CHML…Thoughts? My child will be attending Pk3. Hearing mixed reviews

[Anonymous]

Well, it’s been one week and I will be pulling my kid. There is no learning happening in that building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, it’s been one week and I will be pulling my kid. There is no learning happening in that building.

Can you be more specific?
What kind of learning were you expecting for a prek3 child in the first week in a mixed Montessori primary classroom? First the children have to go through a “normalization” period, and that’s a tremendous learning. Despite all the problems with CHML, the primary section ( children’s House) is actually ok.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the poster was saying her kid is in Pre-K 3 necessarily. That's just the topic of the post (which is old.) But I agree--can the poster explain what's the issue that makes her feel that after just one single week (the very first week of school at that) that she needs to pull her kid already from CHML?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, it’s been one week and I will be pulling my kid. There is no learning happening in that building.

Can you be more specific?
What kind of learning were you expecting for a prek3 child in the first week in a mixed Montessori primary classroom? First the children have to go through a “normalization” period, and that’s a tremendous learning. Despite all the problems with CHML, the primary section ( children’s House) is actually ok.

I’m not the OP, I just searched for CHML and found this. I have a child in 3rd grade, and honestly, putting directions on the board isn’t the same as teaching. These kids aren’t getting real direct instruction. I’ve spoken with a lot of parents in the community who feel the same way, but most keep their kids at CHML just because of the neighborhood. Almost everyone I talk to is frustrated with the quality of education. Montessori can work, but it’s really best for highly motivated kids. Instead, it feels like the school has become a place where parents send kids who were struggling or even removed from their home schools, and they just ended up here through the lottery. It’s only the first week of school, but it already feels like the teachers have given up. I’ve talked with PTSO members and other parents, and most of them just seem resigned—like this is simply how the school runs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, it’s been one week and I will be pulling my kid. There is no learning happening in that building.

Can you be more specific?
What kind of learning were you expecting for a prek3 child in the first week in a mixed Montessori primary classroom? First the children have to go through a “normalization” period, and that’s a tremendous learning. Despite all the problems with CHML, the primary section ( children’s House) is actually ok.

I’m not the OP, I just searched for CHML and found this. I have a child in 3rd grade, and honestly, putting directions on the board isn’t the same as teaching. These kids aren’t getting real direct instruction. I’ve spoken with a lot of parents in the community who feel the same way, but most keep their kids at CHML just because of the neighborhood. Almost everyone I talk to is frustrated with the quality of education. Montessori can work, but it’s really best for highly motivated kids. Instead, it feels like the school has become a place where parents send kids who were struggling or even removed from their home schools, and they just ended up here through the lottery. It’s only the first week of school, but it already feels like the teachers have given up. I’ve talked with PTSO members and other parents, and most of them just seem resigned—like this is simply how the school runs.

I actually taught there a few years ago, and this is exactly right,these students are NOT getting an education. The place feels chaotic and unsafe. MOST (not all), of the 1st–5th grade teachers aren’t implementing Montessori the way it’s meant to be, so the kids basically run wild. They act feral at times because there’s no structure, no respect, and no accountability. The real problem is the principal. She allows it all to happen. Instead of stepping in, she looks the other way, and it trickles down into every classroom. Behaviors are completely out of control, and the kids who genuinely want to learn are the ones suffering the most. It’s unacceptable, and it’s heartbreaking to see children in an environment like this when they deserve so much more.

[Anonymous]

Where has the rigor gone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, it’s been one week and I will be pulling my kid. There is no learning happening in that building.

Can you be more specific?
What kind of learning were you expecting for a prek3 child in the first week in a mixed Montessori primary classroom? First the children have to go through a “normalization” period, and that’s a tremendous learning. Despite all the problems with CHML, the primary section ( children’s House) is actually ok.

I’m not the OP, I just searched for CHML and found this. I have a child in 3rd grade, and honestly, putting directions on the board isn’t the same as teaching. These kids aren’t getting real direct instruction. I’ve spoken with a lot of parents in the community who feel the same way, but most keep their kids at CHML just because of the neighborhood. Almost everyone I talk to is frustrated with the quality of education. Montessori can work, but it’s really best for highly motivated kids. Instead, it feels like the school has become a place where parents send kids who were struggling or even removed from their home schools, and they just ended up here through the lottery. It’s only the first week of school, but it already feels like the teachers have given up. I’ve talked with PTSO members and other parents, and most of them just seem resigned—like this is simply how the school runs.

