Montessori - expensive and high student:teacher ratios

[Anonymous]

Looking for PK3 options and I am trying to figure out why the two Montessori preschools near me cost 3x the play-based preschools. And the Montessori’s have a 24:2 ratio, while the play-based options have a 12:2 ratio. Is it all due to the Montessori materials and teacher training? I have no preference as to teaching style, but it so happens that all the play-based bear us are either religious or have unpleasant facilities. I might suck it up and pay for Montessori if they at least had lower ratios, but it doesn’t seem right to shell out that much money for such crowded rooms.

[Anonymous]

Montessori philosophy is based on outdated pedagogy which teaches that children must learn “life skills” in ther early years, like doing dishes and sweeping. This was needed in the days of Maria Montessori, but not now. Many of their materials can only be used the “ right way@ which stifles creativity. Play based preschool is the way to go for today’s children.

[Anonymous]

I think it probably varies widely. In my Montessori school, there are 4 teachers employed full time in the preprimary classroom of 22 or so students. They are not all "on duty" all day long, but I think usually at least 3 are. And a separate aftercare teacher who naps the littlest ones and watches all the after care kids together at the end of the day. Tuition is on par with other private schools in the area.

Don't forget that part of the higher ratio is based on older kids. In a Montessori preprimary classroom, you have PK3, PK4, and K. So you shouldn't expect PK3 ratios.

[Anonymous]

Re: the play-based ones being religious. Are you sure they are really religious everyday? My daughter goes to a church preschool (and there is even "church" in the name of her preschool), but it's really just like they are renting the space from the church. There's really nothing religious about it at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Montessori philosophy is based on outdated pedagogy which teaches that children must learn “life skills” in ther early years, like doing dishes and sweeping. This was needed in the days of Maria Montessori, but not now. Many of their materials can only be used the “ right way@ which stifles creativity. Play based preschool is the way to go for today’s children.

News flash: kids love to play at household tasks. No Montessori school is training kids for Merry Maids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Montessori philosophy is based on outdated pedagogy which teaches that children must learn “life skills” in ther early years, like doing dishes and sweeping. This was needed in the days of Maria Montessori, but not now. Many of their materials can only be used the “ right way@ which stifles creativity. Play based preschool is the way to go for today’s children.

Right, my 3 year old mastering group sing alongs of the ABC song and the Itsy Bitsy Spider during daily circle time at play school is 100% the modern early childhood education we need for the 21st century.

I'm actually quite pleased with my 4 year old learning to help clean up after himself, be independent, and develop fine and gross motor skills in his Montessori class.

[Anonymous]

The higher ratios in a montessori classroom is very intentional to encourage teachers to be a "guide on the side" rather than a "sage on the stage"
For most of the "work period" the teachers are giving kids individual or small group lessons, and then the kids are working on the material by themselves or with one or two classmates. The older kids are modeling and showing the younger kids what to do.
That inter-age modeling and independence are really foundational concepts of Montessori, and if you'd like more direct instruction and more hand-holding form the teacher, you probably won't be happy with Montessori.

As for the creativity that always comes up.... sigh. Montessori classrooms are generally highly creative places, but they don't encourage "pretend play" So instead of having a pretend kitchen to pretend to make bread, the kids will actually make bread and prepare snack. Instead of cookie-cutter holiday projects, the kids have near-constant access to quality art materials.
Instead of being forced into circle time to sing the ABCs (thanks PP they are invited to sing along with the teacher or listen to quality music or hear a story if they want.

[Anonymous]

Also, most Montessori teachers have a bachelors degree plus an advanced Montessori teaching certification or Masters degree.
That's a heck of a lot more education than you'll typically find at your local church daycare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Montessori philosophy is based on outdated pedagogy which teaches that children must learn “life skills” in ther early years, like doing dishes and sweeping. This was needed in the days of Maria Montessori, but not now. Many of their materials can only be used the “ right way@ which stifles creativity. Play based preschool is the way to go for today’s children.

