Montessori parents: how do you know kids are on track?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great question and should be a useful conversation. We are at LAMB, with both lower elementary and primary students, and while I know my kids are progressing, it is an adjustment to not see grades on their quarterly reports. I am not suggesting however, that I want them to get grades and there are benchmarks and assessments that they take. For instance, they use one of the reading programs (A to Z? perhaps) that LAMB administrators believe has the best match to a Montessori curriculum and the reading levels do match up to a grade level. The kids read at their own pace and choose from a selection of books in the appropriate level. They have small reading groups that you can participate in once you reach a certain level, but the kids are at a vast spread of reading levels between 1st - 3rd grades that it doesn't come across as differentiated learning. I am still working to understand how math is assessed because it is very different in Montessori, but they do have to Master skills before they can move on to the next skill.

Looking forward to following this thread. I am thrilled with the Montessori system, but there is more I can learn about it.

Confused about this -- the math concepts taught in elementary are no different from traditional school. If your kid is an elementary student they can tell you about learning division, long division, long multiplication, fractions etc. My 1st grade lower elementary student is doing long division and long multiplication and learning about fractions (multiplying, dividing, equivalency etc). She has a great understanding of the decimal system and does simple math in her head almost instantly. I don't know what 1st graders are doing in other schools (or what other kids are doing in her class) but to me that sounds pretty advanced for a six year old, so I'm convinced she's "on track" without feeling the need for reports, tests or comparisons to her classmates.

Not to burst your bubble. I used to think that way until I heard teachers give us parents a little more detail on how math is acquired and assessed. Not saying it is here but what you describe could be a child taught a lot of arithmetic but not truly having developed a numbers sense. Or put differently: Anyone can teach a willing 6-year old how to do long divisions, doesn't mean he/she understands it; he/she just knows the right steps in the right order. So, as a parent you feel no worry because it looks so darn advanced. Meanwhile, another third grader's parents are wondering what to make of their child's is revisiting counting by numbers. Which of the two should be more worried? Not so intuitive but some will argue you should be the one worrying because that third grader is developing a better "numbers sense", which will provide a better foundation for advanced math come middle and high school. It's not trivial. This debate is at the heart of sometimes heated discussions about the Common Core.

You're not a parent of a Montessori elementary kid, are you?

If you are, you misunderstand the method entirely. You also misunderstand both my post and the point of this thread. Montessori is all about developing "number sense"and truly understanding what you are doing with numbers and understanding the decimal system typically before you even start doing math on paper in the traditional sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great question and should be a useful conversation. We are at LAMB, with both lower elementary and primary students, and while I know my kids are progressing, it is an adjustment to not see grades on their quarterly reports. I am not suggesting however, that I want them to get grades and there are benchmarks and assessments that they take. For instance, they use one of the reading programs (A to Z? perhaps) that LAMB administrators believe has the best match to a Montessori curriculum and the reading levels do match up to a grade level. The kids read at their own pace and choose from a selection of books in the appropriate level. They have small reading groups that you can participate in once you reach a certain level, but the kids are at a vast spread of reading levels between 1st - 3rd grades that it doesn't come across as differentiated learning. I am still working to understand how math is assessed because it is very different in Montessori, but they do have to Master skills before they can move on to the next skill.

Looking forward to following this thread. I am thrilled with the Montessori system, but there is more I can learn about it.

Confused about this -- the math concepts taught in elementary are no different from traditional school. If your kid is an elementary student they can tell you about learning division, long division, long multiplication, fractions etc. My 1st grade lower elementary student is doing long division and long multiplication and learning about fractions (multiplying, dividing, equivalency etc). She has a great understanding of the decimal system and does simple math in her head almost instantly. I don't know what 1st graders are doing in other schools (or what other kids are doing in her class) but to me that sounds pretty advanced for a six year old, so I'm convinced she's "on track" without feeling the need for reports, tests or comparisons to her classmates.

