Anonymous wrote:Tough call, we went to LAMB and were terribly unhappy with it, left for private after 2 years which we can't really comfortably afford. We have a lot of neighbors at Stokes and they seem to be very happy with it, but not sure if it would actually work better for my son.

Here are some differences I'm aware of:

LAMB, no homework, Stokes gives homework

The curriculum is quite different obviously, I'd read books on Montessori and believed wholeheartedly in it, even used Montessori techniques at home with my son when he was 1 and 2, unfortunately LAMB isn't true Montessori, the teacher's admitted to me they have to teach to the test and in the afternoons instead of letting children select their activities my son was forced to do a rotation at a Math table and at a reading table, he got in trouble for drawing one day, he was doing these lovely intricate little drawing which looked like excellent pre-writing practice and right in line with Montessori, but he was supposed to do Math.

The communities at both seem good, Stokes does lots of plays and parades and school activities. LAMB has monthly peace ceremonies and the parent community is incredible.

My son learned Spanish easily at LAMB, can't really compare to Stokes.

I have talked to a lot of other LAMB parents, many have frustrations with the rigidity of the school and lack of communication. Some I know who joined in ps-4 said their kids always said it wasn't fun and wanted to go back their old school. Kids from Stokes seem to enjoy school, but maybe a Stokes parent can comment on that. Many people I knew said their kids didn't want to go in the mornings and would have difficult mornings. Preschool for 3 & 4 year olds should be fun, in my opinion, they shouldn't be developing a lifelong hatred for school. I don't know if this is par for the course, but after reading articles in the Post about how early preschool programs done poorly can cause burnout and school fatigue for kids as they age, this seems to be the case at LAMB and is something I would be concerned about.

My son was miserable at LAMB, we eventually had him diagnosed with ADHD but the school was absolutely no help, they refused to evaluate him at all because he tested 1-2 years ahead academically. It would take months for Cristina to return emails to me, it took until the end of our 2nd year to even have a meeting with intervention specialists etc. I was criticized as parent (not by Cristina but by a teacher, told I needed a parenting class because I'm a young mom and we research a car before buying one, so I should really research parenting...)

When we talked with Cristina she said our problems weren't the school's responsibility. The teachers told me they were asking the administration for help in the classroom, and received nothing. My son and the other students, needed more movement, and the teachers would sneak the kids out for extra time on the playground with excuses ready (like we're cleaning the classroom) so that they could let the kids move more. I've visited the teachers to let my son say hi since leaving and morale is low, they are miserable and frustrated with the administration, and said thank goodness I pulled him out or he would have been miserable. They're frustrated with the lack of support and frustrated with the rigidness of the school and how kids are barely allowed to move or play. As we were leaving and I began opening up to other parents I learned that almost every boy in his class was being diagnosed with anxiety or ADHD. I have friends in other classes and have not heard the same from them.

Our neighbors at Stokes also have a kid with ADHD, homework battles can be difficult and they've struggled, but the administration seemed to jump at the opportunity to help them. Their circumstances are different (their kid was testing behind) so I'm not sure I can definitively say this is a problem with LAMB or just the nature of having a 2E kid. At his private school now he's like a different person, so I definitely blame the school environment, however it doesn't mean it won't work for other kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know if Montessori is going to be good for your kid in the long run? I see it as being great for PK/K, but unsure about the higher elementary grades.

No way to tell. Same with immersion.

Anonymous wrote:You should be asking some DCI parents which cohort of students are better prepared for MS/HS?

Anonymous wrote:You should be asking some DCI parents which cohort of students are better prepared for MS/HS?

Anonymous wrote:Tough call, we went to LAMB and were terribly unhappy with it, left for private after 2 years which we can't really comfortably afford. We have a lot of neighbors at Stokes and they seem to be very happy with it, but not sure if it would actually work better for my son.

Here are some differences I'm aware of:

LAMB, no homework, Stokes gives homework

The curriculum is quite different obviously, I'd read books on Montessori and believed wholeheartedly in it, even used Montessori techniques at home with my son when he was 1 and 2, unfortunately LAMB isn't true Montessori, the teacher's admitted to me they have to teach to the test and in the afternoons instead of letting children select their activities my son was forced to do a rotation at a Math table and at a reading table, he got in trouble for drawing one day, he was doing these lovely intricate little drawing which looked like excellent pre-writing practice and right in line with Montessori, but he was supposed to do Math.

