What is so great about montessori?

[Anonymous]

Montessori seems like it would create social weirdos--not something this society needs anymore of.

[Anonymous]

The Montessori's I've seen are among the best run preschools out there. If you mean social weirdness by encouraging all kids to be themselves instead of fitting an identical mold, I guess you're correct, but that is about it. I see many more cases of social issues with daycare centers than Montessori schools. And many Montessori schools encourage interaction all day long with children working together on work, observing others doing different work, and playing together in a peaceful way. They do have a little less playtime during the morning hours, but the children get enough playtime if your child is there all day. I was way more worried about social issues for children when I walked into a traditional kindergarten and saw that they had dividers up between children so they wouldn't copy each other's work as if this is something to worry about at such an early age. I like the exchange of ideas that Montessori schools provide while still encouraging children to respect differences.

[Anonymous]

I am on my second child in Montessori preschool. I agree you have to visit and get a feel for them. In addition to loving the teachers and "feeling" of the school I absolutely love Montessori materials and how tactile they are. It worked well for my oldest and is going great for my younger daughter. I also love how seriously they take children.

[Anonymous]

Love montessori!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Montessori seems like it would create social weirdos--not something this society needs anymore of.

Joke? I hope.

[Anonymous]

Hope it was a joke, too, PP!

[Anonymous]

I wanted to like the few Montessori schools I looked at but I just didn't. My son has a great imagination and I know he would try to use the materials in ways that were not "appropriate." Each school told me that he would have to use the materials the way he was taught and nothing else. I didn't want him to be scolded for using his imagination so I sent him somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

I teach montessori, and I allow children to be creative with the materials when it is appropriate. Furthermore, there are many creative opportunities in my classroom w/ the easel, searching the classroom for sink/float items, story dictation, collated, animal figurines to "play" with that reflect our continent study, playdough, and so on. It is more about the teacher, Imo.

[Anonymous]

*collages

[Anonymous]

I don't have any experience with Montessori myself, but my mom was a math teacher for a long time and as I was considering schools for my kids and asked her advice, she said the kids who came to her classroom from the montessori schools tended to be behind in certain areas compared to other kids, and had a hard time adjusting to the more structured environment of the traditional classroom (i.e. less self led, more teacher led). She found them to struggle with the adjustment (though she also said they were very creative). So seems like if you go montessorri, it might be best to commit to it for the longer term (so the kids are a bit older when they transition from the program into a more traditional school environment). HTH!

[Anonymous]

I'm curious. Behind how beyond not being able to follow all the directions of a traditional school setting? Also, I can't believe there were a lot of full day Montessori schools many years back. The schools may have changed some.

[Anonymous]

Would it be a horrible idea for me to send DD to a Montessori preschool then public K-12?

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering the same thing! (Or to be more specific, public 1-12, since the montessori we're looking at goes through the equivalent of K.)

[Anonymous]

I simply can't believe that Montessori children were very far behind in math. My child was just average or even behind others in the Montessori classroom and is now 2 years above what they are doing in public school easily. Math is not an area that most Montessori children are lacking in at least for preschool if they stay through kindergarten. It may not be the exact curriculum in which case there could be some small holes, but I think they would be quickly filled. Honestly the general public school math curriculum is borderline horrible and could really use more of Montessori's influence.

[Anonymous]

In response to the questions about transitioning.

Because of a late fall birthday and differing cut-offs, my DD did the Montessori K year (meaning only a longer day 4 days a week) and then transitioned to a traditional K. There were zero "bumps" in the road of the transition. She was ahead of the curve in reading and math in K and continues to be in first grade. My younger DD will be transitioning to public K after 2 years in Montessori. I am not expecting any problems with that transition.