communityspotlight
Renaissance School Nurturing Curious, Creative and Gifted Thinkers
by Linda Sechrist A
s early as 1897, Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori began developing her philosophy and methods for the Montessori edu- cational approach, now practiced in 20,000 schools worldwide, including the Renaissance School, in Fort Myers. Montessori’s method of free activity within a prepared environment is based upon thousands of hours she spent observing children’s inter- actions with their surroundings, materials and lessons.
“Maria’s method has with-
thinking, creativity and innovation, which the Montessori model is designed to nurture.”
Infants through sixth graders benefit from the Montessori trained staff at Renaissance School.
stood the test of time, because it creates a learning environ- ment that values a child’s unique contributions and treats them with the dignity and respect they deserve,” says Renais- sance founder Kathleen Leitch.
After 10 years of firsthand experience with Montessori’s methods, intended to turn out original thinkers able to pro- duce creative solutions, Leitch saw a need for a Montessori school within her community. In 1992, limited education options in Lee County turned the network of families already familiar with Leitch’s teaching reputation into an enthusiastic group of promoters that helped her recruit seven students for her mixed-age classroom that opened in Bonita Springs. Within five years, the classroom reached maximum capacity and Leitch had to look north for property in Fort Myers, because zoning ordinances limited expansion on her two-acre site. “The move was good for us, because we ex- panded from one to four classrooms,” advises Leitch, who re- ports that the school today has 50 students—infants through sixth grade—five certified teachers and a support staff. Prior to the recent recession, it had 135 students.
Leitch waxes enthusiastic whenever she has an opportu- nity to elaborate on why an alternative to public education is necessary. “Few individuals understand that the present uni- versal compulsory system can’t be fixed, because it’s doing what it was consciously designed to do,” she explains. “To comprehend the history of public education is to recognize that its earliest reformer, Horace Mann, was heavily im- pacted by Andrew Carnegie, an American industrialist. Mann and Carnegie were upfront about their ultimate intention: to create a patriotic, obedient and pliant workforce that would work in factories,” notes Leitch. “The Industrial Revolution is gone, replaced by a technological one that requires critical
Although talking about a Mon- tessori education excites Leitch, she becomes more enlivened by conversations with the students she encounters during her accreditation visits to schools for the American Montessori Society. Speaking with students in grades six through eight, Leitch reports that it isn’t uncom- mon to hear students say they want to attend a Montessori school be- cause it gives them a chance to do more research and work on more
projects with other students. “Most people are surprised to discover that Montessori students really want to learn and do more than just get by or study only what is necessary to pass a test,” she enthuses.
At the Renaissance School, learning is an engaging voyage of discovery of the world and one’s self. Children are taught valuable problem solving and time management skills necessary to live in the real world. “They learn such things as how to make phone calls and properly introduce them- selves,” explains Leitch. At all levels, authentic assessment is part of an ongoing process. Based upon observation of the child, assessment of learning stems from direct observation of children working with materials, mastering skills and apply- ing their learning to new or real-world situations. Leitch notes that in our rapidly changing world, it’s difficult to predict which specific skills children will need. If they are parented and educated to be vibrant, well-rounded, curious, imaginative human beings, with diverse interests and capacities, they may be better equipped to deal with the future. “Many people I know don’t believe that every- one is meant to learn, grow and become the best they can be; instead, they believe human beings are limited and only motivated by material possessions,” says Leitch. “The reason I love Montessori so much is because, though academically oriented, it celebrates the human spirit and helps unleash a child’s unlimited potential, as well as the unique gifts that he or she is born with. It’s why I wouldn’t teach any other way.”
Location: 37 Barkley Circle, Fort Myers 33907. Call 239- 275-2022 or email
Admin@MontessoriChild.org. Also visit
MontessoriChild.org. See ad, page 31.
natural awakenings August 2011 15
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64