The communities at both seem good, Stokes does lots of plays and parades and school activities. LAMB has monthly peace ceremonies and the parent community is incredible.

My son learned Spanish easily at LAMB, can't really compare to Stokes.

I have talked to a lot of other LAMB parents, many have frustrations with the rigidity of the school and lack of communication. Some I know who joined in ps-4 said their kids always said it wasn't fun and wanted to go back their old school. Kids from Stokes seem to enjoy school, but maybe a Stokes parent can comment on that. Many people I knew said their kids didn't want to go in the mornings and would have difficult mornings. Preschool for 3 & 4 year olds should be fun, in my opinion, they shouldn't be developing a lifelong hatred for school. I don't know if this is par for the course, but after reading articles in the Post about how early preschool programs done poorly can cause burnout and school fatigue for kids as they age, this seems to be the case at LAMB and is something I would be concerned about.

My son was miserable at LAMB, we eventually had him diagnosed with ADHD but the school was absolutely no help, they refused to evaluate him at all because he tested 1-2 years ahead academically. It would take months for Cristina to return emails to me, it took until the end of our 2nd year to even have a meeting with intervention specialists etc. I was criticized as parent (not by Cristina but by a teacher, told I needed a parenting class because I'm a young mom and we research a car before buying one, so I should really research parenting...)

When we talked with Cristina she said our problems weren't the school's responsibility. The teachers told me they were asking the administration for help in the classroom, and received nothing. My son and the other students, needed more movement, and the teachers would sneak the kids out for extra time on the playground with excuses ready (like we're cleaning the classroom) so that they could let the kids move more. I've visited the teachers to let my son say hi since leaving and morale is low, they are miserable and frustrated with the administration, and said thank goodness I pulled him out or he would have been miserable. They're frustrated with the lack of support and frustrated with the rigidness of the school and how kids are barely allowed to move or play. As we were leaving and I began opening up to other parents I learned that almost every boy in his class was being diagnosed with anxiety or ADHD. I have friends in other classes and have not heard the same from them.

Our neighbors at Stokes also have a kid with ADHD, homework battles can be difficult and they've struggled, but the administration seemed to jump at the opportunity to help them. Their circumstances are different (their kid was testing behind) so I'm not sure I can definitively say this is a problem with LAMB or just the nature of having a 2E kid. At his private school now he's like a different person, so I definitely blame the school environment, however it doesn't mean it won't work for other kids.

Anonymous wrote:Tough call, we went to LAMB and were terribly unhappy with it, left for private after 2 years which we can't really comfortably afford. We have a lot of neighbors at Stokes and they seem to be very happy with it, but not sure if it would actually work better for my son.

Here are some differences I'm aware of:

LAMB, no homework, Stokes gives homework

The curriculum is quite different obviously, I'd read books on Montessori and believed wholeheartedly in it, even used Montessori techniques at home with my son when he was 1 and 2, unfortunately LAMB isn't true Montessori, the teacher's admitted to me they have to teach to the test and in the afternoons instead of letting children select their activities my son was forced to do a rotation at a Math table and at a reading table, he got in trouble for drawing one day, he was doing these lovely intricate little drawing which looked like excellent pre-writing practice and right in line with Montessori, but he was supposed to do Math.

The communities at both seem good, Stokes does lots of plays and parades and school activities. LAMB has monthly peace ceremonies and the parent community is incredible.

My son learned Spanish easily at LAMB, can't really compare to Stokes.

I have talked to a lot of other LAMB parents, many have frustrations with the rigidity of the school and lack of communication. Some I know who joined in ps-4 said their kids always said it wasn't fun and wanted to go back their old school. Kids from Stokes seem to enjoy school, but maybe a Stokes parent can comment on that. Many people I knew said their kids didn't want to go in the mornings and would have difficult mornings. Preschool for 3 & 4 year olds should be fun, in my opinion, they shouldn't be developing a lifelong hatred for school. I don't know if this is par for the course, but after reading articles in the Post about how early preschool programs done poorly can cause burnout and school fatigue for kids as they age, this seems to be the case at LAMB and is something I would be concerned about.

