MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee school is celebrating 50 years of using the Montessori teaching method.
It’s a method MacDowell Montessori School upper elementary teacher Roman Hribal-Kornilowicz is deeply familiar with.
He’s taught at the school for four years, but before that he was a student at MacDowell.
“Now working here is very cool. Some of my old teachers are still here. At first it was a little weird, I don’t want to say weird, but different. Now it’s great having a lifetime of memories here,” said Hribal-Kornilowicz.
The Montessori teaching method focuses on helping kids develop life skills, critical thinking and self confidence. Milwaukee Public Schools started the first Montessori school in the city in 1973.
Hribal-Kornilowicz said he loved learning through the method as a kid at MPS. That’s why he wants to pass it on to his students.
He said the program gives him the chance to teach each student for three years straight, allowing him to build strong relationships.
“I know where they have been. I know where I want them to go. I know where they are really strong. I know what areas and what skills I want them to improve,” said Hribal-Kornilowicz.
Andrea Corona is the principal at MacDowell. She said kids are given freedom in a Montessori education. At the same time, she said they are taught responsibility.
“Children have the ability to choose what work they are going to do first, what they will do second. They have a lot of time to engage in that independent exploration with content. But along with that freedom comes that responsibility to keep track of their work, to manage their priorities and timelines for work completion,” said Corona.
Corona said as the district celebrates this milestone, it is making it a priority to hire and train more licensed teachers.