Milwaukee Montessori School

Why MMS?

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August 3, 2023

MMS was established in 1961 as one of the first Montessori schools in America, and that level of continuity, history, and experience matters because after graduating generations of students who now have their own children and grandchildren at MMS, we know what it takes to position your child for success in High School and beyond. Our methods and environment are so well respected that our 8th grade graduates average half a million dollars in High School scholarships annually.


MMS is independent


MMS is independent in the truest sense of the word. Independent schools offer mission-driven education. All of the work we collectively do on behalf of your child is driven by our unique philosophy, values, and approach to teaching, which we express in our mission: Educating youngsters to become an informed, committed and difference-making generation. 


Why do we exist?


As an independent school, also known as a private school, we are dedicated to expanding the human potential of all children for the purpose of educating them for a freer, safer, world.  The work of our faculty and staff is rooted in our belief in democracy, personal freedom, solidarity with those at the periphery of society, the well-being of our planet, and educating children to become informed, engaged, ethically minded citizens for the world that they will inherit.

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We hold high standards so every child is academically challenged


MMS nurtures intellectual curiosity, stimulates personal growth, encourages critical thinking, a growth mindset, a robust work ethic, and promotes a love of learning. Every child is known, challenged, and invested in. More students in independent schools enroll in advanced courses upon High School matriculation than in public or parochial schools. On average, 93% of our 8th-grade graduating class enrolls in one or more AP-level courses in their freshman year.

By Monica Van Aken April 4, 2025
According to their most recent test scores, every MMS 8th grader will graduate as an advanced reader, well above grade level some at the High School level, others at a college level and yes, a handful are reading as graduate students. This statistic is, to put it mildly, absurdly excellent. But nationally, a different trend is emerging, one of a discouraging decline in reading scores. According to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NEAP), only 30% of 8th graders in the United States read at or above a proficient level. In Wisconsin where scores are continuing to slip, only 31% of 4th and 8th graders are able to meet proficiency standards in reading. So why are middle schoolers across the country struggling with comprehension on standardized tests? A growing body of research points to an overlooked culprit: multisyllabic decoding . Many students can read simple words, but they stumble when faced with complex academic vocabulary. In other words, students can read “photograph” but struggle when confronted with the pronunciation of “photosynthesis.” If decoding skills aren’t automatic, comprehension suffers and it’s a bottleneck that is halting growth for 70% of American students by middle school. But not at MMS.  The prevailing thought in most schools is that once students are taught to read, they can read to learn, but we know at MMS that this is fundamentally untrue. In our Children’s House, our 3-6 year old students learn fundamental decoding skills. In Lower Elementary, our students in grades 1-3 learn the Dolch Sight Words: these are the thousand most commonly used words in the English language. We continue to build and reinforce sophisticated decoding skills by asking students to read non-fiction books and complete book reports about them. We also ask parents to read aloud with their children every single night to develop reading fluency and listen as their children decode the ever-more complex words in their non-fiction books. Finally, students in Lower Elementary use a program called Lexia that focuses on decoding skills that will apply through middle school texts. In 4th grade, when many American students seem to hit a wall in their reading progress, MMS students are decoding more complex words using Reading Plus and IXL. These are both reading tools that measure reading speed, decoding capacity, and comprehension. In addition, our students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade read 27 novels a year, far surpassing the average of public schools that relegate reading to textbooks and short passages. MMS Junior High students read a whopping 53 books per year in both 7th and 8th grade, and our reading list is formidable. Titles include Antigone , Macbeth , The Great Gatsby , and Animal Farm . Large portions of these works are read aloud in class, introducing students to difficult new vocabulary while explaining its pronunciation and meaning. This is the perfect instructional strategy for improving multisyllabic decoding. They continue to work through the entire Reading Plus program until they test out at the 12th-grade level. The result? While the national trend shows students stalling out, MMS students are accelerating. According to the latest NAEP assessments, only 4% of American students read at the advanced level. In contrast, 100% of MMS 8th graders scored in the advanced range on this year’s winter assessments. That’s no accident. We’re using a time-tested program that builds and sharpens the key skills essential for long-term success. Monica Van Aken, Ed.D
By Monica Van Aken, Ed.D. March 31, 2025
Last year, when we ordered Jonathon Haidt’s then-new book, The Anxious Generation, we knew it would be a seminal book based on its topic, and it also confirmed that our instincts about technology use among children have been spot on. Haidt proposes four norms that can help restore children to a healthy childhood despite the creep of technology into every area of their lives. At MMS, we had already adopted those norms by 2008, when we became among the very first paperless elementary and middle schools in the nation, earning us recognition as one of six “Schools of the Future,” by the National Association of Independent Schools. Through foresight and implementing these norms over the last fifteen years, we have been able to hold back the tide of problems other schools have had to address. While we are a high-tech school, it should be clear that our version of tech training doesn’t include ‘passive screen time.’ At Milwaukee Montessori, technology is not a distraction, but a sophisticated tool for intellectual development, creativity, and academic excellence.
By Monica Van Aken, Ed.D. November 21, 2024
Comedy is the Most Difficult Genre of Writing
Is Your Civics Knowledge on Par with an MMS Graduate?
By Ben Riggs October 10, 2024
Upon graduating from Milwaukee Montessori School (MMS), your student is likely more prepared to be an engaged citizen than many college graduates! But the question is, are you as prepared as an MMS student?
Who are these kids? – A Backyard Goat Experience for MMS Students
By Zack Weil October 7, 2024
Read more to learn why goats have taken over our backyard. Their presence is good for the environment, educational, and entertaining.
Master Animation & Art | Techniques, Tips, and Inspiration
By Zack Weil October 7, 2024
Unleash your creativity with expert tips and techniques in animation and art. Dive into the world of digital and traditional art forms. Start your artistic journey today.
Recess: A Favorite Part of School Day at Milwaukee Montessori School
By Zack Weil August 26, 2024
Discover why recess at Milwaukee Montessori School is more than just playtime. Explore how unstructured, student-led breaks contribute to children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development.
By Zack Weil July 23, 2024
At MMS , students are avid readers. They begin reading simple Mac and Tab books, then carry a homework folder back and forth for five years and read to their parents to improve oral reading and reading mechanics. Once in upper elementary, our students read one novel , historical fiction, non-fiction, or fiction every other week, and many read more. But why is reading so important for students, and why is reading a full novel (and not the abridged textbook version) so important? Books, more than anything else, teach students about empathy. Maybe not always explicitly, but even the most horrible and villainous characters ever created have some trace of humanity within them. We learn through the mistakes our protagonists make and experience the triumph of their successes when they finally (usually) defeat the evils that plague them. This ability to experience stories through the safety of the page means that we as readers can live through all the horrors of war, the ecstasy of solving a crime, or beating a rival in a championship clinch moment without having to change our lives to do so. 
Ice Storm 2024 Student Drone Racing
By Monica Van Aken, Ed.D. May 8, 2024
The pulse-pounding excitement of our student Ice Storm Drone Racing Competition at the Pettit Center last weekend was an electrifying spectacle to behold!
Junior high students engaging in parliamentary debate at MMS
By Monica Van Aken Ed.D and Ben Riggs author of Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons & Dragons May 7, 2024
Empowering Early Voices: How MMS Junior High Students Master Debate by Seventh Grade
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