My son was miserable at LAMB, we eventually had him diagnosed with ADHD but the school was absolutely no help, they refused to evaluate him at all because he tested 1-2 years ahead academically. It would take months for Cristina to return emails to me, it took until the end of our 2nd year to even have a meeting with intervention specialists etc. I was criticized as parent (not by Cristina but by a teacher, told I needed a parenting class because I'm a young mom and we research a car before buying one, so I should really research parenting...)

When we talked with Cristina she said our problems weren't the school's responsibility. The teachers told me they were asking the administration for help in the classroom, and received nothing. My son and the other students, needed more movement, and the teachers would sneak the kids out for extra time on the playground with excuses ready (like we're cleaning the classroom) so that they could let the kids move more. I've visited the teachers to let my son say hi since leaving and morale is low, they are miserable and frustrated with the administration, and said thank goodness I pulled him out or he would have been miserable. They're frustrated with the lack of support and frustrated with the rigidness of the school and how kids are barely allowed to move or play. As we were leaving and I began opening up to other parents I learned that almost every boy in his class was being diagnosed with anxiety or ADHD. I have friends in other classes and have not heard the same from them.

Our neighbors at Stokes also have a kid with ADHD, homework battles can be difficult and they've struggled, but the administration seemed to jump at the opportunity to help them. Their circumstances are different (their kid was testing behind) so I'm not sure I can definitively say this is a problem with LAMB or just the nature of having a 2E kid. At his private school now he's like a different person, so I definitely blame the school environment, however it doesn't mean it won't work for other kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know if Montessori is going to be good for your kid in the long run? I see it as being great for PK/K, but unsure about the higher elementary grades.

Parent of a pre-schooler at LAMB here. I don't know how you tell if your kid will do well in Montessori until they do (or don't), but I can share this from our experience:
Montessori emphasizes independence and student-directed learning. There is a structure to it, but it's not as apparent as in a classroom where all the kids learn everything at the same time. In the primary level, the classes are mixed with about 1/3 in Pre-K3, 1/3 in Pre-K4, and 1/3 Kindergartners. There are Montessori "games" (though I'm sure they're not called this) set up all over the room with some that are appropriate for the 3yos, some for the 4yos, and some for the Kindergartners. Kids have to master the "games" in an order - e.g., master the 3yo level, then the 4yo level, then the 5yo level. The students know which "work" they are supposed to do in general, but have the right to choose which things they want to work on. So my kid really likes science and "practical life" and gravitates towards those things. The teachers give a "presentation" on how a "game" or activity works and then they let the student practice it. The 4yos are meant to mentor the 3yos and the Kindergartners mentor the 3 and 4 yos. The teachers work 1:1 with kids or in small groups, helping the kids to master the activities and develop skills over time. It's amazing to me to see the progress my son has made -- both in practical skills (he's super independent at home) and in academic skills (already doing the early bit of math). All of it is called "work" but in the way it occurs, it feels like "play." My kid loves it. We also really like the continuity of having the same teachers for 3 years (but people do switch, if needed) and our son is super motivated by the desire to do what the bigger kids in class do. If your child needs more structure and guidance -- perhaps is more timid and wouldn't like to work independently -- then maybe Montessori won't work for him/her. But, I am (clearly) no expert. Just a parent observing it as we live it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know if Montessori is going to be good for your kid in the long run? I see it as being great for PK/K, but unsure about the higher elementary grades.

Parent of a pre-schooler at LAMB here. I don't know how you tell if your kid will do well in Montessori until they do (or don't), but I can share this from our experience:
Montessori emphasizes independence and student-directed learning. There is a structure to it, but it's not as apparent as in a classroom where all the kids learn everything at the same time. In the primary level, the classes are mixed with about 1/3 in Pre-K3, 1/3 in Pre-K4, and 1/3 Kindergartners. There are Montessori "games" (though I'm sure they're not called this) set up all over the room with some that are appropriate for the 3yos, some for the 4yos, and some for the Kindergartners. Kids have to master the "games" in an order - e.g., master the 3yo level, then the 4yo level, then the 5yo level. The students know which "work" they are supposed to do in general, but have the right to choose which things they want to work on. So my kid really likes science and "practical life" and gravitates towards those things. The teachers give a "presentation" on how a "game" or activity works and then they let the student practice it. The 4yos are meant to mentor the 3yos and the Kindergartners mentor the 3 and 4 yos. The teachers work 1:1 with kids or in small groups, helping the kids to master the activities and develop skills over time. It's amazing to me to see the progress my son has made -- both in practical skills (he's super independent at home) and in academic skills (already doing the early bit of math). All of it is called "work" but in the way it occurs, it feels like "play." My kid loves it. We also really like the continuity of having the same teachers for 3 years (but people do switch, if needed) and our son is super motivated by the desire to do what the bigger kids in class do. If your child needs more structure and guidance -- perhaps is more timid and wouldn't like to work independently -- then maybe Montessori won't work for him/her. But, I am (clearly) no expert. Just a parent observing it as we live it.

