Reply to PGCPS - Robert Goddard Montessori

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The long history is that it used to be Montessori based in 4-6th grade, and even middle school made attempts (Montessori isn't really designed for beyond 6th grade), but there was a problem of sexual harrassment/bullying one year (between two male students) in 4-6 so they decided to bump the 6th graders up to middle school and keep it at 4th and 5th. Around this time the school got a new principal (not the current one) that was indifferent to Montessori at best. There was also a new state testing regime implemented and she prioritized test scores above all else. There were also problems finding Montessori trainied teachers, although this principal brought in some of her non-Montessori teachers and drove away a few of the good ones. In any case, from 4th grade up, it is not Montessori any more, just a school.

That said, it is worth it because the school is small as are the class sizes. [b]By middle school your kid will be in a middle school with less than 100 kids, and all of them they've known their entire lives. [/b]The school tends to keep more upper middle class kids. The upshot is the Montessori middle is about 1000X better than our neighborhood middle. When we were there all the middle school teachers were excellent but there is turnover (often a problem in PG county in general).

If you're willing to deal with the drive/bussing I think it is worth it, even if the school is not as Montessori as it used to be.

I also wouldn't discount the Montessori teaching from pre-K through 3rd (if that's still emphasized; it was when we were there). Those are formative reading and writing, math years and the approach to this is unique and very effective in my opinion.[/quote]

Another perspective here.  A small middle school setting like this is not ideal if there is conflict between kids.  I have seen this several time in specialty programs and the amount of social drama involved isn't worth small class sizes.  Bullying in middle school can be intense and once kids figure out how to push each others buttons it can spiral quickly.  Even when a school responds appropriately it causes a lot of unnecessary stress on everyone involved.  [/quote]

Yes I agree. I actually think that's why they have more attrition in the upper grades. Smaller isn't necessarily better at that age. A lot of kids are wanting to branch out from people they've known since forever even though originally the concept of Pre-K - 8 is reassuring for parents. Having the french immersion school on the same site might help expand middle school social possibilities I feel, if the two schools collaborate. [/quote]

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