00:00:03.380 Oh I'm sorry listener you've got us during our warm up time. I was watching. Have you ever seen jets Greek. Yeah I waited a long time to watch it's great but they were doing the warm ups with the jazzy gals. Oh yes. The I was so funny actually.

00:00:32.580 So welcome to our podcast. It's the no concept podcast interview based show where we learn about something new in where your host Katie and Darcy. Darcy is the other one who Darcy. Oh wait sorry I need to use my podcast with Darcy Darcy.

00:00:54.630 I'm. I'm your host Katie with a friend Darcy in the original Thor movie. Kat Jennings that character is named Darcy. Oh but so how Chris Hemsworth says it is. Darcy I didn't write out a bad day. I just put on the original song the other day and I was like I won. Is that a last name where it's like capital D O the apostrophe. RC Yeah so the basis of the Smashing Pumpkins has that capital D.

00:01:24.040 Cap so that's a scary name capital a c what are you married. It's a credit. Oh it is. Yeah it's wild but then like you can always tell Smashing Pumpkins bands is like a certain Gen Xer who always tries to spell my name that way. Oh no I know a regular I but it is like Mr. Darcy like a surname. But yeah. Anyway so we start out with something we learned this week before we go into something we know nothing about. Why don't you start writing so dumb.

00:01:53.760 But I did when I was thinking on the way here I was like oh you know what. Because when we talked about this we're like something that blew our mind and this like organically did that but it does not make me appear intelligent. Sure. So do you ever have the thing like where you have plural ideas in your head and you don't realize that they go against each other. Like even it can even be as simple as like I would make a plan with you next weekend at the same time I know I'm going to be gone next weekend and I know both of those exist but it takes a minute for me to put it together that those are the same days.

00:02:24.330 Yeah but like there will be some times that you have ideas and then you realize like that doesn't work. Yeah I do that a lot. Yes. Like a really stupid example of that would be when I was little I dreamt that my hand fell off and I couldn't find it and it was my right hand and I needed it. So I took off my left hand and I put it on my right arm because it was more convenient. And then sure enough how it is then if I found my hand but I had already.

00:02:51.620 This is the weirdest thing I had already replaced my hand so I just stuck it on my left arm. Yeah. No big deal. And in my mind and you know I was like 5. So this could have been like a board but in my mind I operated under this pretense where my hands were backwards you know. And then we did something more like I had to put on gloves and I thought oh wait mine's can be backwards or it was like an activity where you dry your hands and I'm thinking great everyone's gonna notice my hands backwards. Then like oh it was it.

00:03:21.200 And then I was like I was only here. Anyway so maybe it's not exactly like that but you know I have no idea why. In my mind. Up until this week I still thought Ryan Phillippe Bey and Reese Witherspoon were married. Oh and I also knew she was married to an agent. Yeah both were true in my head for some reason but there's I don't know like a weeks ago they've talked about how their daughter looks so much like her and she's dating a guy that looks like him.

00:03:53.810 And finally I was like I don't I always really liked them. So finally I was like I'm just going to look at him and so I pull it out. And I looked and then it says something about like you know with his x rays and I was like huh. Like it kind of made me sad I mean it and I did like it was like the world was upside down and I'm like oh my gosh. And then I was like I knew she was married to it A.J.. It's funny but I guess yeah you learned that Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe can't see us at our evening earth shattering period.

00:04:27.530 That's really funny. So yeah. So sorry to anyone that didn't know that. I mean it was like what years ago. OK. So I guess what I learned Ross and I were at the football game on Saturday and we ended up visiting with this woman who's the new head of the central civil engineering at the University of Nebraska which it's now been renamed Civil and Environmental Engineering which she said is actually really important I think it was kind of one of her big pushes because environmental engineering actually attracts a lot of women to the field and it's kind of hard to know where to go for that.

00:05:03.980 So it's kind of a big deal for them anyway. But one of the projects they're working on that I thought was kind of interesting is. Antibiotic. Waste coming off of animals off of farm animals specifically the length. Looking at a lot of poop and a lot of runoff right. And residual antibiotics left in poop and how that affects the war I mentally like you know I was like staph resistant back to like staph bacteria that's antibiotic resistant to go around hospitals because of the high antibiotics that are like environmentally anyway.

00:05:41.140 They're looking to see if that's happening sort of on a larger scale. Based on antibiotics. Byproducts anyway. So I thought that was interesting and I didn't know that was something engineers did you know. And I didn't know environmental or do everything right. Engineers just advance here basic problems all right. Yeah. And I just I guess I didn't know the whole. Field of environmental engineering sort of existed. So you know I think that's interesting.

00:06:10.780 Yeah. So if they're correct in this then what we have to if you're have cattle that are treated with antibiotics you what bag their poop and dispose of it some other way. I think that's the next to handle divert. You know like I know Kent like somehow quarantine them into an area where their poop is then dealt with in a different way. No idea what the answer is there. This has nothing to do with that. So our topic for today.

00:06:43.300 I'm intrigued because all I know is that it's actually on. Like. Yeah format we're doing the the real format like this is what our podcast is supposed to be. So you taught at a preschool for a while. I did daycare preschool daycare but I had the preschool age kids and then I had the school age or so. Did you guys follow any sort of educational philosophy was there. I'm like What was the structure that like. Oh I shouldn't.

00:07:10.140 It actually was a preschool there was some kids that came just for the preschool and there the teacher that I worked with. That was the full time one had a degree in early childhood education or whatever you would have. It was so long ago and I have the worst memory so I Oh yeah which is like don't touch your friends like take a bath every. You know I don't. ABC. Right. We say more toys a days of the week so. Right.

00:07:39.360 Got it. So our guests today are actually coming in to talk about the monastery. I was you know I was wondering if it was going to be. Yes so do you know what do you know about Montessori anything. You know I actually don't know a lot about it. I know I've had some some relatives and some friends that have had their kids in it and I know that it can be amazing but it seems like very rigid and structured and like you're going to take Georgie who is not to and you're gonna be like George why don't you know the planets yet.

