In the September 2022 edition of SRQ Magazine, we interviewed Tanya Ryskind, Head of School, NewGate Montessori School as part of our In Conversation feature with educational leaaders about current trends in education. Below is an excerpt published in the magazine in which Rysking shares her insights with SRQ readers.

How can educational institutions and parents help form kids that are able to handle stressors like we are seeing today?

I really think in today's culture, certainly Christian schools, parochial schools, Montessori schools, we call ourselves learning environments and communities. The stressors will always be there, but I know at our school, because we have different age groups with different appreciations of what's going on, it's very different to have a 10 year old talk about gun violence than it is to have a three year old use a stick and start shooting. I mean, there's one of innocence. And then there's one of trying to manage the world because they heard it on their older teenage brothers podcast. So I think that that's where our schools become places of transparency and consistency and we're going to be there for them when they ask us the tough questions, but we're not necessarily going to rub violence in their face. Montessori schools have a universal curriculum and we treat people the way we want to be treated. It is kind of a mutual, organic, beautiful respect and the foundation of our core values. And I think families and students of all ages feel that it's a visceral feeling when they're on our campuses and believe it because we model it every day. We wake up and, and find joy in living our best selves.

To read the full article, click here.