Reply to Help! Shining Stars or AppleTree CH?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This would be a no-brainer for me in favor of SSMA, if the location worked. We are on the waitlist and really liked the school when we toured it last year. Now that there is a permanent director in place, I think some of the administrative hassles will go away. I really did not like Appletree when I visited, and we didn't apply. In the "free choice" time that we saw, I observed a group of 4 or 5 four-year-old students seemingly being grilled on math facts. Teacher was writing on a white board, "1+1=?" and that sort of thing. It was just too structured for what we were looking for. I think that Montessori is more in line with what I'd like for my kid. I did Montessori from 3-5 years old and remember just loving it. OP, if you do go with SSMA, I think you should plan to stay through K, so your child could be there from 3-5, assuming it's a good fit. Montessori works best when it is done for the entire primary classroom.

Best of luck - let us know what you decide![/quote]

OP, 1. this poster doesn't understand Montessori or AT if she thinks it's not "structured".   2. her experience in 15 minutes of an AT classroom is nothing like my experience sending my child there for 2 years and visiting frequently.  Apart from anything else they do not have an activity called "free choice" - she may mean "centers" when the kids get to chose whether to go to dramatic play, construction station, investigation location, the library etc.  While that takes place, the teacher may work with small groups playing games to increase their literacy and numeracy.  None of this is anywhere close to drilling.  It's also no more academic than what happens in a Montessori classroom.

If you're only planning 2 years, AT is the no-brainer choice - their kids are happy, inquisitive and ready to learn by K - thrilled with going to school every day.  If you need a longer term choice, think long and hard about the admin hassles and incompetence at SS and whether you can put up with them.[/quote]

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