MEET CORINNE LUCK
Corinne Luck graduated from The University of Richmond with a marketing degree and received her Masters in Teaching from VCU. Her professional career has been rooted in the Ashland community. She has taught Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten at Henry Clay Elementary School and Kiddie Kingdom, Inc for 28 years.
She is married to Ross and they have 3 children: Carleigh, Peyton, and Davis. In her personal time, she loves walking and enjoying friends and family in downtown Ashland – she looks forward to walking to work! She volunteers and supports her church, community, and children’s activities in any way she can.
She has written and published two children’s books that have the theme of kindness woven into them. Her 3rd book will be released in 2022.
WHAT IS A DIRECTRESS?
In traditional teaching philosophies, a teacher instructs children and imparts knowledge upon them through lessons she has created. Students access knowledge through the teacher as they progress through the curriculum she has created. The teacher sets the learning schedule and objectives.
In contrast, a Montessori directress is the link that connects the children to the environment, only serving to gently guide students through their individual learning processes. She prepares the environment with appropriate materials, but her main objective is not to instruct the way a traditional teacher would. Her goal is to serve the children by observing them and by guiding the spirit within each child through work that creates joy and focus. As a result, children are able to independently interact with materials without the direct involvement of an adult.
Instead of the knowledge being held only within the adult, it is now within the environment, and children can freely follow their interests. This “freedom within limits” allows the directress to guide children as needed, rather than have instruction dictated by a structured curriculum.
ROLE OF THE DIRECTRESS
- Prepare a developmentally appropriate environment
- Observe students & interpret needs
- Encourage independence
- Support students and facilitate peaceful learning
- Incorporate nature
- Model respect and courteous behavior
“When reflecting on living and working in Ashland she commented, “There are not many places I go that I don’t run into someone that I taught, I love that! Loving and helping children learn and grow is so much more than a job. It is a passion and mission that I am excited to share with the ACP community. I always have 3 classroom rules: Work hard. Play nice. Be kind. Really, rules for us all.”
( – Corinne Luck)