What are erdkinder?
Montessori used the term erdkinder (“children of the earth”) to describe adolescents who are preparing to enter the larger, global community. She observed that the sensitive periods of adolescents are in the realms of social, emotional, and physical well being. In short, they need to learn how to get along with one another and feel accepted by their peers while establishing their independence from their families. Because of this, it can be often difficult for adolescents to concentrate on academics, especially in a conventional setting. Our Program Our middle school program utilizes an integrated, cosmic approach to academics. Adolescents have a strong desire to build and understand connections, and they need to know that what they are learning is relevant to their lives so we encourage dialogue and questions. Additionally, Montessori gave adolescents the opportunity to move out into the community by learning how to work. We focus on creating opportunities for children to develop skills necessary for financial independence and self-reliance. Developing job skills are the practical life activities of adolescence and are the basis of student-based industries. |