00:08:12.870 And I think it's the opposite. Oh really. Well as I've as I think it's been described to me and this is through L.A. hippie parents is that it's very the child guides their play and their interests and it's all child led learning so it's like it's like they lead. We're not going to reading time now it's oh I feel like reading is that right. Which I don't fully under you know. I don't know I think maybe you need a little more structured than that.

00:08:42.280 So I'm kind of interested to see how that really works with 3 year olds letting 3 year olds play in their own right. Or maybe that's not it at all. I don't I don't know I guess that's not the idea I have it but like I said I have no actual now knowledge of it. So that's really interesting what I'm. Yeah what I know people like about it is that it fosters a lot of independent thinking. I know that's the big yeah. And I I. Yeah. And like responsibility.

00:09:10.750 I know it's big on like self-sufficiency. Right. So one of the things we do at our house is we have this. They call it a learning tower but basically it's a step stool so that Georgia can be up at the counter with us. What. Oh writing and working and she's been up there since she was you know old enough to stand and climb up that you know maybe 10 months she was on this tower like up at the counter with us. Right. And I know that's a big thing with them is is sort of hands on learning and experiencing things.

00:09:40.630 Right. Like kind of doing things. Yeah. At your level you know like yeah. Yeah. So I don't know I'm I'm excited to learn more about it. They just built and. Debuted a big new educational center here on the campus of the University of Nebraska. So I'm excited to hear more about their facility and their teaching and the method in general. Yeah. Today's episode is recorded at the GW Frank Museum of History and Culture. It is an 18 90s Victorian mansion but it is much more than a house museum.

00:10:11.320 It's an event space an educational center. There are opportunities for you and K student professional development. It's a dynamic museum offering unique inspiration to the carny community and even more than that. It is an incredible partner on fun creative endeavors like this podcast. So thank you again to the G.W. Frank museum for having us. One more time. So we are here I guess and I'll have you introduce yourselves and your position here in the university.

00:10:47.020 I'm Deb Zillow and I'm the director of the clambake Early Childhood Education Center which will be opening on November 4. Hi I'm Natalie Danner and I'm the clambake Montessori endowed chair for Teacher Education at the University of Nebraska Carney. And I'm also going to be helping with the center to support the Montessori teachers who will be hired there. Let's let's start right off the bat.

00:11:15.790 What the heck is Montessori. Yeah I have when we were talking about it and like I really don't. I've had. Cousins that have used it friends that I've talked to about it and used it. But like in my mind it seems like this rigid you know and then Darcy is like I think it's the opposite. And so I don't know. All I know is that my Gwen my goddaughter did it. She advanced so much like she who was coming home and like she knew all the planets when she was three years old like you evacuated I was in Los Angeles for seven years so they're nuts about a Montessori out there and the preschool application process is tougher than anything I did to get into college.

00:11:54.100 You know it's very very rigorous. But people love a Montessori out there. So I became familiar with it through sort of that world. But yeah I'd love to hear she raised a whole lot more regionally from New York. So I'm very aware of the preschool admissions process that can be very demanding and difficult. And that's usually pretty common in the urban areas not as common in the more rural areas actually what we're finding in more rural areas especially in Nebraska is that there's something that's called Child Care desert.

00:12:28.450 Have you heard of oh my gosh yes. Well I love in Wooldridge okay. My brother and sister in law live in Oxford and yes we're familiar with that sort of show exists. Yeah. So it's a little bit different but your misconceptions or your ideas about Montessori are very common misconceptions that many parents have. Some people think very very strict that's what Montessori is and some people think oh it's willy nilly anything goes. And actually it's something that's a little bit in between.

00:12:58.390 So what Maria Montessori who's the founder of the method said was that there's freedom within limits. So there are limits within the classroom but the child has the freedom to move about the classroom to make choices and for their curriculum to be individualized. And that's a big part of Montessori and that's probably the reason why it wasn't your goddaughter or that actually was my God. I say that. Yeah. Oh yeah. It was our daughter moved.

00:13:26.470 It was probably because her teacher was very aware of where she was developmentally and was able to push her head in those areas that she was strong in and maybe allow her to have some repetition in areas that she was struggling in. And that's a really common part of the monetary curriculum is that it's individualized and tailored for each child so very child centred. Tell us more about that that individualized where you start with assessing is it following their interests a little bit and how.

00:13:56.950 How do you tailor a curriculum every child. So part of it is being a really good observer so Maria Montessori started as a scientist she was one of the first female physicians in Italy and she was trained as a scientist and she wanted teachers to also have that scientific method when they're teaching in understanding the development of each and every child in their of their in their classroom and tailoring their education to basically what they need which is different for every child.

00:14:29.560 So monitory classrooms are multi age but they're also multi ability. So children in those classrooms can be way far ahead in math perhaps and then maybe they have some difficulties in their literacy learning and that's okay because everyone in the classroom is learning something different every day. So it looks very different than a traditional classroom in that there are very few whole group lessons.

00:14:59.290 It's not something where you're learning the same thing at the same time in a single age grouping which is those traditions. So how do you achieve that. I just I worked a little bit in college at a daycare and I can't imagine how you did to me that sounds like chaos. Like I. Actually it's very much not like chaos because the teacher is so well-trained and understanding children that children at that point become very independent in their learning so they're making choices within the classroom and Maria Montessori has this great quote she says that.

00:15:37.370 When she enters the classroom the best part would be to not notice the teacher. Because the teacher is not front and center. The teacher is the guide. So if the children are taking the initiative and they are being independent in making their choices within the classroom and learning from the materials that exist as part of the curriculum then the teachers working more one on one and in small groups perhaps in the corner of the room.

00:16:07.940 Obviously keeping an eye on every right. Making sure that things are moving smoothly but really thinking about those individual children rather than the whole group. So it's a different style of teaching it's it's quite different than traditional education. And I also know that Dr. Montessori also said which I did my master's thesis on is that we need to incorporate the physical the social emotional and the cognitive side of learning to create the whole child.

00:16:36.290 And that's exactly what the name on one of my master's thesis was and so it's very important that we look at it from a child's approach and through a child's eyes and because that's how they learn best from each other. Talk about the physical component of that. I feel like maybe that's the one that I don't see the most. You know I I did see the social emotional and you know yeah. What's that physical about it. I'm just doing the gross motor things being able to run and explore and manipulate things with your hands.

