Study led by K/1 Teachers Anna, Elisa, Marisa, and Maryanne How many ways can one consider the apple? Turns out, many, many ways if you are a kindergartener or first grader at Miquon! Like any good unit in Progressive education, the K/1 Apple Study was immersive and interdisciplinary – meaning that through this one topic children could grapple with math, reading and writing standards. The apple study started in early October when our K/1 teachers tapped into the children’s background knowledge and natural curiosity. Children already knew a lot about apples, but they had many wonders like, “Why are apples different … READ MORE »
What will the world look like in twenty years when your child is a young adult? We don’t know, but we are certain that it will not look like today. Let’s use the last twenty years as a case study. In 2005, two percent of Americans owned a smartphone. Facebook was a new website that was not yet open to the public. The AI that now exists was merely a plot line in science fiction films. Climate change was only beginning to enter mainstream conversation, and the idea of remote or hybrid work was almost unheard of. With such rapid … READ MORE »
“This tastes watery,” said one child after they tasted the sap flowing from a maple tree on Miquon’s campus. “It’s a little sweet,” said another. “I don’t taste anything!” offered a third. Observations like these, calling on children to immerse themselves in an experience with shared curiosity, inquiry, and wonder, are at the heart of one of Miquon’s treasured traditions: tapping the campus maple trees to transform sap to syrup. Recently Miquon’s Kindergarten and First Grade classes completed their maple tapping project, a beloved part of the curriculum for 27 years. This project weaves together a complete Progressive education learning … READ MORE »
We take care of ourselves, each other, and our environment. Those are our community agreements. In times of joy, as well as in times of challenge or uncertainty, we lean on our community agreements to guide our work together from the creek to the classroom. Each group dedicates time in the fall to reviewing the shared agreements and creating a list of specific ways that their class community can uphold these agreements. When finished, each group signs and often illustrates their work. Soon after, they are posted prominently in their space for all to be mindful of throughout … READ MORE »
By Geetha Holdsworth, Head of School For over 90 years, The Miquon School has treasured and celebrated childhood. Growing, playing, and learning are the work of children. And our work as Miquon educators is to nurture, craft lessons, and encourage the inherent work of childhood. Currently, we serve children ages 3-12, or Nursery-6th grade, is another way of thinking about it. Over the years, the question of adding older grades has come up. After all, children have had an incredible experience in their younger years, why not continue it through adolescence? Nonetheless, we have remained an elementary school for a … 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 »
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. It could be on a whiteboard … 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 »
