Montessori Schools - Any thoughts?

[screwtop]

Who better to ask than a group of motorcyclists about pre-school options?

So how 'bout it? Do any of you have children enrolled in Montessori school? If so, I'd be interested in any pros/cons you may be willing to share.

Thanks!

[WildBlue]

I will take the risk of getting doghoused.

They sound great. We looked into them for our 3 year old but ultimately decided against.

Why? Because I will teach my child about religious choices. No one else.

[tessler]

I will take the risk of getting doghoused.

They sound great. We looked into them for our 3 year old but ultimately decided against.

Why? Because I will teach my child about religious choices. No one else.
I didn't know that Montessoris were religious institutions.

[wsteinborn]

I don't think they are.

At least not for the 2 years or so I had my daughter there. (6 months to 2.5 years or 3 years old)

They did teach them fun activities like folding socks and cleaning windows. :brad

[crazydrummerdude]

FWIW, one of the nicest people I know volunteered and eventually started working at one and she loves it.

After reading up on it, it seems kinda cool.

[KGT1200]

I manage a building just outside of Minneapolis that has a very large Montessori school. From my understanding, the method of teaching was developed orignally for developmentally disabled kids, but now is a widely accepted teaching style that focuses on learning by phonics and self directed activity.

Most of the kids I see at this place seem well adjusted, seem always busy, but I don't see teachers climbing over them with activities; instead, the little buggars have the option to choose from a variety of learning activites.
They read a whole lot to kids, even during other activities, and the kids (mostly preschool) see well adjusted and happy.


I should of had this style of teaching, they may of taught me to spel!:blah

Red

[JK]

Who better to ask than a group of motorcyclists about pre-school options?

So how 'bout it? Do any of you have children enrolled in Montessori school? If so, I'd be interested in any pros/cons you may be willing to share.

Thanks!

Hi ST -

My first two did Montessori for their first two years of schooling (3 to 5). My daughter wound up graduating magna cum laude from college and valedictorian from high school. She took 3 AP courses in high school, while my son took 5 AP courses and looks forward to graduating college this Spring.

Proof's in the pudding; and they still remember their Montessori experience, plus the names of classmates and teachers.

My wife did the duties with the next two by way of play groups.

Bottom line, if there's a Montisorri near by, jump on it, because there's usually a waiting list for the good ones. They teach kids how to think, not what to think.


J.K. :wow

P.S. Ask your kids after two weeks, and their level of enthusiasm should endorse your decision. :wave

[clowry]

Seems like a great system to me. I did a co-op term at one in high school years ago. The biggest drawback I could see was that the lsystem, at least in our area, doesn't continue past about 8th grade. By then, the students' level of education is so high that it's tough to integrate them into a regular high school curriculum. The kids I worked with were doing first year high school math in grade 4 or so.

[Vagabird]

Bottom line, if there's a Montisorri near by, jump on it, because there's usually a waiting list for the good ones. They teach kids how to think, not what to think.

P.S. Ask your kids after two weeks, and their level of enthusiasm should endorse your decision. :wave

I wholeheartedly agree. My daughter attended Montessori school grades 2-6. We could barely afford it at the time, but it is probably the best decision we made for her. It is a great system and develops the whole person. If you can get your child into Montessori, go for it.

P.S. It's not a religious school and does not teach religion. That's up to you and your church.

[alien_hitchhiker]

One more -
My daughter attended a Montessori in Chapel Hill, NC.

Montessori is one of the most successful education models, ever. They also tend to attract incredible educators and highly involved/supportive families.

[Fritzc]

My niece went to one through the sixth grade. She had a terrible time throughout and things didn't get any better, eventually a high school drop out and hopeless alcoholic and unwed mother. Grandma is raising the baby. I'm not blaming the Montessori school but it is my only experience. Of course I may be prejudiced because I was a public school teacher for 31 years and tire of hearing how great the "alternative" education system is.:violin

[WildBlue]

I didn't know that Montessoris were religious institutions.

I don't think they are.

At least not for the 2 years or so I had my daughter there. (6 months to 2.5 years or 3 years old)

They did teach them fun activities like folding socks and cleaning windows. :brad

Maybe it's just the one close to me.