00:17:09.320 You know the painting side the creative side of it where it's expressed through the hands on experiences that you might not get from just sitting and listening to someone else speak or say this is what we're doing today. And you know kids like to do things like what and I just want to say listen Labor eight hours a day. So yeah I I can't do it. So I should never expect a child to do that either.

00:17:39.560 You know the thing that kept keeps coming in my mind is just how do you handle the behavioral issue side of it. That because that's great. The idea that these kids can be kind of working independently throughout the room and with each other. Perfect. Sounds great but also sounds a little bit like a nightmare for the kid that you know is it is there I guess. Some kids that this doesn't work for. Or is it that you adapt it somehow. You know I guess can you tell me about that.

00:18:09.890 Sure. So the multimedia environment is really unique in a monetary classroom. So for early childhood that means three four and five year olds are all together in the same classroom and you might think like you said this might be a nightmare but it actually works really well because the children are continuing with the same teacher and same environment for three years. So they have experience in what the rules are for the classroom and what the norms are for that classroom and when they return the second and third year there are those models for the classroom.

00:18:44.240 So it's not a new environment every year for every child that they have to adapt to and try to figure out what does this teacher want. What are the rules in this classroom. How do I do it. And butting up against those rules. But really it's more like a family atmosphere where you know those older kids are teaching the younger kids. It's almost like a family in that way. If you think about this concept it's not really anything new. I mean they're in the past we did have multi-page classroom sharpened the language level.

00:19:14.510 Right. Yes exactly. And. And while there might have started out as some disruptions if you know the children have no clear cut expectations and know what they are and they're consistent and fair I mean everybody is able to handle those I believe that's right. Well and I guess a lot of the behavioral issues in a traditional classroom come from being afraid you're not understanding or moving the same pace as everyone else or also the heart of the cookie cutter or being forced to sit.

00:19:44.840 Yes in fact not be able to do it. I mean I think that creates a lot of because there's also the big change that they do in elementary is now which also part of me is like I have no idea how they do this where it's like the standing desks or they like the chair that's a little bit wobbly so they can sit and fidget the whole time. I am a little bit like how how do you do that as a teacher. Ideally I'd be like crawling out of my skin but obviously there's science behind it or they wouldn't be doing it.

00:20:13.760 So I think and probably it removes a lot of this challenge and that's what I like about the Montessori. Curriculum is that she is a scientist right founder is was a scientist. So that's what makes it science based and research backed. And what some of your listeners might not know is that monetary goes all the way up to high school. So if you're talking about elementary there exist Montessori elementary schools middle schools and high schools out there and they use the same method in philosophy all the way up through those upper grades.

00:20:48.890 And it's multi-page all the way up as well. Let's talk about that. Sure. One of my biggest frustrations moving here I'm moving back from Los Angeles and known as the start family here was that I don't have access to any of those things here and now I mean I'm so happy the center is coming that's so exciting. But I am kind of hoping it trickles down to some of the rural communities and we get out a bit more integrated regionally. But maybe what are some even if you don't have access to a Montessori school which a lot of our listeners don't.

00:21:19.370 What are some. Practices that you can put in place in your own home. What are some. What are some tips weekly is I have an 18 month old professor who wants to do everything on her own. She doesn't even want me opening her yogurt right now. What are some things we can build into our routines. We don't have access yet. So parents can do a lot at home especially to increase the level of independence of toddlers or preschoolers.

00:21:48.440 Some of the things that you could do that really cost almost nothing are things like creating a lower shelf where children to get things that they need for you know setting the table they can have a plate that's their own size that they can bring to the table for themselves maybe not set the entire table but at least set their plate and then maybe keeping the yogurt on a lower shelf so that if it's snack time you can say OK honey go ahead.

00:22:16.190 You do have you're to grab like a Georgie's snack drawer that she can access that and we'll sort it out. Yes. And then another thing that like at the preschool already I've encouraged teachers you may start to suffer but have the child zip up and oh that's a good idea. Are you responsible and accountable for their own actions and making sure that they're ready to transition from endorsed outdoors which is a challenge though I can see because you because that takes more patients and more time and they might not do it in the four seconds that you want to have that jacket.

00:22:49.070 I'd like the best behavior sitting in the classroom. You only have to do that a few times right. And pretty soon I'm thinking they're going to have their coat on already. Right. Exactly. Well and then if they don't say that do you wait for natural consequences do you repeat like what. What if they're not like this or they just always want to get at the guys that sort of you know use the fake binoculars and say Oh I see some of my friends are upset and somewhere let's work on getting those up and then it's if it's impossible for them then I ask would you be able to help one of your friends get their room zipped.

00:23:23.170 So a perfect example. And I think the peer pressure part of it not in a negative way but in a positive way really helps not shaming them like Darcy doesn't zap her own. Research. That's a huge part of the Montessori Model is is appears helping each other. And I think that's where we the greatest achievement level. And as a.

00:23:47.210 Person who was a special ed teacher for 22 years that's how I taught my students because I couldn't always give them the information they needed but if they had a peer or someone else to instruct them and guide them and assist them then they were able to. Understand the information better than if I just said. Well remember what we talked about. And so those kind of things I think are better while the younger kids always think older kids are cooler.

00:24:19.180 They know that they are selling off kids are just a little even better than you were a year if they were your age and you would be like and kind of just like if they're a year older they're automatically like cool. I remember when I was in high school as a freshman I remember I knew the name of every upperclassmen and I was in a class a school. Oh wow. By the time I was a senior I couldn't care less with my classmates. You know what I'm saying. Right. And so it's true.

00:24:47.900 Older P older children and I tell you you know some of the older children now at the center I said. Oh you have to remember I said the smaller children are watching you and when they see you do good things. Like you know me urges them to act like you also on the little one at home you've maybe never had that response you know actually which is kind of cool for them to get to be the big guy. Right. Do you just really put them in. I mean is there any sort of method to what room a child would go into.

