This is an instance of a person who made a decision for her kid that she wasn't 100 percent sure about and is now trying to rationalize that decision in her head by bad mouthing the other option. I've toured several preschools and the "play-based" ones didn't seem to have much of a well-rounded curriculum or plan for the students. And I'm not talking about calculus and Shakespeare, but the kids were basically just playing with toy trucks or dolls or whatever. Kids should definitely play, but I'm sending my kid to preschool to do more than that. I'd like them to be exposed to things I can't provide for them at home -- like exploring activities and materials in the areas of math, science, music and art and learning from experienced teachers with degrees (not just workers). Kids will learn to socialize in both settings so that's not a concern. And yes, most Montessori schools only do Montessori work for a half day. For those that offer full day sessions, the rest of the day is free play, singing, naps, reading or outside time. So, it feels like the best of both worlds. We haven't decided where we're sending our LO yet, but I've been thoroughly impressed by the two Montessori schools I've seen thus far. The kids in the Montessori classroom seem totally engaged in what they're doing and excited about learning. The kids in the play based classroom are either sitting around waiting for a teacher to tell them what to do or playing with a toy truck (or the like) in the corner. My LO has tons of toy trucks at home. I'd like for school to offer him something different.

Great! But what happens the next year in K? Then the next year in first? When does it stop being play based?

A decrease in "play" is not exclusive to one type of preschool or another. Preschool makes up about 4-5 hrs of a day for kids <5-6 yrs old. What are YOUR kids doing the rest of the day? Do they get to "play" at home or are they in structured practice and lessons?

"My kids never did Montessori, but isn't the issue "real" Montessori schools that follow the principles of Maria Montessori vs. "fake" Montessori daycares? One is good, the other: not so much."

It's daycare. "Daycares" is a "fake" word.

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Anonymous wrote:Did you go to a play-based college?

Haha, no. But I'm sure glad I had some friends who did, those visits were epic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Montessori can damage young boys.

http://education.penelopetrunk.com/2013/09/18/montessori-schools-dont-work-for-young-boys/

Jeeze, I sure hope most moms have higher expectations of their boys than this mom. Running around and playing violent video games. Yup - that's all little boys can do.

Yeah, that was a waste of time to read...and I love that we can cite uninformed mommy bloggers are evidence for our positions.

Anonymous wrote:My kids never did Montessori, but isn't the issue "real" Montessori schools that follow the principles of Maria Montessori vs. "fake" Montessori daycares? One is good, the other: not so much.

Not really. Even the "real" Montessori can be a bad fit for a particular child. A "fake" Montessori may just be a school who adopted some of the good things from Montessori.

But what you wrote is exactly the line Montessori fans use when someone criticizes a Montessori school.

My kids never did Montessori, but isn't the issue "real" Montessori schools that follow the principles of Maria Montessori vs. "fake" Montessori daycares? One is good, the other: not so much.

Research has increasingly shown that play-based education is best for young kids. I think that Montessori is a great system for older kids and have seen many kids thrive in it. I can see the benefits and flexibility is provides when kids go to elementary school, since the "point" then is to provide academic education. For kids under 5, I don't feel academics should be the focus. Kids at this age learn best through play. Unstructured play is important for developing many skills, including social skills that can't be learned through a more structured environment. I also think the focus on there being a "right way" of doing things with Montessori materials is a bit stifling for creativity, at least in the young.

I don't think it has to be all or nothing. Montessori has some great attributes, and so do play-based and other philosophies. They can also be more or less appropriate depending on age.

Decline of play-based preschools? Where do you live OP? When I was touring preschools, they were all play-based except for the explicitly Montessori-labeled ones. The default is play-based. I asked about the academic curriculum and was treated like I had 3 heads - one place (supposedly the "best" in the neighborhood) had even invented their own abstract symbols as a way to avoid teaching the alphabet but still be able to convey information in written form.

I tried both play-based and Montessori with my son and he has thrived in Montessori. I have all the toys they had in his play-based classroom (kitchen, trucks, magnatiles)whereas the Montessori has a tremendous number of more interesting materials. At the same time, there are always art supplies available in several stations for him to work on projects. He has recess twice a day and time exploring nature twice a week. In the end, it is probably the teachers. His teachers in the play-based school did not engage him and it seems he didn't do much of anything in his half days. The Montessori teachers recognized the same problem and worked to get him to try things and become comfortable. In the end I think its what works for your child and family. For example, some of these outdoor preschools sound fantastic but are no where close to where we live.

Anonymous wrote:
Montessori can damage young boys.

http://education.penelopetrunk.com/2013/09/18/montessori-schools-dont-work-for-young-boys/

Jeeze, I sure hope most moms have higher expectations of their boys than this mom. Running around and playing violent video games. Yup - that's all little boys can do.