That's kinda a hallmark of Montessori. CHML is an absolute hot mess, but if you were looking for rigor and direct instruction, Montessori in general is going to be an incredibly poor fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, it’s been one week and I will be pulling my kid. There is no learning happening in that building.

Can you be more specific?
What kind of learning were you expecting for a prek3 child in the first week in a mixed Montessori primary classroom? First the children have to go through a “normalization” period, and that’s a tremendous learning. Despite all the problems with CHML, the primary section ( children’s House) is actually ok.

I’m not the OP, I just searched for CHML and found this. I have a child in 3rd grade, and honestly, putting directions on the board isn’t the same as teaching. These kids aren’t getting real direct instruction. I’ve spoken with a lot of parents in the community who feel the same way, but most keep their kids at CHML just because of the neighborhood. Almost everyone I talk to is frustrated with the quality of education. Montessori can work, but it’s really best for highly motivated kids. Instead, it feels like the school has become a place where parents send kids who were struggling or even removed from their home schools, and they just ended up here through the lottery. It’s only the first week of school, but it already feels like the teachers have given up. I’ve talked with PTSO members and other parents, and most of them just seem resigned—like this is simply how the school runs.

That's kinda a hallmark of Montessori. CHML is an absolute hot mess, but if you were looking for rigor and direct instruction, Montessori in general is going to be an incredibly poor fit.

You have zero understanding of the Montessori pedagogy.

[Anonymous]

...All I will say is how has does this principal still have her job?

She is HATED by both staff and parents.

She makes terrible decisions. She has no idea how to run a school.

She allows her other job..."pastoring" to bleed into her actual job.

Per usual, what are you doing DCPS? Nothing...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...All I will say is how has does this principal still have her job?

She is HATED by both staff and parents.

She makes terrible decisions. She has no idea how to run a school.

She allows her other job..."pastoring" to bleed into her actual job.

Per usual, what are you doing DCPS? Nothing...

Lol...she also thinks she's incredibly profound. At the end of the year breakfast, she kept telling staff leaving, "You will never have to worry about your children again..." ...Because I guess they did a good job of raising them? It was weird. A person with no kids...she said "When you finally have babies, they wont worry..." She walked away thinking she ate, like she always does.

[Anonymous]

This school…. The morning block consists of independent reading and math (which I guess my kids will just have to teach themselves math because the “lessons” they get aren’t lessons) and then in the afternoon? It’s chaos. Where is the science and social studies curriculum? There’s a specials for science but that’s once a week. This school was great for ECE, but beyond that? I see why so many parents pull their kids.

[Anonymous]

How is the new AP? Because I wouldn't be surprised if they (finally) get rid of the principal and that AP could likely end up either acting or interim principal for the rest of the year. So if they are strong then that might be the ticket to improvement.

[Anonymous]

I pulled my kid out of CHML this year because of bullying in a middle ES grade and enrolled them in my neighborhood school. It is SO much better in every way. I feel like a horrible parent now, because when I read through this site, it seems like everyone knew my in bound school was good. I guess it's a more recent thing and I just took the word of my neighbors with older kids (HS/college now) who didn't send their kids their 10 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, it’s been one week and I will be pulling my kid. There is no learning happening in that building.

Can you be more specific?
What kind of learning were you expecting for a prek3 child in the first week in a mixed Montessori primary classroom? First the children have to go through a “normalization” period, and that’s a tremendous learning. Despite all the problems with CHML, the primary section ( children’s House) is actually ok.

I’m not the OP, I just searched for CHML and found this. I have a child in 3rd grade, and honestly, putting directions on the board isn’t the same as teaching. These kids aren’t getting real direct instruction. I’ve spoken with a lot of parents in the community who feel the same way, but most keep their kids at CHML just because of the neighborhood. Almost everyone I talk to is frustrated with the quality of education. Montessori can work, but it’s really best for highly motivated kids. Instead, it feels like the school has become a place where parents send kids who were struggling or even removed from their home schools, and they just ended up here through the lottery. It’s only the first week of school, but it already feels like the teachers have given up. I’ve talked with PTSO members and other parents, and most of them just seem resigned—like this is simply how the school runs.

That's kinda a hallmark of Montessori. CHML is an absolute hot mess, but if you were looking for rigor and direct instruction, Montessori in general is going to be an incredibly poor fit.

You have zero understanding of the Montessori pedagogy.

+1000

[Anonymous]

I notice a common trend with the people on this board who criticize black school leaders. Hmmm….