00:25:20.390 Sometimes sometimes you would think about children with disabilities or children with higher means and really balance them throughout different classrooms. So so if you had three classrooms you're not going to say OK all my children with special education needs are going to go in that one class as one teacher is going to have this heavy load and the rest are in. Yes. And you want you want the classrooms to be as typical to your environment of your community and your siblings as well to.

00:25:52.180 So thinking about the diversity in the community both with disabilities. So even like that can raise that kind of thing those things if you have the numbers right. I mean there are some smaller schools where you can't make those decisions right. You've got one one or two classrooms but in in our case we've we're going to have 11 classrooms. Why is there really so egocentric that's another thing I was wondering about that. How many how many students are in a classroom.

00:26:21.490 Because I know like. For me the ratios are going off in my head and I'm thinking if you have a three year old in that room that teacher can have so many less kids but what. Yes. So can you tell me about that what how many students are kids the size of the classroom state regulation says it's 35 square feet per child. However we're offering. Many more square feet per child. And I they. So I mean I didn't know it's done that way and smart but I it is interesting.

00:26:52.160 There wasn't it that you figure licensing for capacity of a facility. Well I know you have the only thing I ever knew was like babies were 41 and when they were also part of a two or three it goes up to six to one and then when I had the school ADAS mostly that was 12 to 1 which is a lot. But yeah but yeah. It's about six or something for three year olds right. Yes. So. So those same kind of guidelines that apply to you. OK. So you either have to have another teacher or a stay at six or below.

00:27:21.880 That's OK. You would definitely have another teacher when you're talking about preschool though when you're in a facility like the plan back center because we have the space for it. And when you want to have the social connections with different children six as a small group the most you're in a family child care situation where that would be pretty typical. But in a group setting it's nicer to have those larger numbers. Especially when it's Montessori because you want the teacher to be less available.

00:27:51.400 That's counterintuitive but you want them to be less available because you want the peers to be a sense of support as well. So when you're thinking of that family environment you're thinking oh go to my older brother for this instead of dad. Right. And the same kind of thing when you're talking about a Montessori environment. You want to see peers as a source of information and support and not just the teacher.

00:28:16.150 Because when you have a group size of let's say 18 or 20 that's hard with one person being the source of information all the time. What if there could be 10 people that are the source of information share time then not only is your child getting to learn from the adults in the room but also their peers. Yeah well as that thing is like if you're teaching something you're learning it better than if you're just learning. Right. Right. Well I'm not. I have cousins that homeschool.

00:28:43.600 There are nine of them and homeschooled you know they're not the oldest one raises a lot of the younger ones and teaches a lot of the younger. You know it feels very much like that sort of model. So let's talk about the center a little bit. This is an incredible resource for the community. Tell us. What it is what you have because they're not all Montessori classrooms or are they. Now there's some other teaching styles happening there. So tell us what what we're working with.

00:29:11.200 Well there will eventually be 11 classrooms and the rest are based on creative curriculum but the rooms will be in the same age levels as the Montessori program rooms the six weeks to 18 months then 18 months to three and then three to five year olds. And so they will be divided like that also. And then and we're also going to be doing each family's style. And I have worked with Dr.

00:29:40.330 Dev before from you and Al campus and she started that program. And so I got one of my. Friends from the extension office Linda breeze who's going to come out and do that program with us here. Now does that just. Is that like the like you would at a table like you have this the bowl of corn and then you serve and you pass each other and then I lecture is also the reading with them. Yeah. Providing a lesson.

00:30:05.860 So we did do that when I was at the day care and it kind of did make the whole experience less stress from the teacher standpoint yes rather than trying to be like let me played all these up and get him out actually while on at home. That's good to get off your practicing sitting at the table till I with Spanish and doing you know we eat at the table and that's well and then like when I'm in the fight. If I was off helping somebody go to the bathroom or making you know doing something away from the table and someone wanted another serving of something they weren't waiting on me right.

00:30:37.590 Exactly. Maybe there were some exceptions where I was like I'm going to be the only one that serves this. Which is probably against the law. Yeah it was. It definitely kept the process moving a lot better. It also promotes conversations too and language development. So if you think about it at your family table when you're having dinner you're having conversations and the same thing with children in childcare and an early childhood environment they're having those conversations with their peers with their teachers and the teachers are modeling conversations around the food too.

00:31:11.460 This is super tasty today. Oh I'm eating some yellow corn. Oh it's so sweet. Oh what do you think about this. What happened this morning. How are you doing today. All of those kinds of things that are really important in bolstering a child's language and really their conversation skills which are so important when you're thinking about literacy in language or in young children and you get to eat every little thing you get to to try these things. Yes you might not eat everything on the plate.

00:31:41.460 That's not though. No it's not her favorite you know Clinton not the part of the clean plate seminar. But I think you're going to try things a certain way. Yeah I get peer pressure. I mean no thanks I'm leaving. Well if you're talking about it too and you're talking about wow this is so sweet. It's almost like wow this is almost like sugary kind of like candy but it's not it's warm. It's really tasty and I put the butter on it and it melts and it's so yummy.

00:32:11.760 Did you try that. Is that good. Teach you like that. Like those kinds of conversations instead of I hate that right. Yeah. Are you learning more by working or did you try that. Right now making it really language rich but also a very positive environment. Yeah. And now I want to go get some corn. I think in Nebraska.

00:32:37.520 Had some of those sensory Taylor to show your energy with your eyes first student with you uniting all your senses involved in things which are good healthy eating habits to develop throughout life rather than eat 10 more bites thing you know or whatever is at is clearly and then yes. College students will be a major part of this center now and they will also we have observation rooms or they can come and observe. Yeah that sounds cool.

00:33:04.290 And so for classes as well as be an employee at the center. Yeah. I have I have a question. So we talked about. That there is some places where you could do this all the way through high school and then you also said that you want the teacher to be less available so I can see when you first said the thing about about high school I thought. In how prepared are you for college when you have to maybe sometimes sit in a lecture hall for this.

