Benefits / Differences with Montessori Schools vs. Non-Montessori Schools?

[Anonymous]

My husband and I are researching different preschools for our oldest child. Since this is our first child going to school, we're pretty new at the research. We read some facts regarding Montessori schools. We would like to get feedback from parents whose children have attended Montessori schools to understand the benefits and differences. We really don't have anything to compare it with.

What are your thoughts / experiences with Montessori schools.

Thanks in advance....

[Anonymous]

For a start, I would hit the Search button here and key in Montessori. There have been a few threads recently on this topic.

[Anonymous]

I am just about to start my oldest in a Montessori school. One of the things I would say is you have to visit the Montessori school - we visited three and all three had a different feel to them. In general - they have a methodology and they have certain materials that are used in the classroom. There is some individual work but you also find that lots of them have group lessons - especially for the older kids. I think Non-Montessori schools can teach some of the same things but in a different way - for example at my youngest daughter's daycare the kids have "jobs" in the older classrooms so they learn responsibility and being part of a community, they also have learning centers in the older classroom and the kids get to have more choices in what they participate in. At my daughter's Montessori, the child learns how to "use" the material - they get lessons, and then they have the option to select whatever material they want to work with - they could work individually or maybe with a friend - and then put the material back on the shelf when she is done. So she is making choices and is also responsible for putting back whatever she works with. The school also has group lessons including drama and art and foreign languages - so it isn't all individual work either. My oldest daughter is so curious about everything and makes connections you wouldn't believe that I think just by her having more exposure to things - geography, math, foreign language etc. that she will really soak up everything. That said, if she had made the school cutoff and we were sending her to public school while all those things would have been great - I don't know that it would prepared her any more or less for kindergarten than if she went to the Pre-K program at my other daughter's school. I struggle with whether my youngest daughter should also go to Montessori. With her personality - I think she really enjoys a play-based program and she likes to run rather than walk and we are lucky if we can get thru a whole book with her not squirming but at the same time who's to say that if she was in a Montessori program that learning the practical life skills wouldn't help her concentrate more or that it would only take her being exposed to geography lessons or Chinese lessons for her to soak up the knowledge. Even though I missed the boat - for her it would have made sense to have her in a summer program that exposed her to Montessori to see if it was really a good fit for her.