Hooray Bible Belt.

[tessler]

Maybe it's just the one close to me.

Hooray Bible Belt.Hey Chris, :wave
My family lives in Aiken, so I know what you're talkin' about. :thumb

I have cousins in Memphis who's daughter attended their local Montessori and they were pleased with the level of education and overall experience for her.

[WildBlue]

Hey Chris, :wave
My family lives in Aiken, so I know what you're talkin' about. :thumb

I have cousins in Memphis who's daughter attended their local Montessori and they were pleased with the level of education and overall experience for her.

Yeah, I should add that I have heard nothing but wonderful things about Montessori Schools.

Luckily for us, there is a comparable priced EXCELLENT private school nearby that my daughter attends. The Senior class is usually 20-40 kids and regularly pulls in scholarships totaling in the millions.

[R100RS]

Ya, know, when I went to Montessori, it was about creative thinking and using your nogin. Now, it seems like they all are very structured and rigid and are good at churning out little robots.

We stopped looking at labels and picked a pre-school that we felt fit our children's needs.

[screwtop]

I really appreciate the replies. I still have some questions about the Montessouri philosophy that I will be asking at the interview, and some of your posts have given me food for thought.

This forum can be a good place to get a reality check on things. Throw another log on the campfire!!:thumb

[wsteinborn]

Just tell 'em a bunch of bikers recommended the place. :brad

[Beemer01]

There are HUGE variations between these schools - you need to understand the approach and then vist and interview as many as you can. We had a great one in Connecticut - when we moved to California I was agast at the awful quality of the one we visited.

Like anything else - buyer beware.

[535is]

:thumb

At least the one my daughter attended in the 2 years before beginning kindergarten. The thing I noticed most was that she became more methodical in doing manual tasks. That may have occurred anyway, but it seemed more conscious, and she took pride in how she did things, afterward. It was good for early socialization since we live in the middle of Nowhere and there were no neighbor kids around. Plus, they taught mutual respect and decorum to the children. Finally, they taught things that would not have occurred to us. It was certainly more valuable than keeping her in a daycare center where she would otherwise have been. She is an excellent student now beginning sixth grade - but who knows how much was Montessori.

FWIW, no noticeable religious overtones noted. I am a bit surprised to see it even mentioned.

[will3hawks]

My daughter worked in a university affiliated branch:

Pro:
Generally brighter teachers who think outside the box and teach the kids to do the same.
Smaller classes for more individual attention.
You get more creativity when more creativity is expected and practiced.

Con:
Their value system may or may not be in keeping with your own; my daughter told me that the teachers often referred to it as "Brat World" because they were told that they had to be tollerant of what many normal folks regard as bad behavior in the children. Essentially, if manners and a lack of temper tantrums are what you expect of your children, remember that they will be exposed to a system which is probably more tollerant of bad manners and bad behavior than most and they may come to think it's OK to act that way.

Regards,

Will

[WildBlue]

FWIW, no noticeable religious overtones noted. I am a bit surprised to see it even mentioned.

Shall I mail you the brochure from the local school as proof? It's ONE school, in the Bible Belt no less.

[Vagabird]

my daughter told me that the teachers often referred to it as "Brat World" because they were told that they had to be tollerant of what many normal folks regard as bad behavior in the children.

I'm a little surprised. The reason we sent my daughter to Montessori school in the 2nd grade was because we were encountering this attitude in the public school, that is the teachers were putting down the students. I never encountered that in Montessori. My daughter is now Montessori certified to teach and is director of a university day care. I know she wouldn't tolerate that kind of attitude in any of her staff.

The thing I really liked about my daughter's Montessori experience was that they taught her that she was a real person. She might be small and young in second grade, and her judgement wasn't developed, but that didn't mean she should accept any put-downs. She was expected to present herself well and work with the other kids and adults.

They took turns being class president. The president was to greet any adult visitors by looking them in the eye and shaking their hand and answering any questions the visitors had about the class. Each child also couldn't leave the classroom at the end of the day without looking the teacher in the eye and shaking his or her hand and, I think, saying something polite.

Like anything else, there are good schools and bad schools.