If you choose to have your child go to a Montessori school, you are supposed to know about their teaching philosophy and methods, which promote independence and free choice of manipulatives in the classroom, and that is why they do not need this low ratio, in principle and by law. Stick to daycare, and give your spot to parents who appreciate the Montessori method. My DD is in the twos class at franklin and I cannot be happier with my choice.

Anonymous wrote:So, the DC regulations and fire code are wrong and you are here to set them straight. Hmmm. Montessori has been around for over a hundred years and the children have managed to survive without you. The questions is, how?

I assume this is a joke, albeit a not very funny one.

So, the DC regulations and fire code are wrong and you are here to set them straight. Hmmm. Montessori has been around for over a hundred years and the children have managed to survive without you. The questions is, how?

Anonymous wrote:Note, I live in MD, and do not have a child in Montessori, so I am not well versed in this, but with a quick Google search, I found this document from the DC Municipal Regulations: http://www.dcregs.org/Notice/DownLoad.aspx?noticeid=146584. It says:

343.9 A licensed Montessori child development center that is accredited by either the American Montessori Society (AMS) or the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), or as otherwise approved by the Superintendent, may exceed the adult/child ratios and group size requirements established in this section by up to fifty percent (50%).

Looks like DC gives a waiver to Montessori schools.

I don't understand this. Part of the point of establishing ratios by law is not only to make sure kids are taught appropriately, but also to make sure there are enough adults on hand in case of an emergency. If there was a fire, montessori 2 year olds would need just as much help/supervision as any other 2 year old (no matter how independent you are trying to make them).

Note, I live in MD, and do not have a child in Montessori, so I am not well versed in this, but with a quick Google search, I found this document from the DC Municipal Regulations: http://www.dcregs.org/Notice/DownLoad.aspx?noticeid=146584. It says:

343.9 A licensed Montessori child development center that is accredited by either the American Montessori Society (AMS) or the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), or as otherwise approved by the Superintendent, may exceed the adult/child ratios and group size requirements established in this section by up to fifty percent (50%).

Looks like DC gives a waiver to Montessori schools.

Re: class size, my recollection is that the size is capped at 12 starting in September. In January, they open up two more spots for kids who turn 2 after the cutoff or are looking for new preschool. At this point in the year, several of the kids will have turned 3 so the ratio of student to teacher enlarges.

I guess the thing I'm wondering, OP, is what the point of the thread is. Your child is in a class with 10 kids ranging from 2-3 years old and two teachers. That is totally manageable and in line with requirements. If you are unhappy with your choice of Franklin, that is another issue. I imagine that the school, like any school, is not for everyone. If there are actual issues that you are seeing or hearing about, please share with us because I think others would be interested. But this business of ratios and the school not following guidelines is bogus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Montessori class sizes are large because that is their methodology. Most Montessori schools are not licensed as preschools because they do not meet the usual ratios for preschools.

How does THAT work? What keeps Bright Horizons from licensing itself as a "Montessori school" so it can not comply with day care ratios?

because Bright Horizons does not have the educational materials, certified teachers, and educational program required by either the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) or the American Montessori Society (AMS)...not that there is anything wrong with that, but other programs have different approaches and parents that enroll at Franklin have chosen a Montessori program... it does seem strange that OP did not read the materials provided by the school, do research onMontessori, listen during the tour, open their eyes during the classroom tour, or ask any questions at the school before posting here about group sizes...my child has been at Franklin for years and the fact that it was a Montessori school and what that meant was not in any way hidden...in fact, that is exactly why we choose the school.

The question is about how they can have class sizes that do not comport with DC child care ratio laws. We're still waiting for the citation that simply because it is Montessori school, it does not have to comply.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Montessori class sizes are large because that is their methodology. Most Montessori schools are not licensed as preschools because they do not meet the usual ratios for preschools.

How does THAT work? What keeps Bright Horizons from licensing itself as a "Montessori school" so it can not comply with day care ratios?

because Bright Horizons does not have the educational materials, certified teachers, and educational program required by either the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) or the American Montessori Society (AMS)...not that there is anything wrong with that, but other programs have different approaches and parents that enroll at Franklin have chosen a Montessori program... it does seem strange that OP did not read the materials provided by the school, do research onMontessori, listen during the tour, open their eyes during the classroom tour, or ask any questions at the school before posting here about group sizes...my child has been at Franklin for years and the fact that it was a Montessori school and what that meant was not in any way hidden...in fact, that is exactly why we choose the school.

Here is the DC government page on child care licensing.

http://osse.dc.gov/service/providerslicensing

There is a list of exemptions, and one of them is NOT being Montessori certified.

Because not all daycares are certified by national Montessori organizations...like the American Montessori Society.

So why don't all daycares say the are Montessori to get around ratios? the for-profit daycares would make more money since they wouldn't have to pay as many teachers.

Anonymous wrote:All Montessori Schools in the District of Columbia operate under a waiver to the ratio/group size rules of the DC Regs. They all have different class/group sizes than day cares.

Seriously? Can you provide a citation or link to the reg?

All Montessori Schools in the District of Columbia operate under a waiver to the ratio/group size rules of the DC Regs. They all have different class/group sizes than day cares.

There are between10-142 year olds in each class with only one teacher and one aide.

Anonymous wrote:Montessori class sizes are large because that is their methodology. Most Montessori schools are not licensed as preschools because they do not meet the usual ratios for preschools.

Strange. I was under he impression that, regardless of methodology, all daycares and preschools in the DC area had to comply with DC regs. That being said, another poster said that the reason that the ratios could be bigger is because their are older children in the class. Nothing could be further from the truth. Centers must adhear to the youngest child in the room.