Transition from Montessori to Public school for older kids

[Anonymous]

My little one got a seat at Breakthrough Montessori. I’m familiarizing myself with montessori approach now and interested to hear how the transition has been with older kids who completed elementary at a montessori then transitioned to a public/or private middle school?

[Anonymous]

In my experience it's fine if they're generally on grade level and okay with less choice and control. But if they've fallen behind or have an undiagnosed SN, or you're doing Montessori to accommodate a lack of flexibility, then it's hard

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my experience it's fine if they're generally on grade level and okay with less choice and control. But if they've fallen behind or have an undiagnosed SN, or you're doing Montessori to accommodate a lack of flexibility, then it's hard

I worry about this, but what ARE you supposed to do with a kid who is miserable in traditional school because of likely SNs including lack of flexibility? Like are you supposed to just wait for traditional school to "break" them, or do you just suffer or what?

Also, are you speaking as a parent who did Montessori and transitioned to regular school, or a teacher in regular school has worked with kids coming from Montessori, or something else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my experience it's fine if they're generally on grade level and okay with less choice and control. But if they've fallen behind or have an undiagnosed SN, or you're doing Montessori to accommodate a lack of flexibility, then it's hard

We have a diagnosed SN of speech therapy. I’m assuming the same therapy support of an OT is available in the montessori public schools as is a traditional public school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience it's fine if they're generally on grade level and okay with less choice and control. But if they've fallen behind or have an undiagnosed SN, or you're doing Montessori to accommodate a lack of flexibility, then it's hard

I worry about this, but what ARE you supposed to do with a kid who is miserable in traditional school because of likely SNs including lack of flexibility? Like are you supposed to just wait for traditional school to "break" them, or do you just suffer or what?

Also, are you speaking as a parent who did Montessori and transitioned to regular school, or a teacher in regular school has worked with kids coming from Montessori, or something else?

You're supposed to try to help them become more flexible gradually throughout elementary school, so that they are more prepared.

I'm a Montessori parent and parent of older kids who went from Montessori elementary to non-Montessori middle school who has seen this play out many a time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience it's fine if they're generally on grade level and okay with less choice and control. But if they've fallen behind or have an undiagnosed SN, or you're doing Montessori to accommodate a lack of flexibility, then it's hard

We have a diagnosed SN of speech therapy. I’m assuming the same therapy support of an OT is available in the montessori public schools as is a traditional public school?

Yes, but it would be a SLP not an OT, most likely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience it's fine if they're generally on grade level and okay with less choice and control. But if they've fallen behind or have an undiagnosed SN, or you're doing Montessori to accommodate a lack of flexibility, then it's hard

I worry about this, but what ARE you supposed to do with a kid who is miserable in traditional school because of likely SNs including lack of flexibility? Like are you supposed to just wait for traditional school to "break" them, or do you just suffer or what?

Also, are you speaking as a parent who did Montessori and transitioned to regular school, or a teacher in regular school has worked with kids coming from Montessori, or something else?

You're supposed to try to help them become more flexible gradually throughout elementary school, so that they are more prepared.

I'm a Montessori parent and parent of older kids who went from Montessori elementary to non-Montessori middle school who has seen this play out many a time.

So you don't have or work with SN kids for whom rigidity is an issue? You are just sitting back and judging other families?

OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience it's fine if they're generally on grade level and okay with less choice and control. But if they've fallen behind or have an undiagnosed SN, or you're doing Montessori to accommodate a lack of flexibility, then it's hard

I worry about this, but what ARE you supposed to do with a kid who is miserable in traditional school because of likely SNs including lack of flexibility? Like are you supposed to just wait for traditional school to "break" them, or do you just suffer or what?

Also, are you speaking as a parent who did Montessori and transitioned to regular school, or a teacher in regular school has worked with kids coming from Montessori, or something else?

You're supposed to try to help them become more flexible gradually throughout elementary school, so that they are more prepared.

I'm a Montessori parent and parent of older kids who went from Montessori elementary to non-Montessori middle school who has seen this play out many a time.

So you don't have or work with SN kids for whom rigidity is an issue? You are just sitting back and judging other families?

OK.

No, I'm suggesting that helping them to become less rigid can benefit them before the transition. I know it isn't always very successful, but it's kind of a tough transition if you don't even try to help them be more prepared.

If other parents choose not to acknowledge a challenge or special needs, I suppose they have their reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience it's fine if they're generally on grade level and okay with less choice and control. But if they've fallen behind or have an undiagnosed SN, or you're doing Montessori to accommodate a lack of flexibility, then it's hard

I worry about this, but what ARE you supposed to do with a kid who is miserable in traditional school because of likely SNs including lack of flexibility? Like are you supposed to just wait for traditional school to "break" them, or do you just suffer or what?

Also, are you speaking as a parent who did Montessori and transitioned to regular school, or a teacher in regular school has worked with kids coming from Montessori, or something else?

You're supposed to try to help them become more flexible gradually throughout elementary school, so that they are more prepared.

I'm a Montessori parent and parent of older kids who went from Montessori elementary to non-Montessori middle school who has seen this play out many a time.

