ALL KINDS OF MINDS SCHOOL OF DISTINCTION
Woodinville Montessori School
First Washington State School Chosen for National Recognition
As America looks for examples of innovation in education, all eyes are focused on Bothell, Washington’s Woodinville Montessori School.
Woodinville Montessori School is among the first schools selected by the All Kinds of Minds Institute, a national not-for-profit organization based in Durham, North Carolina, as one of its Schools of Distinction. This prestigious designation recognizes schools around the world having embraced the organization’s vision of every student finding success in school and life through the practice of “teaching to how minds are wired to learn.” Woodinville Montessori School’s mission of “facilitating the optimal intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual development of children using Montessori and contemporary educational methods,” is aligned with All Kinds of Minds’ belief that all students should have opportunities for success in school and in life.
Woodinville Montessori School began embracing All Kinds of Minds philosophies in 2008, showing a strong commitment to embedding the science of learning into the art of teaching throughout its classroom and school curricula and school life programs. Woodinville Montessori Head of School, Mary Schneider shares, “As Woodinville Montessori marked the beginning of its 25th year, we wanted to expand our ability to effectively tackle the learning impasses we’d seen in students—to identify student learning strengths, affinities, and challenges—and to help students understand their own unique learning profiles. The new knowledge we gained through our All Kinds of Minds experience is helping us to achieve that goal.”
All Kinds of Minds’ Schools of Distinction designation is earned by schools (worldwide) demonstrating a relentless focus on student success through application of the latest scientific research on learning and its variations. At least fifty percent of faculty members in Schools of Distinction are applying expertise on brain-based learning acquired through programs offered by All Kinds of Minds. These educators use new knowledge and tools to understand learning struggles encountered by students, identify unique strengths and talents, and integrate teaching strategies for how each student learns. To date, only 27 such schools have earned this distinction.
“Woodinville Montessori School is remarkable, not only because they’ve invested resources in acquiring new programs, but because they make this new research on learning work for students. In doing so, they demonstrate how education can be transformed so all students are on a path to success in school and life,” says Mary-Dean Barringer, CEO of All Kinds of Minds. She added, “Effective schools teach students in ways compatible with how their minds are wired to learn. This results in a strong academic foundation while nurturing the innovative and creative minds required by the 21st century.”
For more information on the Schools of Distinction program visit
http://www.allkindsofminds.org/woodinville-montessori-school