How Children Succeed

Why do some children succeed while others fail? The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool admissions to SATs. 
But in How Children Succeed Paul Tough argues that the qualities that matter more have to do with character: skills like perseverance, curiosity, optimism, and self-control.
“Drop the flashcards—grit, character, and curiosity matter even more than cognitive skills. A persuasive wake-up call.”—People

The Whole-Brain Child

Dr, Tina Bryson, co-author (with Dan Siegel) of the best selling
The Whole-Brain Child will be a keynote speaker at the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools in Fort Worth in June.
Bryson is a pediatric and adolescent psychotherapist and the School Counselor at St. Mark's School in Altadena, CA.
In the book The Whole Brain Child, Bryson and Dan Siegel introduce parents and other caregivers to practical strategies based on cutting-edge brain science. A central principle of the book is that the strategies can help parents not only survive difficult moments with their children, but  these moments can actually be used to help their children thrive.

Temple Grandin at AMS Conference in Dallas

3,000 attendees at the recent American Montessori Society (AMS) Conference in Dallas enjoyed an informative keynote speech by Temple Grandin. Three members of staff from the school were fortunate to be in attendance and listen to the remarkable speaker. 

       Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism as a child. She talked about how her mind works — sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She made the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.


You can hear some of her talk at the conference by listening to this TED talk

Trevor Eissler "Montessori Madness!" -321 FastDraw

Trevor Eissler is not an educator. In fact by profession, he's a pilot. But for many parents and Montessori school educators, Eissler is a bit of a cult hero. Why? Because he is passionately spreading the word about Montessori education. He - and parents like him - believe it's the most innovative form of education that has existed for more than a century. In this video Eissler puts forward his argument for Montessori education.
Montessori Madness

The Big Disconnect

Catherine Steiner-Adair was one of the speakers at the recent American Montessori Society (AMS) Head's Retreat. In her book The Big Disconnect she has a crucial message for parents and teachers. She looks at various developmental stages of children, from toddlers through high school and how they interact with technology, but the most important message is for parents and how they are modeling the use of technology.

Here is a link to a You tube message from Catherine

The Brain and the Internet Compared

Maria Montessori had a remarkable understanding of the development of a child's brain given the absence of sophisticated methods of study. The Montessori method of education grew out of  detailed observations and interactions with children. Her discoveries have been verified by recent research. It would be very interesting to see how Montessori would have adapted her method in light of the rapid growing technology. Brain Power: from Neurons to Network uses great graphics, analogies, and kid pictures to help the viewer understand more about the child's brain. The conclusion; ( like Montessori!) interactions with humans are critical to the development of new ideas, incite and creative thinking.Attention is the brain's most valuable resource!

 

 When

 it comes to 

producing creative 

business leaders,a

Montessori education

has proven to be

a potent predictor

of future 

success

  
 The Center for Montessori Education, New York invites Montessori schools to share this article with faculty and parents.
 The article celebrates the Montessori concept of self-directed learning, mixed-age classrooms, collaboration, creativity, and social responsibility. It was recently published in Briefing Magazine, a quarterly magazine focused on talent and leadership published by Korn/Ferry.
Korn/Ferry, a prestigious executive search firm engaged by major corporations, visited Cambridge Montessori School to research this article about Montessori education and business leadership.
The photos of the school are captivating and the message is clear: children in Montessori schools today are engaged in an educational experience that promotes the very qualities needed in the leaders of tomorrow.

http://www.cmteny.com/images/briefings_magazine.pdf