00:33:37.110 You know you're not going to be able to be like Oh I'm sorry. I know I learned hands on or off the play at some point where you have to assimilate and do what the world does. But I so I can see that. But I see the other side where if the teacher is less available and you're used to go into your peers figuring out on you're on that kind of step I can see how that would be a great tool in college. Because yeah. Because you're not going to have someone over your shoulder making sure you're doing your work so I can see both sides. So I guess can you talk on that a little bit.

00:34:06.360 So as you go up in elementary and middle and high school it's more about really knowing your strengths and weaknesses really well and not only just focusing on your strengths but thinking about how can I bolster those weaknesses so that I can move up whatever level that you're at in whatever subject it is you want to see progress with that student. And that's where the teacher comes into play especially at the elementary middle and high school is they become like a coach.

00:34:34.650 So think about that tennis coach or the skiing coach or the basketball coach great. They're always constantly focused on your development and getting you to that next level. That's the same thing as a monastery teacher. And they're really focused on that. And what we've found is that as children graduate out of these elementary middle and high school programs they really understand what their interests are. What their passions are.

00:35:01.140 And where they have weaknesses and how to kind of adapt their environment for that as well as move forward in their strengths. So when they're coming to a college environment where they have to sit through lectures they're really well aware of what their interests are so they can choose that major and be passionate and move through their college career with that. So I see it as a benefit and hopefully not have those two undeclared years to things that happen. But we always talked about this for too.

00:35:30.810 I would have really benefited from a lot more self-knowledge moving into call seen or going into college I we've talked about you had a good sense of who you are. But I feel like I had no idea who I was at that point. And definitely doesn't see my weaknesses. You know I. And maybe not an accurate sense by strikes. So let's let's walk through and I'm sure there maybe are no typical days. What's a typical day like a kid comes to the center drop from drop off through pick what's what's a day like.

00:36:00.970 At this other sort of. Currently. William currently in that construction. My father in law is our children. What's your ideal ideal day in the perfect world. And every day goes exactly how you want. My daughter is how it's always going to be the typical day. They come to the center and. Say goodbye to their parents. I think that's a very important partner. See you later kind of thing. So understanding change transition. I was do you help the parents with that part of it.

00:36:31.470 Like do you offer suggestions or do you let them do that. Okay. I'm usually there when a lot of parents drop off children and and I say say goodbye to your mom say I'll see you later. You love it. You know one of those things I don't say all three and at the same time I love you. And then just third look at me at first. Now some of us were starting to do that and it just looked at me like I I to it winds up back in my day sealing my they are excited to do that.

00:37:04.550 Leave me alone now says meet. And you know. Say good morning to their friends that are there and begin to converse with them and spend some time with them. And they do breakfast and I don't know how specific you want me to get here. And then after breakfast just do like a. Welcome time with each other on the road and then they go and play. They explore and have fun in the centers.

00:37:33.510 And the teacher says these are some new things we have today. When I go. Look at and explore and discover. And these are some of the same things we had up before. But I've added some new surprises in there. Those kind of things. And then you know that's sort of how the some of the morning looks like and then they go around and individually work with one or two children who they see who are struggling in an area or kind of like a stations is how I would picture.

00:38:02.970 So I centers centers centers that. Yeah. I think it was freedom to move from center to center if they would like to. Oh so they're not even restricted to you. You know like this is where you are now. If you're in the middle of it you could go and do this. Yeah. That's cool. And because sometimes I think if you have many abilities or toys or activities you're doing in one sector and you think huh I wonder how this would work over here.

00:38:29.250 They have permission to explore that and discover how those two things would relate together because you might become come up with something that's really new and fantastic and then you know. And. I don't want to be the person who says no no no no no. We have moved that over to that center that has to stay where I keep her. Sounds like you're going to get buzz light your footprints in the paint. How do you handle like if a child then like really actively avoids what you know like if it is their weakness and they just don't want to go there.

00:38:58.950 I mean is that avoids one center. Yeah or one use of the subject one topic and the partner. We just did that the other day in the center. Where. She picked an apple and put their name and then the child got to come up and pick a partners name to play with and the person who picked the friend's name said to the person whose name got picked since they don't really have a choice who their partner was they got to choose where they got to go play. And so they said OK.

00:39:28.230 And they wouldn't play together there. So you're not only so that we got to work with someone new explore things together that way. And so that's sort of typically what that looks like. So it works on their social emotional skills together conversation learning how how do we ask questions because remember sometimes you say does anybody have any questions and they say well my mom you know. What does a question look like. You know what does that sound like.

00:39:58.140 What words do questions start with some question because you're expecting an answer and if you make a statement. Well my mom you're not going to get a response from that. Possibly. Yeah that is my nephew's in that phase right now and I can't think right now if I think he always is saying. Like I have to tell you something and it's like you. It's like a secret and then you get down there and he's like Can I go do this Nyquil that's a question you know. But he hurt and I think he's kind of come through that maybe in the last month.

00:40:28.000 But yeah for like a good six or nine months I was constantly like or he'd be like I want to ask you something and then he'd be like Darcy took my hand you know dancing in the zipper jacket really. Well that's not a it. And so those kind of things you work on and then there's snack where the children help you know set that out and take care of all that also. So it's a lot of exploring on your own and then guided exploration and discovery and learning how to do you know life skills routine kind of things mixed in with.

00:41:04.720 The self exploration and discovery and learning and then participating in cleanup this well. Oh yeah. No no part of it. So yeah you know then Devon's talking a little bit about maybe more of the creative curriculum approach there but when you're talking about Montessori classroom it's slightly different. There are some similarities as well but you'd notice in the classroom that there are lots of unique wooden looking materials.

00:41:32.140 So the monetary materials and that's all part of the curriculum. So if you see a shelf that maybe has three different levels on it and it's a math shelf you'll see things on the top that are the most simple and it goes from left to right top to bottom. Most simple to most complex activities. And that's because children learn as they're at that shelf that that's also the sequence of read.

00:42:00.740 Sure as I say like how you write to write. Yeah. So writing. So every shelf is set up in that way so that children who are new and just learning begin at the top level so that they can explore and get lessons from the teachers with the materials at that top level. And they know that eventually their goal is to move down that shelf to the more content levels. That's also how we put flights at the brewery.

