Middle school students share what they love about Foothills Montessori School.
I have been at Foothills Montessori School since I was four, and in each grade there were hands-on activities that improved my learning. From the pink tower in primary to dissections in middle school, learning is easier when it is visual than on paper. Also, in every class I’ve been in the learning was individualized, so I always stayed confident in what I was learning. FMS encourages confidence in yourself and in your work; if work is messy then you have to redo it. Foothills is an amazing school that has taught me so much, I hope everyone that goes here has the remarkable experiences that I had.
FMS is a school that teaches children at their pace but also pushes them to set goals for themselves and to achieve them. Before fifth grade I went to a different school, where everyone sat in a classroom at their own separate desks and listened to lecture all day. A couple of years ago I switched schools and ever since then I’ve learned ten times more and have had ten times more fun. The children are nicer and the subjects are taught so we can understand them and have fun with them. The things I like most about FMS are the way we are taught to respect but have fun with the subjects we learn, and how we are taught using hands-on materials so we can see what we’re learning. We learn to understand things visually.
At FMS I have had a wide set of experiences and many opportunities as well. My teachers have always made lessons fun with hands-on materials for a better learning environment. Every week I get to work with my fellow classmates in group activities for different projects and with other learning materials. In class I enjoy learning through the many creative songs that help me remember key facts and concepts from history and science.
FMS has given me many new opportunities. Although I haven’t been at this school as long as some of the other students, I have realized that this was the perfect school for me. Everything is more hands-on and the teachers are more involved and helpful. You really get to become friends with your teacher and they become friends with you. I have actually come to enjoy attending school. I look forward to seeing my friends and finding out what new activities are in store. If you have been here long enough you will end up knowing the names of almost all the students and staff. For the three years I have been here, Foothills has come to be my home.
This is my ninth year here at Foothills Montessori School and I truly believe that this school has changed me for the better. Foothills is a very small environment in which I have learned to treat others, myself, and my surroundings with respect, but most importantly, I have learned who I am. When I entered the 7th grade, I was a little afraid, but I began to realize who I wanted to be and who I was as a person. I have really enjoyed this school, mainly because it makes me feel challenged all the time, and inspires me to do things that I wouldn’t normally attempt to do. This school has an amazing aura about it, where teachers and students connect and students become the best of friends, even after they have left the school. I have always struggled with knowing myself and what I want to do with my life. Foothills has helped me do just that. This school has helped turn me into the individual that I was always meant to be and has nurtured my personality for a brighter future. If you, as a parent, are being given the chance to send your kid to this school, don’t make the mistake of letting that opportunity go by, because you might not get another.
Ever since my sister went to high school, I realized that this school is more special than I thought. I never figured that doing hands-on material work helps me more than straight lecture. I never really realized that the teachers were special and unique. Now that my sister tells me about high school and the curriculum thereof, I have come to appreciate everyone I have here; my teachers, the works, and even the homework. The way this school has set me up for success will stay with me for a very long time. In 20 years, when I have a job that I enjoy and look forward to everyday, I will look back to my upper elementary and middle school years, and will give thanks for everything I had. My main thanks will go to Ms. Erica Sherlock and Ms. Arlene Dreitzer. Ms. Arlene has taught me everything I know in language up to this point in my life. She is a super fun teacher, and has helped me grow to the point where I cannot thank her enough. The books we have read this and last year were phenomenal, and I have Ms. Arlene to thank for the support and understanding of the novels we have been reading. Ms. Erica, on the other hand, is to thank for the wonderful understanding we all have of math, history and science. I love Ms. Erica because she is a hands-on, fun teacher who helps us understand things by showing us instead of just telling us. She also makes learning fun by cracking jokes and making sure we understand things before moving on. All in all, I am ready to move on to high school because this school has prepared me so well. Every day I look forward to school because I know a day of fun and learning is awaiting me.
This school year has been my ninth and final year at Foothills Montessori School. Through the years, I have come to realize that the most significant thing about this school is the teaching method. All the teachers at this school base the way they teach off of the way that students can best comprehend information. Whether it be lecture or a hands-on activity, we always feel confident with what we have been taught. This school has instilled such a thirst for knowledge in me over the past nine years and I am very lucky to have had the amazing opportunity to embark on the Montessori Journey.