I am lucky. Each day I have the opportunity to observe my 22-month-old son discovering the world around him; watching how he processes new sights and sounds. I also have the joy of seeing classes of children doing the same all day long. I am witness to children learning new concepts and developing a sense of accomplishment. Last year I wrote the following description of standing inside of a Montessori classroom and simply observing:
Anyone who has spent time around a Montessori learning environment has witnessed the shear joy that children exhibit when they discover a new concept or complete a task purely on their own. Just last week as I was taking some photographs of children during their extended work period, I heard a cry of "I did it!" As I turned to see what caused this shout of joy, a primary student was standing by himself with his arms held high, grinning from ear to ear at his accomplishment. There was no adult working with him, no gold star on his paper, just a child thrilled with his own success. Talk about a love for learning...
During the same work period, I observed a young girl carefully at work with practical life materials. As she finished her work, she neatly placed the materials back on the shelf and began her next task - cleaning the windows of the door to the playground. I watched as she sprayed the windows, put down the spray bottle and wiped every drop off of the window (and even the couple of drops that accidentally spilled onto the floor). Her attention and focus on her task were absolutely amazing. She displayed such a deep care for the appearance of her classroom, her environment.
These children were not looking to an adult for praise. They were not seeking a prize or a “good job!” They solely enjoyed learning and were filled with a drive to succeed. That said, it still does feel good to hear that your work is appreciated, respected, and recognized. On that note...
The Boyd School is honored to have been named a finalist by the readers of I AM Modern magazine as the Best of the DC Suburbs 2013 in:
- Best Montessori
- Best Kindergarten
- Best Private School (K-8)
Members of the school community can show their continued support for the school by completing the online survey here:
I, personally, am grateful and humbled to have been nominated by a parent for the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences International’s Bammy Awards for contributions on behalf of The Boyd School to the education community. I am greatly touched by this honor and will certainly appreciate any votes for the Bammy Awards - Educator's Voice Award (vote here). 
