Our Principal
Debbie Kelley has served as the Head of Brickton Montessori School since 1987. In her role as Principal/Executive Director, she is responsible for ensuring the quality of our Montessori programs and the day-to-day school operations. As Head of school and as a Board member, she works strategically with the Brickton Montessori Board of Directors to make sure that Brickton Montessori School is here for your children’s children.
Her vision of Montessori has inspired the faculty and administrative staff to model a climate of dynamic growth, courage, compassion and humor which has resulted in the school’s numerous accreditations. First introduced to Montessori in the mid 1970’s, she achieved her Montessori Preprimary Teacher Certification in 1978. She has been the lead teacher in both the preprimary classrooms (age 3-6) and 6-12 elementary classroom. Most recently she has enjoyed conducting a variety of classes with our Middle School students on drama, ethics and beading.
Debbie’s formal education was at Northeastern (BA) and National Louis (M Ed). Over the years she has taken a wide variety of continuing education and has presented seminars at both AMS and ASCD national conferences. This coming year, she will complete her class work at Kellogg School of Management, which will result in the distinction of being a “Kellogg Scholar.”
As our school principal, Debbie represents our school in the broader educational community. She has worked with both local and national Montessori organizations, serving as a teacher trainer, consultant, national conference co chair and workshop presenter. She completed her 5 year term as Commissioner on the AMS School Consultation and Accreditation Commission, serving as the Chair for her last 2 years of service.
Debbie has had the privilege of doing something she loves and being among great people for almost 40 years. She hopes that her 2 children, 2 grandchildren and the many, many children and families of Brickton will live a life of purpose, have the courage to reach for goodness, make glorious mistakes, and enjoy love. |
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Eye.Witness.
In a world centered at a child’s eye level, big discoveries are an everyday occurrence. Surrounded by inviting Montessori materials even the youngest child becomes a scientist, an explorer, a philosopher, a teacher—developing skills that are the foundation for a lifetime of learning. | |
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It’s Still About the Slide
Once upon a time, I was 5 years old and in Kindergarten. It was a traditional Kindergarten room, with small tables and chairs, a chalkboard, and books. There were also a few kid toys: blocks, little cars, puzzles, and dolls. In one corner of the room there was a slide.
Learning the “rules” was a big part of kindergarten. If it is time for your class to go from one point to another, stand in line, one person behind the other, and be quiet. If you have something to say, raise your hand and wait for the teacher to call on you. If you have to go to the bathroom, raise your hand and wait for the teacher to call on you. If you have something really important to say or really have to pee, wiggle a lot, hold your arm up high, angle it towards the teacher, and wiggle it vigorously. That, and a few whines of “Teacher, teacher” almost always guaranteed a quick response. If you finish your work, sit and wait until the teacher says it is time for something else. If you need help with something, raise your hand and wait until the teacher calls on you. Don’t ask the other children for help or help another child. Raise your hand. Wait for the teacher. Rules were rules and you were expected to follow them. And, for the most part, I did. But, in one corner of the room there was a slide.
For some very good five- year-old reason, my goal that year was to slide down the slide while holding a doll. Doesn’t sound like much of a challenge but there was a rule that forbade sliding while holding a doll. I didn’t get it. It didn’t appear dangerous. Unlike hand-raising and line forming, it didn’t seem to add to the efficiency and order of classroom life. I thought that I could do it successfully. In fact, I had secretly practiced this skill at the park so I knew that I was physically capable of climbing up the ladder and sliding down the slide while holding a doll. Frequent attempts to grab the doll and bolt up the ladder were aborted by a very agile and quick Kindergarten teacher. My parents were no help; they were firm in their resolve for me to follow the rules.
Sometime during the year, I made it down the slide with the doll. As my consequence, I was banned from doll and slide use for a long, long, long, long time. I think my parents made me go to bed early that night. It’s been about sliding with dolls ever since.
~Debbie Kelley 8/26/09 |
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