by Miquon Social Worker Julia Rolf Transitions are hard for most people and can be especially difficult for children. Add in the increased anxiety and mental health problems for children and their families due to the pandemic and we have the potential for some serious morning meltdowns. Here are some ideas for managing during this time: 1) Children thrive on routine and predictability. They love to know what is about to happen. It can increase a sense of control in a world that often feels very out of control. Think about having a “morning message” like we do at school. … READ MORE »
Linda James-Rivera and Nick Rivera’s journey of good deeds. By student Mila Shane Originally published in The Miquon Celery Stick, our student-run publication. Their Story In 2020, Linda James-Rivera and Nick Rivera noticed that a lot of their neighbors and people around them in the Germantown area were food insecure. This was around the early days of the pandemic, so people were losing jobs. It was a very stressful time. They wanted to help people, so they created the idea of Northwest Mutual Aid Collective (NWMAC), a free food delivery service that helped people get what they needed. “We thought … READ MORE »
Izzy attended Miquon from nursery through sixth grade, then went on to Friends Central with classmates Sophia Diaz and Jacob Bower. They are all still great friends. Currently in his junior year at Bennington College, he joined us over his winter break as an aide in the nursery before heading off for a semester at Bath Spa in England where he’ll focus on creative writing. What’s it been like to be back at Miquon these past few weeks? There’s no better way to spend my free time. My roots are here, and there is something very centering about this … READ MORE »
But a closer look shows how kids can uncover their individual way of learning. Here, co-teachers Eléonore and Reem talk about incorporating group activities to nurture learning in their 1st and 2nd grade group. This week in 1st grade, we imagined and solved a number of story problems involving adding two quantities together. Some of us enjoyed acting out the stories to visualize what was happening. Others used math manipulatives to represent the numerical operations. We practiced different ways we can represent our thinking on paper and are beginning to move into our work with subtraction. In 2nd grade math, … READ MORE »
These are significant philosophical quandaries to be engaging in with young people, and of course, stories are the very best vehicle for engaging them. READ MORE »
This summer brought Spotted Lanternflies to Miquon. The messaging from the media has been clear: Kill them on sight. As a community member and science educator, I understand the need to engage and mobilize the public in managing the early stages of this infestation. As a parent and teacher, I also know that children are sensitive creatures. READ MORE »
Fifth and sixth grade students at Miquon designed and implemented their own experiments, developed testable questions, planned procedures, and collected data. View their projects and results here! READ MORE »
I just spent a week observing all of the group classrooms at Miquon. What struck me most is how children consistently play the essential role in creating meaningful learning experiences. In every single classroom I visited, children were observing, children were asking questions, children were making meaning, children were forming relationships. They were at the center of thoughtfully constructed experiences; the circumstances crafted by their teachers allowed their curiosity and caring selves to flow forth. I have notebook pages full of observations to support this. I was incredulous when watching certain lessons unfold; in classrooms of all ages, teachers wove … READ MORE »
