APS Montessori - Drew Model - feedback?

[Anonymous]

We are planning to enroll my 3 yo in the Montessori preschool program at Drew this fall. Can anyone give recent feedback on experiences there? Currently DC is in a wonderful daycare setting and it makes me sad to leave it, even though I think this will be better in the long run. I also think the transition will be tough. If anyone has gone through it with a 3 yo, do they help ease the children in? Mine is a little clingy by nature. Thanks in advance!!!!

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are planning to enroll my 3 yo in the Montessori preschool program at Drew this fall. Can anyone give recent feedback on experiences there? Currently DC is in a wonderful daycare setting and it makes me sad to leave it, even though I think this will be better in the long run. I also think the transition will be tough. If anyone has gone through it with a 3 yo, do they help ease the children in? Mine is a little clingy by nature. Thanks in advance!!!!

The 3-year-olds start one or two at a time over the course of September, so it won't be new to all the kids, just them, and they can follow along the routine. The nice thing about it is with the multi-age classrooms, the kindergarteners are all about being the "leaders" in the class and take the 3-year-olds under their wings. If your son is coming from preschool, it will be bigger but routine-wise fairly the same.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the post. Is the info Drew specific? We haven't gotten any information yet about when the first day is or whether it will be staggered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the post. Is the info Drew specific? We haven't gotten any information yet about when the first day is or whether it will be staggered.

That is how they used to do it--its been a couple of years. I think my son started on September 18 or 20. Its good because things have settled down some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the post. Is the info Drew specific? We haven't gotten any information yet about when the first day is or whether it will be staggered.

That is how they used to do it--its been a couple of years. I think my son started on September 18 or 20. Its good because things have settled down some.

That would be good. Just worried mine will be a little overwhelmed. Did your son have a good experience in the program overall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the post. Is the info Drew specific? We haven't gotten any information yet about when the first day is or whether it will be staggered.

That is how they used to do it--its been a couple of years. I think my son started on September 18 or 20. Its good because things have settled down some.

That would be good. Just worried mine will be a little overwhelmed. Did your son have a good experience in the program overall?

To be honest, no. He's very creative and some of his teachers have been pretty strict followers of the Montessori model and discourage imaginative play, so in the primary years he was always "in trouble" for not using the materials the way the teacher wanted (playing trains with the pink rods, for example). The specials were also tough the first couple of years--the Montessori classes go to art, music, and gym like all the other classes, and I think the specials teachers may be better equipped to deal with elementary age kids than wiggly 3 and 4 year old boys. I wish we had pulled him out after the first couple of months and sent him back to his regular preschool.

[Anonymous]

Drew's principal just resigned (or his resignation was just announced). Not sure how that will affect the school.