00:42:29.260 A lot of similarities because the menu you know has them one through a number adding columns. But then we have. So there's six on it and so yeah every time I hand this I want to say these are in Larry would receive a one three four five and six. So it's I'm on a story meant I had a story that I'll just tell him from that from now on when I had a part like herpes or in Montessori method I wouldn't try. So they do not material. So it is very Montessori.

00:42:58.050 All right. You bring up the shot glasses and glass and all of that. Yes. That's binocular environments they're really learning those self-help skills and learning to pour for themselves. Learning to use glass mother bring them to the brewery. Maybe you have a shot glasses actually an infant and toddler environments when they are thinking about how to grasp something because if you think about it a glass maybe like a pint glass if we're going through the lens here is way too big for a young child hand.

00:43:34.900 But a shot glass or a flight glass. So if I value Easter Yeah and it's very thick too. So thinking about if they drop it right that it's knives shatter right. So it's much more solid and children the children can really easily pour a small amount of liquid whether it's milk or water into it and then get that understanding of how to drink from a cup on their own.

00:44:00.010 And it's really exciting to see those young young children really understanding how to drink from that open cup versus the sippy cup or bottle and really gaining that kind of independence at that level too. So that happens even in the very young ages in the classrooms to its core. One thing that I really stuck with me. That I think I would remember from this from Noah is where you talked about that the teacher becomes more of a coach because I think especially as my nephews and nieces are getting older.

00:44:33.780 Coaches have such an impact on their the players but they do you have an independent you know you don't expect your coach to teach you every aspect of it and you know you at least that's how I was in sports. It was up to me to master the skills it was up to me to improve in the areas that I needed improvement and they might help me find the tools to do that. But I'm the one that had to run faster. I'm the one that had to watch I wasn't that wasn't in the cards for me.

00:45:03.660 But if I if I wanted to succeed I needed to get my shot better I needed to figure out how to get around this person or whatever and I never expected the coach. It wasn't the coach's fault if I was failing you know and I think that a lot of times in education it's not that way. It's the teachers fault or you think it you know people students think it parents teach it. Parents would like to believe that. Yeah. And it's not. I mean and you would never do that with a coach you know.

00:45:33.060 So I think that that's that's interesting to look at it that way and also to think about it from the teacher's perspective too and think about this child isn't learning this concept. If the teacher can reflect on that and say How can I teach it in a different way if so that I can support that child rather than thinking about this child can't learn. Right. So it's really thinking about differing ways of teaching and really individualized for each child.

00:46:02.670 So that's part of the monastery too. But it can be a part of any teacher's philosophy is really thinking about how can I do this in a different way. That was another thing I thought as if for the just those standard education teachers out there how they can you know steal some of these and make their methods maybe friendly to everybody or to to foster more independence that kind of. Ideal I guess.

00:46:28.470 And I think it's possible within a lot of traditional schools and elementary schools it becomes more difficult when there's a scripted curriculum so I don't know if you heard of scripted curriculums but oftentimes that has a sheet of paper that says teacher says child says teacher says basically a monkey can do it. You can also think about children in that kind of classroom they're just listening to this lecture and being able to only respond with the in that one way.

00:46:58.310 Right right. I mean I'm in church responsible for I think both aside the teacher can't love her and her students are no one's happy in that kind of environment. You know they're tough and they're they're. Taught myself. Here's my bet. To me this all sounds to me like but we used to call a cooperative learning where everyone in the small group had a. Role to play and a responsibility. And then they just won together.

00:47:28.570 The teacher just walked around and you know coach them or got them back on track or and they facilitated. Well let's talk about it being in a college environment for a little bit. Miller's there's gonna be a lot of partnerships with different departments on campus so not only are there going to be student workers that are producing traditional in a lab school environment where an undergraduate student would be able to have some hours learn you know teaching in the classroom not necessarily the head teacher but supporting the head teacher in the classroom and helping and really gaining a sense of how things are done in a high quality environment but then they're also going to be other types of students who are coming into the classroom who are perhaps further along in their development as a young adult.

00:48:17.190 So people who are moving into internships student teaching practice occur. Where they have to do part of their work with children is required as part of their program. In the college. So when you're thinking about a student teacher they have more responsibility in the classroom and they have more requirements from their professors for those tasks and they are.

00:48:44.550 Then models as well to those students who are student workers because they're doing all of those tasks and then all of a sudden the college team says oh wow this is a junior senior who's doing these kinds of activities in these kinds of responsibilities. Maybe I want to be a teacher education major or a child development major or a nursing major because nursing students may be coming in and doing some work in the classroom.

00:49:13.410 Physical Therapy majors may be coming in. So there's a lot of opportunity at this campus both with UMC and new and K for collaboration with students as well as faculty thinking about doing research in a lab school environment centers. And then I also oh shoot I just lost it. Oh gosh. Second that it is only one of it's good. Oh. I also residents.

00:49:41.680 There is a special needs component or special education component too. So it's very inclusive that way. Can you talk a little bit about what that looks like and what sort of you know needs it's open to everybody. You know what what's that portion of it looks like and how could these methods of learning be super beneficial in a special needs student. So yes the program would definitely be inclusive open to all families and all children.

00:50:10.660 And just thinking about the children with disabilities specifically thinking about how can we get the supports that they need in the classroom and any kind of individualized support that they need. So obviously working closely with our local public school district for those supports so that they can push into the classrooms and also provide the support perhaps within those collaborations that I spoke of before whether it's physical therapy occupational therapy.

00:50:40.450 There are students in UMC that really want to learn from working with children with disabilities. So I would say that is very inclusive center. Thinking about it that way Montessori and creative curriculum have been shown to be very positive with children with disabilities as well as typically developing children. So both can be good supportive environment for children with disabilities and kids who are typically developing learn so much from being in an inclusive program as well and you're learning to support their peers who may have disabilities or struggles in certain areas.

00:51:16.720 So it's great for. Both types of children and I think. And then the end between also be at risk. Sure. That's low that's also included in there. And so and also include outside agencies. I think that's part of the meaning of tying the college and the community together to support not only people on campus but off campus and entire and tying those agencies in with what we do here to help us fairly well be successful and learn.

