Montessori schools

My daughter just turned five years old and she has completed two years in a Montessori school. She will be continuing there (morning only) for at least one more academic year, while also starting an afternoon kindergarten at the public school (half day each).

My opinion is that Montessori has had some things to offer that day care/public pre-K don't have. It's true that they are set up for children to choose their own work and pursue areas of work that interest them. There is much less mandatory work than in public school settings.

Like most school situations, the quality of the teachers matters greatly. The Montessori system is good and offers a different theory of learning than the public schools as I experienced them. But the teacher's ability is still paramount.

I think the thing I like the best about Montessori is that bright children or even slow children move ahead at their own pace, rather than slowing down or speeding up to maintain contact with the group. In some ways, it's almost like individual instruction.

As far as the concern expressed about being alienated from prospective friends for a couple of years, I would have to say that with today's job market, many children have to move and make new friends, sometimes more than once. I would think academic excellence probably outweighs social considerations for most parents.

I'm pretty tired and may be rambling, but that is my two cents on Montessori.

 

I went to one. Like Inky, I was reading at a sixth-grade level by the time I was six or so. I knew the state capitals by the time I was five and could pick out every state on a blank map.

Those schools are fucking tremendous.

 

A great teacher in any setting is a great teacher.

I will say that a friend of mine who is a public school principal has a child who he says is off the charts academically, and he is afraid the public school will not challenge him enough. This is a valid concern.

He went to the local private teaching academy (which a beautiful facility), but he saw all the teachers teaching there who he did not think were good enough for his own public school when they interviewed for teaching positions. His son will be going to a public school in the fall.

One thing to consider is that gifted students fall under the umbrella of special education. I know that might sound strange, but if your student cannot have their educational needs met in a standard classroom, that is the definition of special education. Press your public school to divert some of the special education fund (a monster account) to gifted and talented programs.

What I would do is take a $4,000 and spend it on summer camps that encourage learning growth. I would also spend some money on educational things for the home that you and your child can do together.

Honestly, you are your child's best teacher.


People just do not think of it that way because the lower functioning students are the squeaky wheels so to speak.

 

Ditto for me. Now I'm a hopeless loser, but back then I was way, way ahead of my public school classmates.