Our Montessori school is not AMI or AMS certified, but the 3-6 classroom follows the guidelines pretty closely. We have not experienced or observed any issues with a lack of social skills.

The kids sometimes do works together, which may be prompted by the teacher or on their own initiative where they invite another kid to do a work with them. They also may eat snack anytime they want, with up to 2 kids at the snack table at any one time. Outside of work cycle time, there is recess, lunch, and aftercare (which most kids in our school use) for free play and socializing.

No. Montessori is sort of the opposite of play-based. Kids do "work" in a very structured way. They are basically required to use the tools they're given in a specific way.

In fact, the strict structure of the whole thing really turned us off from it. We want DD to be in a play-based program for as long as possible.

Former director here. PP above is correct that Montessori does not teach social skills. In my experience, a number of parents put their kids in Montessori schools when their kid was lacking in social skills. Because of the solitary requirement of the kid’s “work” in a Montessori program, the lack of social skills does not matter. This puts the child at a real disadvantage as they get older and those social skills become more and more important for success in the world.
Play based schools value and teach social skills. This is an important skill to master for school and life success.

It’s not play based at all. Most Montessori classrooms are very quiet during work time. I thought Montessori would be great for my child based on how he was at 3 but I now really regret the three years he spent in Montessori. It was a bad environment for him and I didn’t realize it until he left. They do not teach social skills at all and the notion that Kindergartners are teaching the younger kids is laughable.

PP here. My kids are still young, one is in "kindergarten" and the other in "pre-K" (in reality they're in the same 3-6 classroom), so I can't say how it will be in later years.

Anonymous wrote:This is interesting. How did you know Montessori was right (or wrong) for your kid at an early age?

I didn't know. My kids were not even 3 when they started Montessori, so it was too early to tell what would be best for them as individuals. But they've really flourished. They've learned a lot and also love their teachers and classmates.

As kids, my husband and I both found school to be frustrating and boring, and it really appealed to us to send our kids to a school where they could work individually on works that were at their own personal level of mastery for each subject area, instead of having to move with a class. But we weren't specifically looking to send to a Montessori. It just so happened that the school that was most suitable for us for other reasons turned out to be a Montessori. We've been very happy so far.

This is interesting. How did you know Montessori was right (or wrong) for your kid at an early age?

It's not play-based in that freeform playing with the materials is not permitted. But many of the tasks that are called "works" feel like play or like games to the children. Just more like structured play with a purpose.

Think about a game like "capture the flag." It's a type of play, but it's not free play. If you just run around in circles or hide, that won't work. Similarly with Montessori works.

I'm a big advocate of Montessori, but it's not what is typically considered play based.

Nature is definitely a big part of it, and ideally schools will have lots of outdoor space, even an outdoor classroom, garden, etc. But clearly that's dependent on the facilities at an individual school.

Anonymous wrote:Montessori is work based--lots of processes and fine motor skills. They also teach base math. There is play but it is a lot about self-efficacy.

Creative play with the materials is discouraged. There's a right way and a wrong way to use them.

Montessori is work based--lots of processes and fine motor skills. They also teach base math. There is play but it is a lot about self-efficacy.

Go for the AMI certification, not the other Americanized version.

Montessori is not play-based. It's Montessori based!

Each school will differ on outdoor time.

No, it is structured rather than play-based. Kids do have choice in what to do, but there are right and wrong ways to use the materials.

Thanks in advance.