primary/ lower elem/

upper el

primary/ lower elem/

upper el

primary/ lower elem/ upper

el/ adoles

primary/ lower elem/ upper

el/ adoles

These figures are based on a 6% attrition rate starting after grade 1. After grade 5 the random selection process would be used if necessary.

A New School of 500 Students

Model for a New Montessori School of 500 Students

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 K3 100 90 80 70 60 60 60 60 60 60 K4 100 90 80 70 60 60 60 60 60 60 K5 90 80 70 60 60 60 60 60 60 1 80 70 62 54 54 54 54 54 2 75 64 58 51 51 51 51 3 70 60 55 48 48 48 4 64 56 52 45 45 5 60 53 49 42 6 32 32 32 7 30 30 8 28

Total 200 270 320 355 376 416 456 470 489 510 # of

Teachers 5

9

8/4

7/6

6/7

6/6/3

6/5/4

6/5/5

6/5/5/1

6/5/4/2

comment all students attend

1/2 day

primary primary/ lower elem

primary/ lower elem

primary/ lower elem

primary/ lower elem/

upper el

primary/ lower elem/

upper el

primary/ lower elem/

upper el

primary/ lower elem/ upper

el/ adoles

primary/ lower elem/ upper

el/ adoles

These figures are based on a 6% attrition rate starting after grade 1. After grade 5 the random selection process would be used if necessary.

Rational for K-3 and K-4

ENTRY AFTER K4 The rationale for beginning a Montessori program at age three

is based on the following principles: The Absorbent Mind – according to the Montessori philosophy,

the child has an absorbent mind which is operative from birth to age six. It is imperative that the child have three years in the Montessori primary prepared environment to absorb those elements which will prepare him/her both directly and indirectly for future years.

Sensitive Periods – the sensitive periods of a child begin at birth and continue through age five. By age five, the child has refined the capability and skills associated with the period and has inwardly perfected them through repetition.

Curriculum Areas – lessons are given corresponding with the child’s sensitive periods. It is again essential that the child attend school by age three to take full advantage of these materials which increase the acuity of the sense perceptions and help organize and classify his/her world.

In Conclusion

Always ask for more than what you want or think you can get

Preserve the integrity of Montessori Education

Rally the parents to support Montessori

Be Political Pick your battles carefully