There will be cheerleaders on both side of Montessori question. Of course, anyone whose kid is in Montessori program will say they love it and those that choose something else will give you their complaints. . I will say this, go with your gut and what you know about your child and how they learn and interact.

OK - I will be a bit snarky for a moment. The Montessori cheerleaders Ive encountered are very annoying and drank too much of the kool-aid. They are simply way too vocal about their choice and a bit too preachy.

Yes, I found it refreshing when I toured preschools like Discovery Woods where they mentioned about 10 different educators that influenced their teaching.

Anonymous wrote:9:35. It isn't the parents as much as the directors of the preschools. Also, a lot of parents compare Montessori to public school which is a bit different than comparing Montessori to other more varied private preschools.

9:35 and I agree, but I think my point still stands. Montessori can be a great option, as can many many other educational environments. I believe it is overrated in that it isn't definitely THE BEST unilaterally and across the board, and some educators and parents speak as though it is.

9:35. It isn't the parents as much as the directors of the preschools. Also, a lot of parents compare Montessori to public school which is a bit different than comparing Montessori to other more varied private preschools.

Op your post is TLTR.
But yes, as I understand it monterssori is not the best option for some types of learners. I personally would not have done well. My son, however, appears to be a perfect fit.
My coworkers used it for twins. The one twin clearly should not have been

Anonymous wrote:they have this feature on forums which assist you in finding information which has already been posted by others - its called SEARCH. There are probably 10 threads on here already dealing with the relative benefits of Montessori

New poster. Did you know a donkey is sometimes called an Ass?

14:13 again: also, what i like about how they teach cleaning up is that is becomes a part of their world and becomes part of the fun of the world - so cleaning up (putting plates away after lunch or sweeping up when you drop something on the floor) is not a "chore" but an activity enjoyable in itself - it teaches kids to take pride in themselves.

i actually don't understand ANY of the anti-montessori posters. i just can't imagine anyone disliking a teaching system in such a blanket-way.

i'm the parent who loved montessori and just want to clarify that they go outside 4 times each day from 9am to 3pm.

i agree that children are individuals and that not all children will thrive at every school. that said, there is not a single child in my dd's school that is not thriving: no problem child, no child with issues, etc. it may be that the parents are very like-minded and that we all picked this school b/c it suits all of us equally well, or it may be that the montessori teaching style used at our school is exceptionally good for all children.

I meant 9:35

29:35 very well said!

IMHO Montessori is overrated, not because it isn't a great educational philosophy, but because it is not across the board, hands down THE greatest education philosophy. There are many wonderful philisophies and methodologies by which to educate a child, Montessori is one of them. Each of those philosophies has its positives and negatives. And, as many have emphasized, they are only as good as the teachers in the classroom.

It's overrated, in my mind, in that some parents seem to view it as the gold standard by which all other early education programs should be evaluated.

9:14 posted while I was writing. I am the 9.23 teacher poster. Just wanted to say that I agree w/ everything 9:14 said

To 7:15...I am the first Montessori teacher on this thread-
* The word "work" gives importance to what the child is doing.
(I.E. Playdough is considered "work.")

* NOT only one way to do something. After a lesson is taught there is freedom with the classroom materials to be creative. (How much so depends on the teacher. I am one of the creative ones.) I.E. Sensorial materials can be built as the child wishes. Sensorial materials can be combined to do so.

* Children take "breaks" from work to do other activities and then go back to original work to finish. I happen to think completing work is a good thing to learn! Not to mention the fact that the children OFTEN take the initiative to finish their work because they LIKE it!

* Free-exploration happens everyday because the children have multiple activities that they are already familiar with and can readily use. Also- For the materials that they DO NEED a lesson- the children are empowered by asking for a lesson (from an older peer/teacher) and actually (in my experience) ENJOY the importance/excitement if a new lesson.

****Like I said before- The class is only as good as the TEACHER regardless of the philosophy and program.

Many Montessori teachers give lessons during circle time to an entire group and introduce many of the materials in the beginning of the year so that children can easily choose work to do. The are encouraged to finish something, but don't always have to. It is a good thing to encourage children to finish what they've begun and helps develop that executive function and concentration. It's not all free play exploration, but it is a nice mix between free play and center driven instruction where every child is doing the same art or math activity. In art Montessori seems to allow more exploratory art than most preschools I see.

Why are children's activities called "work". Where is play in all of this? Child "spots errors through feedback from materials"? That means that there is only one correct way to do something. That notion just stifles creativity! What pp just listed looks like something out of a handbook. In reality, children at the Montessoris I know about must finish the "work" they began before moving on, even if they find they are not enjoying the "work". They are required to have a lesson on the material before using it. What about free exploration? I want my child to learn to figure things out for herself at this age.