Yea, if I was you, I wouldn't be at all worried if my kid was on track or not. It's those of us with kids in Montessori who are not doing things like you kid who start to worry if our child is on track or not. Those with kids in K who are NOT reading or writing or doing math DO need assessments and comparisons and reports. I do wish my school provided me more of that and less "every kid is different" talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great question and should be a useful conversation. We are at LAMB, with both lower elementary and primary students, and while I know my kids are progressing, it is an adjustment to not see grades on their quarterly reports. I am not suggesting however, that I want them to get grades and there are benchmarks and assessments that they take. For instance, they use one of the reading programs (A to Z? perhaps) that LAMB administrators believe has the best match to a Montessori curriculum and the reading levels do match up to a grade level. The kids read at their own pace and choose from a selection of books in the appropriate level. They have small reading groups that you can participate in once you reach a certain level, but the kids are at a vast spread of reading levels between 1st - 3rd grades that it doesn't come across as differentiated learning. I am still working to understand how math is assessed because it is very different in Montessori, but they do have to Master skills before they can move on to the next skill.

Looking forward to following this thread. I am thrilled with the Montessori system, but there is more I can learn about it.

Confused about this -- the math concepts taught in elementary are no different from traditional school. If your kid is an elementary student they can tell you about learning division, long division, long multiplication, fractions etc. My 1st grade lower elementary student is doing long division and long multiplication and learning about fractions (multiplying, dividing, equivalency etc). She has a great understanding of the decimal system and does simple math in her head almost instantly. I don't know what 1st graders are doing in other schools (or what other kids are doing in her class) but to me that sounds pretty advanced for a six year old, so I'm convinced she's "on track" without feeling the need for reports, tests or comparisons to her classmates.

Not to burst your bubble. I used to think that way until I heard teachers give us parents a little more detail on how math is acquired and assessed. Not saying it is here but what you describe could be a child taught a lot of arithmetic but not truly having developed a numbers sense. Or put differently: Anyone can teach a willing 6-year old how to do long divisions, doesn't mean he/she understands it; he/she just knows the right steps in the right order. So, as a parent you feel no worry because it looks so darn advanced. Meanwhile, another third grader's parents are wondering what to make of their child's is revisiting counting by numbers. Which of the two should be more worried? Not so intuitive but some will argue you should be the one worrying because that third grader is developing a better "numbers sense", which will provide a better foundation for advanced math come middle and high school. It's not trivial. This debate is at the heart of sometimes heated discussions about the Common Core.

You're not a parent of a Montessori elementary kid, are you?

If you are, you misunderstand the method entirely. You also misunderstand both my post and the point of this thread. Montessori is all about developing "number sense"and truly understanding what you are doing with numbers and understanding the decimal system typically before you even start doing math on paper in the traditional sense.

Yea - all number sense in Montessori. The math curriculum is amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great question and should be a useful conversation. We are at LAMB, with both lower elementary and primary students, and while I know my kids are progressing, it is an adjustment to not see grades on their quarterly reports. I am not suggesting however, that I want them to get grades and there are benchmarks and assessments that they take. For instance, they use one of the reading programs (A to Z? perhaps) that LAMB administrators believe has the best match to a Montessori curriculum and the reading levels do match up to a grade level. The kids read at their own pace and choose from a selection of books in the appropriate level. They have small reading groups that you can participate in once you reach a certain level, but the kids are at a vast spread of reading levels between 1st - 3rd grades that it doesn't come across as differentiated learning. I am still working to understand how math is assessed because it is very different in Montessori, but they do have to Master skills before they can move on to the next skill.

Looking forward to following this thread. I am thrilled with the Montessori system, but there is more I can learn about it.

Confused about this -- the math concepts taught in elementary are no different from traditional school. If your kid is an elementary student they can tell you about learning division, long division, long multiplication, fractions etc. My 1st grade lower elementary student is doing long division and long multiplication and learning about fractions (multiplying, dividing, equivalency etc). She has a great understanding of the decimal system and does simple math in her head almost instantly. I don't know what 1st graders are doing in other schools (or what other kids are doing in her class) but to me that sounds pretty advanced for a six year old, so I'm convinced she's "on track" without feeling the need for reports, tests or comparisons to her classmates.

Yea, if I was you, I wouldn't be at all worried if my kid was on track or not. It's those of us with kids in Montessori who are not doing things like you kid who start to worry if our child is on track or not. Those with kids in K who are NOT reading or writing or doing math DO need assessments and comparisons and reports. I do wish my school provided me more of that and less "every kid is different" talk.