So you don't have or work with SN kids for whom rigidity is an issue? You are just sitting back and judging other families?

OK.

No, I'm suggesting that helping them to become less rigid can benefit them before the transition. I know it isn't always very successful, but it's kind of a tough transition if you don't even try to help them be more prepared.

If other parents choose not to acknowledge a challenge or special needs, I suppose they have their reasons.

Any child transitioning from Montessori needs to be prepared for the transition.

A parent who chose Montessori specifically because their child has high rigidity is obviously aware of the issue and is looking for solutions. Montessori might be viewed as a viable solution because rather than meeting their rigidity with even greater rigidity (the traditional school model) it meet rigidity with empowerment. It says "you are responsible for your own actions and choices, you are empowered to make good choices." Not all Montessori schools are right for all kids with high rigidity, but it's one viable solution and a paren who is struggling with a child who has this issue is obviously aware of their child's specific challenges, and know how the traditional school model can make it particularly hard.

It really sounds like you just like to sit back and criticize parents dealing with SN kids by quietly judging them when there are struggles. There are always struggles. A parent in this situation could be doing everything they can to prepare their kid for the transition and it might still not go smoothly. Assuming bad faith is just par for the course in the way parents of SN kids cannot win -- when they are successful, not one notices (even if it took enormous effort for them to help their child do something other families take for granted) and when they are not successful, it's always all their fault and never, ever due to the fact that parenting kids with SN is hard.

[Anonymous]

Mom of multiple Montessori kids. When my kids were younger, I could not imagine a time when they’d be ready for traditional school. By the time 4th grade hit I was contemplating switching them early. Montessori can work flawlessly all the way to 5th grade, but the reality is that most kids are ready for a traditional approach around 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mom of multiple Montessori kids. When my kids were younger, I could not imagine a time when they’d be ready for traditional school. By the time 4th grade hit I was contemplating switching them early. Montessori can work flawlessly all the way to 5th grade, but the reality is that most kids are ready for a traditional approach around 3rd grade.

Thank you for the insight. And how were they academically once they transitioned compared to the traditional public school students?

[Anonymous]

It would be interesting to track performance of each elementary school's graduates in middle school, but I don't think the data is available.

I will say, OP, that test scores for Lee and Shining Stars are pretty low relative to demographics. Not sure whether that will be true for Breakthrough in the years to come, as the upper grades there are still pretty new. Of course, you will hear Montessori fans explaining away the test scores ("we don't teach to the test", "the kids are so independent-minded they don't take tests if they don't want to", "our parents oppose testing and keep their kids out"), but the bottom line is a lot of kids are below grade level. I don't know if that is concerning to you, OP, or whether you accept those explanations, but I think the transition to middle school is harder for kids who haven't mastered the elementary curriculum. No preschool parent thinks *their* kid will be the one to score badly, but it is happening to some kids every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be interesting to track performance of each elementary school's graduates in middle school, but I don't think the data is available.

I will say, OP, that test scores for Lee and Shining Stars are pretty low relative to demographics. Not sure whether that will be true for Breakthrough in the years to come, as the upper grades there are still pretty new. Of course, you will hear Montessori fans explaining away the test scores ("we don't teach to the test", "the kids are so independent-minded they don't take tests if they don't want to", "our parents oppose testing and keep their kids out"), but the bottom line is a lot of kids are below grade level. I don't know if that is concerning to you, OP, or whether you accept those explanations, but I think the transition to middle school is harder for kids who haven't mastered the elementary curriculum. No preschool parent thinks *their* kid will be the one to score badly, but it is happening to some kids every year.

You can look at DCI and compare middle schoolers from LAMB versus those from Yu Ying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mom of multiple Montessori kids. When my kids were younger, I could not imagine a time when they’d be ready for traditional school. By the time 4th grade hit I was contemplating switching them early. Montessori can work flawlessly all the way to 5th grade, but the reality is that most kids are ready for a traditional approach around 3rd grade.

Thank you for the insight. And how were they academically once they transitioned compared to the traditional public school students?

My kids are doing incredible. 90% on all MAP scores and 4/5 on PARCC, BUT I think a huge reason for their success was that I ensured they had a tutor and were up to speed. I think it’s very possible for a Montessori upper elementary student to skate on through and spend a lot of time goofing off, socializing, reading, and drawing and not enough time on reading and math. And I think it’s a rare find to encounter a Montessori teacher who is ensuring kids are pushing themselves. I would never ever join a Montessori school at 3rd grade. It’s just not the same. Early childhood education with the Montessori curriculum is amazing, but you’d be hard pressed to find many success stories at 3rd grade and over. Just my opinion.

[Anonymous]

I personally think the Montessori model more closely reflects how we live as adults, and students feel more respected by it. The traditional model is extremely rigid and if a student appreciates the autonomy the Montessori classroom provides, they will struggle with the lack of control and it could lead to not loving school as much. Academically, they will still be able to do well if they had been doing well previously. Now if a student has always struggled with the autonomy in the Montessori classroom, the structure of the traditional classroom could be what they need. So really, it all depends on the child. I don't think there are many cases in which the transition would hurt a child academically though, I would just be aware of mental health.