Information Sciences

Library

The school library plays an indispensable role in our school community—serving as a welcoming space and an essential resource for students, teachers, staff, and parents. In addition to learning library and research skills, the library program encourages students to think independently and critically, participate in group discussions, and of course—read!

The MSM Library is open from 8:15AM-3:30PM. In addition to weekly grade-specific library visits, students may visit the library throughout the school day. The librarian seeks to instill a love of literature, learning, and curiosity through the use of: projects, games, special reading programs, reading books aloud, book-talks, and storytelling.

Every week, the librarian reads to the toddler classes in the toddler classroom. Four and five-year-old children in Primary visit the library each week for afternoon story-time. During the kindergarten year of Primary, students visit the library for beginning library instruction, story-time, and to check-out books. The Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary library programs build upon previously introduced library skills, culminating with the acquisition of research skills necessary to find, evaluate, and communicate information. Students in Lower and Upper Elementary also visit the library to locate appropriate resources for class projects and select books for recreational reading.

The librarian collaborates with teachers to ensure that library materials match the needs of the students, as well as enhance classroom learning and exploration.

Technology Lab

Technology Lab Overview

MSM views technology as a Practical Life skill. Computers and other technology are a part of life in the 21st century, and we strive to provide our students with the skills that they need in the modern world.

The Montessori School of McLean promotes understanding of the use of technology to meet national and state standards, and is incorporated in a way that conforms as much as possible to the Montessori environment. Both the use of technology and its application as a tool serve to supplement and enhance learning. MSM’s Technology Program is designed to align with the American Montessori Society’s Technology Position Statement.

MSM is dedicated to maintaining a strong academic foundation with its Technology curriculum. The work at all levels of the program is fun, yet purposeful, and MSM does not offer computer game-playing as a substitute for a rich and rewarding program. Use of Technology as an additional tool and method of discovery never replaces traditional Montessori methods and materials with respect to learning new concepts and ideas. Technology is used mainly as a tool which with students can express or demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of concepts, through images, text, and sound. Technology is used to offer opportunities for enhancing and extending classroom and library resources by providing additional interesting, diverse, and current information via the internet. The structure and content of MSM’s Technology program aims to best meet the specific needs and interests of each student.  As much as possible, projects reflect integration with Montessori classroom content, enrichment class content, and/or whole-school programs.

Related Websites:

Practice Mouse Control Skills:

TVOKids

Mouse Program

PBS Kids

Practice Reading:

Starfall

Practice Typing:

DanceMat

More Typing Sites

Digital Citizenship

Resources for families in the digital age:

Events:

– “LIKE” Documentary Screenings –

Sponsored by McLean Safe Community Coalition

Thursday, October 10, 7:00-8:30pm in the Langley High School Auditorium, &

Tuesday, October 15, 7:00-8:30pm in the McLean High School Auditorium

– MSM Online Safety Seminar –

Facilitated by our Technology teacher, Dr. Janet Lee, and our Librarian, Mrs. Lindsay Long. This seminar will be presented twice this year:

Friday, October 18, 8:45-9:45am, &

Thursday, October 24, 6:00-7:00pm

Click here to view the slideshow from this presentation!

Books:

Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World by Devorah Heitner

Raising Humans in a Digital World: Helping Kids Build a Healthy Relationship with Technology by Diana Graber

Technology hardware tools include, but are not limited to: 

PC laptops with a mouse, printers and scanners.

Technology software tools include, but are not limited to: 

The Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher), GSuite for Education, Microsoft Movie Maker, Google Earth, Google Distance Calculator.

Kindergarten Students: The Montessori Model

Technology lessons are offered to all Kindergarten students once they meet the Program’s readiness criteria. Together, the Montessori classroom teacher and the Technology teacher will assess readiness, interest, and appropriate use of Technology lessons for each student. Duration and content of Technology lessons will vary from child to child to allow for students to follow their own interests, to learn as appropriate to their individual styles and needs. Technology lessons will be offered by the Technology Teacher to individual students and to small groups in the Tech Lab.

Lower Elementary Students: The Enrichment Class Model

MSM provides Technology lessons at the Lower Elementary level to all students via pull-out Enrichment class sessions, and students are divided into groups according to grade level. Students will progress from lessons with teacher-prompted instruction to lessons in which they work at their own pace. Work will progress to include projects with increased flexibility and personal input.

Upper Elementary Students: The Enrichment-Montessori Hybrid Model

MSM provides Technology lessons at the Upper Elementary level to students via pull-out Enrichment class sessions, and also provide opportunities within the Montessori classroom for work with Technology. In Enrichment class sessions, students are divided into mixed-grade-level groups, with group size at a maximum of ten. Opportunities for extension of Technology Enrichment class projects as well as additional work with Technology will be available in the Montessori classroom. Work at this level includes projects in which students work at their own pace or that will require small- or whole-group collaboration. Most projects will have the basic structure defined by the teacher, but require personal or group input and decision-making. The Technology teacher coordinates with the Montessori classroom teacher on a regular basis and, when possible, with other Enrichment Class teachers, to implement projects which directly support and enhance classroom curriculum.