Let me change this a bit. You know your child is doing advanced stuff. I know my child is behind (and I could use more specifics on the path forward from here and more reassurance that there are kids who don't seem to get it in K but later pick up steam). But then there is a vast middle ground. What if your child is reading sight words at 6 but not books - is this right or should s/he be reading sentences? These parents especially need more comparisons and assessments and reports. Montessori, especially private Montessori's, are a bit reluctant (for good reasons - holistic view, child's own pace, blah blah blah) to provide this, but in today's parenting/schooling age, you really can't not provide it except to the parents of clearly advanced kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great question and should be a useful conversation. We are at LAMB, with both lower elementary and primary students, and while I know my kids are progressing, it is an adjustment to not see grades on their quarterly reports. I am not suggesting however, that I want them to get grades and there are benchmarks and assessments that they take. For instance, they use one of the reading programs (A to Z? perhaps) that LAMB administrators believe has the best match to a Montessori curriculum and the reading levels do match up to a grade level. The kids read at their own pace and choose from a selection of books in the appropriate level. They have small reading groups that you can participate in once you reach a certain level, but the kids are at a vast spread of reading levels between 1st - 3rd grades that it doesn't come across as differentiated learning. I am still working to understand how math is assessed because it is very different in Montessori, but they do have to Master skills before they can move on to the next skill.

Looking forward to following this thread. I am thrilled with the Montessori system, but there is more I can learn about it.

Confused about this -- the math concepts taught in elementary are no different from traditional school. If your kid is an elementary student they can tell you about learning division, long division, long multiplication, fractions etc. My 1st grade lower elementary student is doing long division and long multiplication and learning about fractions (multiplying, dividing, equivalency etc). She has a great understanding of the decimal system and does simple math in her head almost instantly. I don't know what 1st graders are doing in other schools (or what other kids are doing in her class) but to me that sounds pretty advanced for a six year old, so I'm convinced she's "on track" without feeling the need for reports, tests or comparisons to her classmates.

Yea, if I was you, I wouldn't be at all worried if my kid was on track or not. It's those of us with kids in Montessori who are not doing things like you kid who start to worry if our child is on track or not. Those with kids in K who are NOT reading or writing or doing math DO need assessments and comparisons and reports. I do wish my school provided me more of that and less "every kid is different" talk.

Well, your kid is in K, not yet in elementary. I similarly wondered what she was really learning in K, and, in particular didn't understand the math materials. It all comes in to focus in the elementary class, or at least did for us -- now I can relate to and understand the point of what happened in the primary class, it's truly developing what PP called "number sense". I can't say similarly for reading because my child was a very early reader, probably more because of her interest than the Montessori method, so I think she took a different track than others her age in primary. But I have spoken to other parents very happy that their non-reading K kid is now happily reading and writing in first and directing his or her own learning, working with friends to write reports on complex subjects driven by their own interests. Also, (you may already know this) but I want to dismiss a common misconception that there is no "structure" and the kids can just do whatever they want, whenever... our elementary class is very structured. The kids work with the teacher to set goal and deadlines on everything they work on, whether it's researching or writing a report on dinosaurs, looking at botany, identifying shapes or learning about fractions. And they are accountable for meeting their goals. Most Montessori materials have built-in ways for the kids to check their own work as they progress. At our school they hold regular parent nights where we learn about what is going on in the classroom, sometimes with the kids showing us what they are working on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great question and should be a useful conversation. We are at LAMB, with both lower elementary and primary students, and while I know my kids are progressing, it is an adjustment to not see grades on their quarterly reports. I am not suggesting however, that I want them to get grades and there are benchmarks and assessments that they take. For instance, they use one of the reading programs (A to Z? perhaps) that LAMB administrators believe has the best match to a Montessori curriculum and the reading levels do match up to a grade level. The kids read at their own pace and choose from a selection of books in the appropriate level. They have small reading groups that you can participate in once you reach a certain level, but the kids are at a vast spread of reading levels between 1st - 3rd grades that it doesn't come across as differentiated learning. I am still working to understand how math is assessed because it is very different in Montessori, but they do have to Master skills before they can move on to the next skill.

Looking forward to following this thread. I am thrilled with the Montessori system, but there is more I can learn about it.