00:51:45.700 Well that was one of my question is is are there any plans regionally to help you now expand this educational philosophy so that even. Right. Because I think it's hard. Go to the center can get access or instruction to a degree you know I mean would you teach my data how did it occur organically because now there will be these college students exposed to this so there will be people that are trained on it that are following out of my out a different area. Yes exactly.

00:52:16.000 That's exactly right. I was just going to mention that because it's a large school and because it's going to be a model for the state and beyond. We're going to have a lot of tours happening at the planned big center which will be amazing but also an incubator of ideas. So not only will those students who are college students who are working in the classrooms really graduate and say wow I've learned something from this and I'm going to bring it to my local community.

00:52:42.400 But those student teachers will be graduated with teaching licenses and degrees and be looking for jobs out there so they will move into different parts of the community. But also when people come to visit there are going to be inspired by the ideas because it's going to be such a high quality center with innovative ideas that we are hoping and you know we know that this is going to happen that that kind of idea will spread because it's going to be a successful really high quality center.

00:53:16.300 Well this is the first one like this in the nation that exists right. Is it a state funded university or something to that effect. I heard that talking with somewhere. Right. That's the talking point is actually it's the first public university that is supporting a lab school with Montessori at Anderson. Wow. Because I was I guess I didn't even know that it was that groundbreaking. But I think what a great.

00:53:42.770 Tool to graduate and have this that you can list that you know this material and then the fact that it is brand new for in this atmosphere. That's amazing. And then thinking about how we train our teachers and how we educate them. Another part of this gift from Lavon plan back is that she is also gifted to the teacher education department and that's part of my position.

00:54:07.730 So my position is actually called the plan back in the chair because she funded my position so I'm here because of her but also the Teacher Education Program in Montessori at U.N. K exists because of her. So we're training teachers to go out into Nebraska and beyond to work in monetary environments and to open Montessori environments. Yeah I think people will jump on it if it's available yeah.

00:54:38.240 And it's a blended program. So we serve a lot of students who are out there working in the field who are in more rural areas. So we're not just serving the Kearney area we're serving the state and beyond. Lots of our students are actually in Iowa lots are also in Omaha area so. They're coming from all over the place to go to these online classes as well as some in-person summer classes and then a yearlong internship that they have to do their second year.

00:55:09.370 Wow one I know it's always kind of been a teacher's college right. Amy knowing the history of you. Yes we carnies. So this is just kind of keeping you on the cutting edge a little bit. Maybe. It is we'll be the only university in the state offering Montessori teacher education. Well look if anybody wants to come up and learn an old age I'll be there. Around a community support are you and we've got our first class student teacher.

00:55:40.070 I think that's graduating opening their own Montessori and make that a reality for you. Why not. We have opened up centers throughout the state and make it happen. Let's just. I can't imagine in a community where this wouldn't thrive. I mean yeah I think every everyone wins in this scenario. Right. Right. I mean the teachers probably like it because it's more rewarding. It's probably not quite as stressful. I would imagine. I'm sure there are still some stress.

00:56:07.110 I don't I doubt if your teachers are like skipping home from work every day thinking like I just can't wait to come back here tomorrow. But. Let's say this sounds like it would be more enjoyable wellness. I'm sure this research exists but you do still have to take your standardized tests and your state tests and all that thing in that in that you're not free of all of that regulations. You still have those benchmarks. Question mark mark is a good good hard to start because there are public and private Montessori schools out there.

00:56:39.500 So it depends on which you teach but if you're teaching at a private perhaps an early childhood Montessori school you don't necessarily have to have that state license. But if you're teaching at a public what do you do. So not only are you getting your Montessori but you are also going for your state license at the same time. So the do. So there are public universities are public Montessori schools in the state of Nebraska. They're actually for Hillary are in Mult Millard Public Schools in Livermore.

00:57:08.690 I didn't know that one of them is a middle school. I say that and then there's one in Norfolk also. Yes. Huh. So two elementary Montessori schools that start at age 3. Over public. Right. I mean that I'm really exciting isn't it isn't it. When would I go to my. I guess I automatically go private school I had to get that kind of education you had to go. I think that. Yeah. But it's it's a booming. Let's get that done right.

00:57:39.520 It's it's something that I'm working on. You used me to create more public Montessori schools because I think that's the one way that really offers access to families who might not have the means to pay for full tuition which know which can be difficult for many families. Yeah well to do Montessori correctly we understand that we want it to reflect that the community is with the community. Yeah. So to be a monastery teacher to be the teacher in that room you have to. I'm sure.

00:58:09.020 So do you have your standard like education degree. Do you have and then specific Montessori training. Right. So you would get your bachelor's degree and it could be in a variety of areas but then after or concurrently with your bachelor's degree you would go for monetary training. So monetary training at you in K is a two year program.

00:58:32.150 So the first year you're taking your online courses this summer in between you're doing some in-person training where you're really getting in-person work with the Montessori serials so you know how to give all of those lessons in the curriculum and then your second year that entire year is your practicum year which is like student teaching but really you can be the instructor of record or the teacher of record for your own classroom.

00:58:57.840 If you're in a Montessori school and then if you don't have your own classroom we help students find classrooms out there that are eligible to be those student teaching sites. Okay. So that is not true will work for an existing teacher or a teacher who already has a job at a placement right. If it's a Montessori school. Yeah OK OK. No. Well so that's a lot of our students are actually already teachers. They just go forward and learn this metaphor. Yeah. Yeah.

00:59:26.670 And so that and that surely makes them more marketable to it does does because there are many public school districts in the country that are implementing Montessori now in the public arena. So why would they even if it's not a mandatory school just the. Yeah. And that's that's interesting to a lot of superintendents and principals out there that they have additional training and a different philosophy that can help them be more individualized for the students that they serve in their classroom whether it's Montessori or not.

00:59:55.740 Well I think this is it makes so much sense. That it kind of seems like why is an all education. I mean why do you think all education is like this. I think there isn't a lot of trust in teachers right now so that's why many administrators both at the government level and at the district level often fall back on what's easiest to implement so that they feel like it's a fail safe.