Right, my 3 year old mastering group sing alongs of the ABC song and the Itsy Bitsy Spider during daily circle time at play school is 100% the modern early childhood education we need for the 21st century.

I'm actually quite pleased with my 4 year old learning to help clean up after himself, be independent, and develop fine and gross motor skills in his Montessori class.

My kid is in a play-based preschool and is learning to clean up after herself, be independent, and develop fine and gross motor skills. She also isn't being told that there's only one way to use a patented Montessori learning tool. She's allowed to engage in pretend play.

My guess is you've never been in a play-based preschool. In contrast, I toured Montessori schools before deciding it wasn't for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of their materials can only be used the “ right way@ which stifles creativity.

This always comes up in Montessori threads, and it's totally bogus. The Montessori work cycle comprises only a portion of the child's day, and during that cycle a child will perform various works. Some works offer more opportunity for creativity than others. The creativity usually only comes after you know some stuff about the basic elements of something.

To take a non-Montessori example, my 5 year old's ballet teacher recently let the kids compose their own dances for part of a class. But that was only after they had learned some basic moves. None of their choreography was very impressive, but they were getting to be creative by combining things they learned at ballet in new ways. Not by running around the room pretending to be track stars, by singing, or by drawing. They understood that ballet class is a time to learn ballet related things, and that being creative at ballet class means making new and original ballet related things. Montessori is similar. You learn the basic building block skills first, then you get to be creative with them later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of their materials can only be used the “ right way@ which stifles creativity.

This always comes up in Montessori threads, and it's totally bogus. The Montessori work cycle comprises only a portion of the child's day, and during that cycle a child will perform various works. Some works offer more opportunity for creativity than others. The creativity usually only comes after you know some stuff about the basic elements of something.

To take a non-Montessori example, my 5 year old's ballet teacher recently let the kids compose their own dances for part of a class. But that was only after they had learned some basic moves. None of their choreography was very impressive, but they were getting to be creative by combining things they learned at ballet in new ways. Not by running around the room pretending to be track stars, by singing, or by drawing. They understood that ballet class is a time to learn ballet related things, and that being creative at ballet class means making new and original ballet related things. Montessori is similar. You learn the basic building block skills first, then you get to be creative with them later.

It's not at all bogus. I watched a Montessori teacher correct a kid who was using a tool in the "wrong way."

I'm all for kids learning to follow direction, but Montessori classrooms seem to leave little to no room for kids to act outside of a proscribed framework.

I also find it a little creepy to call what 3 and 4 year olds are doing "work."

[Anonymous]

Please go and see the schools in action. We couldn't wait to get out of a Montessori school we were observing. We could not see DC being put through it 3 hours every day.
What they did with the tools and sections was plenty for 30 minutes a day but not for days, weeks and months.
It was the saddest group of kids I had ever seen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in a play-based preschool and is learning to clean up after herself, be independent, and develop fine and gross motor skills. She also isn't being told that there's only one way to use a patented Montessori learning tool. She's allowed to engage in pretend play.

Different PP. The vast majority of Montessori materials, and certainly the major materials, have far more than one use. The opportunities for creativity with any particular material typically expand as the child masters the basic skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Montessori philosophy is based on outdated pedagogy which teaches that children must learn “life skills” in ther early years, like doing dishes and sweeping. This was needed in the days of Maria Montessori, but not now. Many of their materials can only be used the “ right way@ which stifles creativity. Play based preschool is the way to go for today’s children.

Dumbest comment on Montessori thread I've read in 16 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's not at all bogus. I watched a Montessori teacher correct a kid who was using a tool in the "wrong way."

Yes, just like my kids' ballet teacher corrects kids who leap around in large strides when the group is working on learning the little tippy toe mincing steps (I am not a ballet expert as you can tell). It's not that large strides are objectively bad or wrong. It's just not what is being mastered at the time. You learn how to use the things correctly in the basic ways first, then you can do more advanced and cool creative things.