Private school is a different learning experience for many kids in Northeast Ohio. Parents might ask what it’s like and what kinds of things are offered. Students in the region offered some insight on what life is like at some area schools.
Montessori Education as a Boarder
Savannah Heller, senior at Montessori High School at University Circle, has been in Montessori education throughout her school career.
“The most unique things about Montessori is the freedom of choice,” she says. “When you are given an assignment, certain requirements have to be reached, however, you can work with the teacher to make the project more interesting to you. If you make the project more interesting, therefore it’s a better learning experience. Montessori has helped me become independent. I can manage my own time, am organized and (I learned to be) more gracious. We are taught the environment is very important, and to leave it better (than how you found it).”
When entering into her last four years of school, Savannah was offered not only the traditional Montessori education, but also an experience as a boarder at MHS.
Her family’s home is an hour away from the school, so it was too far to travel each day and boarding seemed like a logical choice.
She talks about life as this type of student, saying at first she was really nervous. “I wasn’t used to (living at school) 24/7,” she says, “(however), I made more friends and got used to the schedule of school. It’s really is a community, and you get to know everyone in it.”
She gives advice to those looking to board, “Don’t shut yourself out. Get to know people, get comfortable, make a lot of new friends.”
Homeschool to Bricks-and-Mortar
Jacob Kessler, 17, senior, didn’t know what to expect and was a little nervous when first attending classes at Open Door Christian Schools. He had been homeschooled and then decided to attend the school in Elyria in his freshman year. It’s not always easy to make a move from home learning to bricks-and-mortar, however, the school environment helped him make a smooth transition.
“The main difference is you are learning with people rather than by yourself,” he says. “In homeschooling you go at the pace you want and in school you are learning more with a group, which helps build character traits outside of school. I have a lot more opportunity to be involved in things. The school’s academics, athletics, arts, spiritual focus and encouragement to serve, gives me a well-rounded biblical worldview and I learn various attributes about myself. Learning who you are gives you a better view of the world and your place in it.”
He also immersed himself in the available clubs and sports at the school.
“To be involved in a lot of different things is normal here, “ he says. “If you don’t try new things, you won’t know if God has gifted in you in certain areas. My school encourages me in all these different situations and pushes me to be my best and try things I wouldn’t have normally.”
Getting Around School
During the school day, some students might not have an opportunity to interact with their upper classman.
Erin Adams, who attends Hudson Montessori, talks about how the mix of students fosters working with others.
“This allows the younger students to have good role models and have access to assistance with older students the majority of the time,” she says. “It also provides the older students the opportunity to volunteer in leadership roles, and teach and help.” She added, she’s been in both positions on a myriad of occasions.
Hudson Montessori School students also participate in group learning.
“(This) encourages students to take charge and be able to lead a group to get the job done,” says Joshua Junko, an eighth-grader at Hudson Montessori. “This also helps with being able to help other students if they are struggling.”
School isn’t always about academics or activities, it’s also about taking time out to eat a meal and talk to your peers.
Andrew Rinaldi from Hudson Montessori says every six weeks, two or three students are chosen to prepare a meal for the classmates.
“The students choose the meals, and also invite different staff or people who help our community to come as a guest,” he says. “It allows us to eat in a formal setting together, once a week.”
Learning a Different Culture
Sam York, an eighth grader at The Lippman School in Akron, is captain of the school’s soccer team.
He started at The Lippman School in kindergarten, “but I went to the JCC (Jewish Community Center) Early Childhood Department daycare since I was 3 months old,” he says.
When asked about activities at Lippman, Sam mentioned learning a foreign language early. He tells us what it’s like to learn beyond the language.
“You learn Spanish or Hebrew starting in kindergarten,” he says. “The field trips in seventh and eighth grade are incredible. This year I get to go to Israel, which is cool because we have been learning and talking about Israel since I was in kindergarten.”
Last year, he went to learn about the Indian culture on the Cheyenne Reservation in Montana.
“The experience of the Montana trip last year was amazing,” he says. “It was a lot of fun, but we learned a lot about ourselves and each other too. We participated in a Sweat Lodge, built TeePees, hiked canyons and lived with the Cheyenne Tribe. We were so far out of our comfort zone that we were forced to try new things, and rely on each other for support to get through the experience. It was an eye-opening learning experience.”
Learning to Be a Leader
Isaiah Williams began taking classes at University School (US) in Hunting Valley his freshman year. He plans to pursue a degree in management in college, but also would like to continue to conduct qualitative research.
When asked what the culture and class sizes were like at the all-boys school, he says, “The classes here are very small, intimate and engaging. The Harkness tables* allow student-led discussions and I find them particularly engaging. I found my sense of self early here during my freshman year, and I feel at home every time I walk in the doors of the school.”
(*The Harkness method is a teaching and learning method involving students seated in a large, oval shape in order to discuss ideas in an encouraging, open-minded environment with only occasional or minimal teacher intervention.)
With the small settings, he is able to learn leadership skills and pursue different opportunities that he’s interested in.“The Anderson Scholars Program (of the Entrepreneur Institute) at US in particular helped me develop my leadership skills tremendously,” he says. “Taking the classes, running the school’s student businesses and listening to the tremendous guest speakers have all helped me develop leadership skills.”
Being a leader, he also took part in helping his fellow classmates and making the school better.
“Most meaningful to me is my involvement in heading the Student Life Research Committee (SLRC) here at US,” he says. “The committee does research on student life at the school and I took part in our diversity project. I helped design and lead focus group protocol and the focus groups themselves.”