01:00:24.270 So a lot of those curriculums that are just you know rote curriculum they're like OK well we can measure that and we can measure that the teacher's doing it properly. And we'll see some sort of results so let's just go with that. That wasn't my fault. Measure ability that just the be able to quantify. You do this week I guess you eat lessons 1 through 5. And I also think some of it's still like that cookie cutter mentality. This is how we always did it.

01:00:53.400 It's right. Worked for us before. That's an accounting thing. Exactly. Same as last year. Yeah. I no. Yeah. No if we don't count the small population and we don't count the small. Right. Without these outliers it works for this middle 80 percent. This is what eighth grade looks like. We can't change it for another I mean maybe not a lot of trust in students children in general. You know that's true too. I find that a lot of kids are so much more capable than what the adults in their life let them be.

01:01:23.130 You know what I mean. And I think that's a myth. Yeah. The minute you lose a step outside of the classroom they seem like they can do all of these great things and then you put them inside the classroom and then they're just stifled into because it's just not the environment that right. Yeah. And I get the other side of it too though I guess just to play devil's advocate because part of me listening to this is thinking like like my mind is exploding like no I I need to make sure that this student is spending 45 minutes on science every day. And how do I know that.

01:01:54.020 And so I'm picturing like OK I'd have to have an excel spreadsheet and I. You know. I. Think we're definitely very anti a lot about the science method. In other areas besides. Right. That's right. You just have to. You have to. You just have to let go of some of that OCD which is maybe it is a challenge I think for a lot of people myself included for sure. You think about it. You have three years to gain the curriculum right. You have to gain it in a year.

01:02:20.940 So if a child moves really quickly in that science area and they're getting to that next level that's great. But if the child is really struggling they have three years. All right. Well and it's not like our model right now is perfect. There are children left behind. There are children that are missing these core things. All right. So it's not like we can sit and look but we know that this works. But I'm part I think is teachers are also being left behind because they're expected to teach in a certain way. Right. Right. And they're not allowed to.

01:02:51.630 Yes. And then they're going to get burnout and be unhappy in it. And you're not going to get the results that you could adopt. Right. Exactly. So tell us how. Like how if you're a parent and you're interested in this for your child how do they do that. They get on the you and K waiting list we go to the UK waiting on the Web. Here's a place where you can get on the waiting list. Now the actual Montessori rooms will not be open until a year from now. OK. To give us time to find a.

01:03:20.730 Trained moderate or a teacher. I was going to have excellent on the program know an excellent trained professional Montessori teacher that will do the job that we want to do with the monastery and um and I look at that the you know work on teaching the other teachers some of the qualities if not the exact training so we could make it an entire center of Montessori learning that would be what I would like to see and I'm and I'm not really that first standard but to me a lot of it is common sense.

01:03:58.300 We need to let the children learn how they have the best and make an individualized. I think that's one reason I became a special education teacher in the first place because I understand that part time I think oh so ahead I was going to say if you're looking for Montessori in an area maybe where there isn't Montessori ask in local schools ask your local elementary schools have you ever thought of implementing Montessori here.

01:04:26.380 It can never hurt and many times public Montessori exists because of parent pressure and influence because they're interested in this. And if you have a large enough group of parents who are interested in a certain method you can create change at your school district level. You just need to do it in the right way and obviously in a positive way right. Right. But bring the research bring the advocacy at that level with parents who are interested in that.

01:04:55.540 And if you're looking at an early child hood center so say you have a toddler or preschooler ask if you're a local center can implement some of these ideas maybe they already are and you might not know about it right. Or maybe you know mention you know you and K has this Montessori teacher education program maybe that's a good fit for you if you're looking for a degree or you're looking for a program or a new hire or something you know exactly or I could.

01:05:25.630 Send my provider for a tour perhaps. Yes you've got an eyelash too. It absolutely can. Yeah be a good day. And so I always wrap up our discussions with two questions the first one is. If you wanted to boil down our discussion into one quake talking point. What is Montessori. Why is it important. I would say there's an hour in town and Montessori is child directed individualized learning.

01:05:54.220 And it really can have a benefit for both the teacher the family and the child. So. Yeah. And then the second one is we want you to do our jobs for us. Yes. Is there. You don't know a lot about that you would love to hear a discussion in this one about. It can be anything. Yeah. I think I would like to hear more about some of the U.N.

01:06:21.370 nemeses like specialty programs like occupational therapy or physical therapy and how they're providing not only training to people here in the area of Kearney but thinking about the future like where those folks when they graduate going and what kind of jobs are they doing and what does that field look like. Because I think a lot of. People in the community might not be as well versed in what is occupational therapy or what is physical occupational therapy is a hard one to get your head around.

01:06:53.760 I've actually thought about that a little bit. I have a brother that's a physical therapist but he does hiring of that kind of thing and I've kind of wondered Yeah because there's reason regional therapy is civically ads. And then there's the speech therapy component of that which even helps with like swallowing that stuff just the I don't understand. So S. language clinic in the College of Education that provides support to families adults and children with.

01:07:22.170 Speech difficulties and they work on swallowing eating. Yeah feeding as well as speech. Yes. And they provide some of their services over the Internet. Wow they like Skype like right video hmm because some of the more rural areas of the state don't have access to his speech therapist on that. Thank you guys so much for joining us today and teaching us a little something.

01:07:50.060 And I guess if you would like more information you go to. Do you have a Web site. Yeah you can go to the UK Web site. U.N. K Dot EDI u backslash Montessori if you're interested in the monastery. Teacher Education Program. And for the plan back center. It's just you go to the UK website and type in Islamic center and it'll take you to that site. Yep. And plants selling is he l A am B. Easy. Okay got it.

01:08:19.380 And then auction. Actually. Also can you spell Montessori because I try it to two S's or two hours notice to ss n t e s s o r i. Okay all right. Well a lesson I. Learned at our own pace. All right. Well thank you very much. We had a great time. Thanks. And that's all for us. Thank you so much. Thanks for listening.