Confused about this -- the math concepts taught in elementary are no different from traditional school. If your kid is an elementary student they can tell you about learning division, long division, long multiplication, fractions etc. My 1st grade lower elementary student is doing long division and long multiplication and learning about fractions (multiplying, dividing, equivalency etc). She has a great understanding of the decimal system and does simple math in her head almost instantly. I don't know what 1st graders are doing in other schools (or what other kids are doing in her class) but to me that sounds pretty advanced for a six year old, so I'm convinced she's "on track" without feeling the need for reports, tests or comparisons to her classmates.

Yea, if I was you, I wouldn't be at all worried if my kid was on track or not. It's those of us with kids in Montessori who are not doing things like you kid who start to worry if our child is on track or not. Those with kids in K who are NOT reading or writing or doing math DO need assessments and comparisons and reports. I do wish my school provided me more of that and less "every kid is different" talk.

Well, your kid is in K, not yet in elementary. I similarly wondered what she was really learning in K, and, in particular didn't understand the math materials. It all comes in to focus in the elementary class, or at least did for us -- now I can relate to and understand the point of what happened in the primary class, it's truly developing what PP called "number sense". I can't say similarly for reading because my child was a very early reader, probably more because of her interest than the Montessori method, so I think she took a different track than others her age in primary. But I have spoken to other parents very happy that their non-reading K kid is now happily reading and writing in first and directing his or her own learning, working with friends to write reports on complex subjects driven by their own interests. Also, (you may already know this) but I want to dismiss a common misconception that there is no "structure" and the kids can just do whatever they want, whenever... our elementary class is very structured. The kids work with the teacher to set goal and deadlines on everything they work on, whether it's researching or writing a report on dinosaurs, looking at botany, identifying shapes or learning about fractions. And they are accountable for meeting their goals. Most Montessori materials have built-in ways for the kids to check their own work as they progress. At our school they hold regular parent nights where we learn about what is going on in the classroom, sometimes with the kids showing us what they are working on.

Do you get to see the goals you child sets with the teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great question and should be a useful conversation. We are at LAMB, with both lower elementary and primary students, and while I know my kids are progressing, it is an adjustment to not see grades on their quarterly reports. I am not suggesting however, that I want them to get grades and there are benchmarks and assessments that they take. For instance, they use one of the reading programs (A to Z? perhaps) that LAMB administrators believe has the best match to a Montessori curriculum and the reading levels do match up to a grade level. The kids read at their own pace and choose from a selection of books in the appropriate level. They have small reading groups that you can participate in once you reach a certain level, but the kids are at a vast spread of reading levels between 1st - 3rd grades that it doesn't come across as differentiated learning. I am still working to understand how math is assessed because it is very different in Montessori, but they do have to Master skills before they can move on to the next skill.

Looking forward to following this thread. I am thrilled with the Montessori system, but there is more I can learn about it.

Confused about this -- the math concepts taught in elementary are no different from traditional school. If your kid is an elementary student they can tell you about learning division, long division, long multiplication, fractions etc. My 1st grade lower elementary student is doing long division and long multiplication and learning about fractions (multiplying, dividing, equivalency etc). She has a great understanding of the decimal system and does simple math in her head almost instantly. I don't know what 1st graders are doing in other schools (or what other kids are doing in her class) but to me that sounds pretty advanced for a six year old, so I'm convinced she's "on track" without feeling the need for reports, tests or comparisons to her classmates.

Yea, if I was you, I wouldn't be at all worried if my kid was on track or not. It's those of us with kids in Montessori who are not doing things like you kid who start to worry if our child is on track or not. Those with kids in K who are NOT reading or writing or doing math DO need assessments and comparisons and reports. I do wish my school provided me more of that and less "every kid is different" talk.