Anonymous wrote:How do you know if Montessori is going to be good for your kid in the long run? I see it as being great for PK/K, but unsure about the higher elementary grades.

Anonymous wrote:How do you know if Montessori is going to be good for your kid in the long run? I see it as being great for PK/K, but unsure about the higher elementary grades.

Anonymous wrote:Tough call, we went to LAMB and were terribly unhappy with it, left for private after 2 years which we can't really comfortably afford. We have a lot of neighbors at Stokes and they seem to be very happy with it, but not sure if it would actually work better for my son.

Here are some differences I'm aware of:

LAMB, no homework, Stokes gives homework

The curriculum is quite different obviously, I'd read books on Montessori and believed wholeheartedly in it, even used Montessori techniques at home with my son when he was 1 and 2, unfortunately LAMB isn't true Montessori, the teacher's admitted to me they have to teach to the test and in the afternoons instead of letting children select their activities my son was forced to do a rotation at a Math table and at a reading table, he got in trouble for drawing one day, he was doing these lovely intricate little drawing which looked like excellent pre-writing practice and right in line with Montessori, but he was supposed to do Math.

The communities at both seem good, Stokes does lots of plays and parades and school activities. LAMB has monthly peace ceremonies and the parent community is incredible.

My son learned Spanish easily at LAMB, can't really compare to Stokes.

I have talked to a lot of other LAMB parents, many have frustrations with the rigidity of the school and lack of communication. Some I know who joined in ps-4 said their kids always said it wasn't fun and wanted to go back their old school. Kids from Stokes seem to enjoy school, but maybe a Stokes parent can comment on that. Many people I knew said their kids didn't want to go in the mornings and would have difficult mornings. Preschool for 3 & 4 year olds should be fun, in my opinion, they shouldn't be developing a lifelong hatred for school. I don't know if this is par for the course, but after reading articles in the Post about how early preschool programs done poorly can cause burnout and school fatigue for kids as they age, this seems to be the case at LAMB and is something I would be concerned about.

My son was miserable at LAMB, we eventually had him diagnosed with ADHD but the school was absolutely no help, they refused to evaluate him at all because he tested 1-2 years ahead academically. It would take months for Cristina to return emails to me, it took until the end of our 2nd year to even have a meeting with intervention specialists etc. I was criticized as parent (not by Cristina but by a teacher, told I needed a parenting class because I'm a young mom and we research a car before buying one, so I should really research parenting...)

When we talked with Cristina she said our problems weren't the school's responsibility. The teachers told me they were asking the administration for help in the classroom, and received nothing. My son and the other students, needed more movement, and the teachers would sneak the kids out for extra time on the playground with excuses ready (like we're cleaning the classroom) so that they could let the kids move more. I've visited the teachers to let my son say hi since leaving and morale is low, they are miserable and frustrated with the administration, and said thank goodness I pulled him out or he would have been miserable. They're frustrated with the lack of support and frustrated with the rigidness of the school and how kids are barely allowed to move or play. As we were leaving and I began opening up to other parents I learned that almost every boy in his class was being diagnosed with anxiety or ADHD. I have friends in other classes and have not heard the same from them.

Our neighbors at Stokes also have a kid with ADHD, homework battles can be difficult and they've struggled, but the administration seemed to jump at the opportunity to help them. Their circumstances are different (their kid was testing behind) so I'm not sure I can definitively say this is a problem with LAMB or just the nature of having a 2E kid. At his private school now he's like a different person, so I definitely blame the school environment, however it doesn't mean it won't work for other kids.