There is a large group of STEAM Academy students who previously went to a Montessori school of some kind. Every year, there are at least 10 upcoming freshman at STEAM who previously came from a Montessori school. The question is why? What makes STEAM Academy the preferred high school for Montessori kids?
Montessori is a method of education that involves children’s natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. Montessori classrooms focus on hands-on learning and developing real world skills for their future. It emphasizes independence and leads away from traditional grades or test taking. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator and is the founder of the Montessori education method. Her goal was to create an innovative educational method that mirrors how children naturally learn.
Nelson Griffin, Head of Community Montessori School in Lexington, stated that most of their students transition into a traditional public high school or a larger private high school after their time at Montessori. He said that while the school does recommend certain high schools for their students, it’s not just about the school itself. “It depends on the student. So I think a place like STEAM, that’s more project based learning, is really a better fit coming from Montessori. I think some of the larger specialized programs are good because they’re like schools within a school, so you get a better sense of community.” Griffin, who goes by Mr. Nelson, expressed that the school works with every individual student to see what the best high school fit for them is after Montessori.
STEAM Academy is a public Fayette County program that requires a simple application, followed by a lottery system that determines acceptance. This allows the school to have a diverse student population, as well as keeping the school to its limited number of students. The STEAM Academy website says “STEAM Academy focuses on STEAM Habits to guide student behavior, learning and exploration. With an emphasis on project-based learning and student inquiry, STEAM is able to provide authentic learning experiences.” This is a similar mindset to Montessori, where the focus is what, and how the student wants to learn. STEAM has also been called an early college high school. The mastery framework allows students to move through high school credits at a quicker pace, allowing dual credit opportunities as soon as their junior year. There is a large influence on independence and future success at STEAM Academy, the same is for Montessori. Many of these factors could have an effect on students’ decisions who come from a Montessori school, but what are the students saying specifically?
After interviewing Gloria K., a current freshman at STEAM Academy who previously attended a Montessori school, I got a better insight on the students specifically. At the beginning of the interview, Gloria claimed that the main reason she decided to come to STEAM was because of the BCTC program. But as the interview went on it seemed like there were other important variables that played a role. She said that there definitely was an influence to come to STEAM, “I definitely think so, because I know a lot of people I knew from eighth grade came here, and they said it was good, and then, obviously, I had friends from my grade going too.”
Another freshman, Lila E., previously came from a Montessori school had similar things to say about the influence to come to STEAM. She discussed the impact STEAM has on her now because of Montessori. “I was actually a little nervous because of how easy the transition felt for me… even though its like completely different… Its a high school, its public. It’s 400 kids. I was in a classroom of 20.” Lila talked about how the teachers at STEAM are very similar to the ones at Montessori. “The care, and work they do, and everyone seems to actually like being here, and not like depressed teachers. They actually care to help you through emotional, physical, anything, like school obviously, but other things too. They actually personally will get to know you and do all these things for you, which is really like Montessori.”
A current eleventh grader at STEAM, Jude C., shared his input on the reason he came to STEAM Academy after previously coming from a Montessori school. Jude said that during his time at Montessori, there were a couple of visits from STEAM students and teachers who spoke about the STEAM Academy program. He said that the initial reason he came to STEAM for high school was for the Dual Credit program, but the visitors had a big influence too. “STEAM is smaller, so there’s like, more community. I feel like there’s more stuff to do here, just because of, like, all of the different little programs and stuff they have.” Jude’s feelings about recommending STEAM to current Montessori students sounded similar to what Griffin Nelson said, “Yes and no. I think that it just depends on the type of person you are, if you come here. If you really don’t like taking classes really fast, then maybe don’t come here. But, if you want to speed through high school, then yes I would recommend it.”
After hearing from Montessori Alumni specifically, another thing to pay attention to is the structure both STEAM and Montessori have in common. On the STEAM Academy website, it states, “Project-based learning is the application of learning through real-world issues and problems. The goal of project based learning is to equip students with the critical thinking skills necessary in today’s society to tackle highly complex issues. Students showcase their learning and understanding to real community stakeholders, not just for their teachers. Another characteristic of PBL is the multiple pathways to understanding, which allows students with various styles of learning to engage in the content in ways that make sense for them.” and on the Community Montessori school website, it says, “Using the Montessori philosophy, we’re dedicated to helping children learn in a nurturing, community driven educational environment that encourages the growth of the whole child… Freedom of movement and choice enable each child to make independent choices, watching and learning from others, while our carefully trained Montessori teachers guide each class with appropriate lessons. Children are encouraged to explore their interests at their own pace, using specially designed materials that promote hands-on learning and self-discovery. This approach allows children to develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a love for learning that will benefit them throughout their lives.”. Both STEAM and Montessori have the students specific learning interests in mind, as well as their self-growth and independence.
The Duel Credit course has been a big part of the students’ reasoning for attending STEAM for high school, but there also seems to be a large influence from their peers and surroundings. Everyone who was interviewed mentioned in some way that there was an influence from someone to come to STEAM Academy for high school. While STEAM is relatively a new school in Lexington (just over 12 years old), it is growing a reputation for creativity, innovation, and a wholistic approach to education.