Well, your kid is in K, not yet in elementary. I similarly wondered what she was really learning in K, and, in particular didn't understand the math materials. It all comes in to focus in the elementary class, or at least did for us -- now I can relate to and understand the point of what happened in the primary class, it's truly developing what PP called "number sense". I can't say similarly for reading because my child was a very early reader, probably more because of her interest than the Montessori method, so I think she took a different track than others her age in primary. But I have spoken to other parents very happy that their non-reading K kid is now happily reading and writing in first and directing his or her own learning, working with friends to write reports on complex subjects driven by their own interests. Also, (you may already know this) but I want to dismiss a common misconception that there is no "structure" and the kids can just do whatever they want, whenever... our elementary class is very structured. The kids work with the teacher to set goal and deadlines on everything they work on, whether it's researching or writing a report on dinosaurs, looking at botany, identifying shapes or learning about fractions. And they are accountable for meeting their goals. Most Montessori materials have built-in ways for the kids to check their own work as they progress. At our school they hold regular parent nights where we learn about what is going on in the classroom, sometimes with the kids showing us what they are working on.

Do you get to see the goals you child sets with the teacher?

What I meant was day to day goals, like, "write the first draft of this report by Wednesday, then start on a second draft and finish it by [x date], then work on building/developing a practical exercise or "going out" [field trip] that takes this further [with X deadline]" or "finish a sketch or diagram of [science/nature topic] tomorrow" or "complete X number of [math/handwriting/other] exercises by the end of today's work period" and "work with [children who have chosen to work together] to develop a presentation on [topic] for class on this date". The kids are accountable for setting their own deadlines and keeping to them. So, yes, the teacher has shown us examples of these types of goals (and I've observed the kids setting the goals during observations], but I don't see them on a daily basis, though I perhaps could ask too if I really felt the need. What I have seen though, is the very detailed curriculum for the entire class and where my child is at with regards to each aspect of it. The curriculum is for the entire three year lower elementary class and while there is an expectation that every child will complete every part of it by the end of third grade it depends on the child when they might work on what aspect of the curriculum. I know she also has an individual work plan for each child, but exactly how that plays out depends on the child's interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great question and should be a useful conversation. We are at LAMB, with both lower elementary and primary students, and while I know my kids are progressing, it is an adjustment to not see grades on their quarterly reports. I am not suggesting however, that I want them to get grades and there are benchmarks and assessments that they take. For instance, they use one of the reading programs (A to Z? perhaps) that LAMB administrators believe has the best match to a Montessori curriculum and the reading levels do match up to a grade level. The kids read at their own pace and choose from a selection of books in the appropriate level. They have small reading groups that you can participate in once you reach a certain level, but the kids are at a vast spread of reading levels between 1st - 3rd grades that it doesn't come across as differentiated learning. I am still working to understand how math is assessed because it is very different in Montessori, but they do have to Master skills before they can move on to the next skill.

Looking forward to following this thread. I am thrilled with the Montessori system, but there is more I can learn about it.

Confused about this -- the math concepts taught in elementary are no different from traditional school. If your kid is an elementary student they can tell you about learning division, long division, long multiplication, fractions etc. My 1st grade lower elementary student is doing long division and long multiplication and learning about fractions (multiplying, dividing, equivalency etc). She has a great understanding of the decimal system and does simple math in her head almost instantly. I don't know what 1st graders are doing in other schools (or what other kids are doing in her class) but to me that sounds pretty advanced for a six year old, so I'm convinced she's "on track" without feeling the need for reports, tests or comparisons to her classmates.

Yea, if I was you, I wouldn't be at all worried if my kid was on track or not. It's those of us with kids in Montessori who are not doing things like you kid who start to worry if our child is on track or not. Those with kids in K who are NOT reading or writing or doing math DO need assessments and comparisons and reports. I do wish my school provided me more of that and less "every kid is different" talk.

Well, your kid is in K, not yet in elementary. I similarly wondered what she was really learning in K, and, in particular didn't understand the math materials. It all comes in to focus in the elementary class, or at least did for us -- now I can relate to and understand the point of what happened in the primary class, it's truly developing what PP called "number sense". I can't say similarly for reading because my child was a very early reader, probably more because of her interest than the Montessori method, so I think she took a different track than others her age in primary. But I have spoken to other parents very happy that their non-reading K kid is now happily reading and writing in first and directing his or her own learning, working with friends to write reports on complex subjects driven by their own interests. Also, (you may already know this) but I want to dismiss a common misconception that there is no "structure" and the kids can just do whatever they want, whenever... our elementary class is very structured. The kids work with the teacher to set goal and deadlines on everything they work on, whether it's researching or writing a report on dinosaurs, looking at botany, identifying shapes or learning about fractions. And they are accountable for meeting their goals. Most Montessori materials have built-in ways for the kids to check their own work as they progress. At our school they hold regular parent nights where we learn about what is going on in the classroom, sometimes with the kids showing us what they are working on.

Do you get to see the goals you child sets with the teacher?

What I meant was day to day goals, like, "write the first draft of this report by Wednesday, then start on a second draft and finish it by [x date], then work on building/developing a practical exercise or "going out" [field trip] that takes this further [with X deadline]" or "finish a sketch or diagram of [science/nature topic] tomorrow" or "complete X number of [math/handwriting/other] exercises by the end of today's work period" and "work with [children who have chosen to work together] to develop a presentation on [topic] for class on this date". The kids are accountable for setting their own deadlines and keeping to them. So, yes, the teacher has shown us examples of these types of goals (and I've observed the kids setting the goals during observations], but I don't see them on a daily basis, though I perhaps could ask too if I really felt the need. What I have seen though, is the very detailed curriculum for the entire class and where my child is at with regards to each aspect of it. The curriculum is for the entire three year lower elementary class and while there is an expectation that every child will complete every part of it by the end of third grade it depends on the child when they might work on what aspect of the curriculum. I know she also has an individual work plan for each child, but exactly how that plays out depends on the child's interests.

Thanks, this is helpful.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Thanks to everyone who has posted in this thread so far. It seems like there are various ways to know that your child is on track -- from knowing what 'level' they are reading to asking about the goals they are setting for their work and how that compares to other kids. And then there are standardized assessments at various points in the year that tells you how your child is doing. It all still seems a bit fuzzy although I guess there is a certain degree of 'having faith' in the system. I have noticed that elementary parents at our school seem to fall into two camps, either amazed by the advanced nature of the work that their kids are doing or seemingly concerned that their kids are mastering the material that they should be on time. This type of psychology also seems present with the previous posters on this board. I imagine if you are in the second camp, it could be difficult to maintain in the Montessori system....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Thanks to everyone who has posted in this thread so far. It seems like there are various ways to know that your child is on track -- from knowing what 'level' they are reading to asking about the goals they are setting for their work and how that compares to other kids. And then there are standardized assessments at various points in the year that tells you how your child is doing. It all still seems a bit fuzzy although I guess there is a certain degree of 'having faith' in the system. I have noticed that elementary parents at our school seem to fall into two camps, either amazed by the advanced nature of the work that their kids are doing or seemingly concerned that their kids are mastering the material that they should be on time. This type of psychology also seems present with the previous posters on this board. I imagine if you are in the second camp, it could be difficult to maintain in the Montessori system....

Oh, I hate hearing this. My kid is one who, unlike peers, seems to be learning nothing in the primary classroom. I was counting on waiting it out till elementary with the expectation that we would catch up.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if that depends on the Montessori school. I've never heard that at our school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if that depends on the Montessori school. I've never heard that at our school.

what school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if that depends on the Montessori school. I've never heard that at our school.

what school?

LAMB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Thanks to everyone who has posted in this thread so far. It seems like there are various ways to know that your child is on track -- from knowing what 'level' they are reading to asking about the goals they are setting for their work and how that compares to other kids. And then there are standardized assessments at various points in the year that tells you how your child is doing. It all still seems a bit fuzzy although I guess there is a certain degree of 'having faith' in the system. I have noticed that elementary parents at our school seem to fall into two camps, either amazed by the advanced nature of the work that their kids are doing or seemingly concerned that their kids are mastering the material that they should be on time. This type of psychology also seems present with the previous posters on this board. I imagine if you are in the second camp, it could be difficult to maintain in the Montessori system....

Oh, I hate hearing this. My kid is one who, unlike peers, seems to be learning nothing in the primary classroom. I was counting on waiting it out till elementary with the expectation that we would catch up.

Talk to elementary parents. At our school I have not seen this distinction. If you were at our school I would tell you how amazing the elementary classroom was and how much better you'll feel when you have a deeper understanding of what's going on with your kid.

[Anonymous]

Serious and sincere question: Are there any studies or actual data that show success of Montessori beyond ECE? Especially through middle school?