What do you think of it? I took a tour today and I was very impressed at what the school offered, and the children's behaviour. All of the children were sitting and concentrating alone, or working nicely in groups. Each child chose a task, and seemed very interested in it. For example, a 3 year old was transfering lentils into another bowl with a spoon, and spilled them everywhere. Immediately two older girls came over with child sized dustpans and began to sweep them up. The little girl then went into the mini kitchen and got a dust pan and helped the girls. It was very smooth. I like how the classrooms are mixed ages too. This place even has llamas, koi pond, goats, and chickens for the children to learn and take care of.
I went to a Montesorri pre school and LOVED it. I could already read (real books), do maths and write by the time I started real school - the only other kids in my class who could also do all that were also montessori veterans. and i've heard good things about Montessori for older kids too, but only if you have the aptitude for it.
like with all things, Montessori can be a wonderful thing for some children. It can be really terrible for others. I've heard really scary bad things about one of the local Montessori schools here where I live. There has been quite a bit of controversy in the last few years, I'd urge you to look into that before enrolling your children, if that is your intent. Me, personally, I don't believe in institutionalized education for my children, no matter what fancy name they give it or how hard they try to hide the fact that it's still school.
I stayed home with her for 3 years. Which was such a blessing. But I am a single mother now, and I have to make sure she has a place to live, and good food to eat. So I need to work. So far the place looks wonderful and nuturing. It is also very convenient for me to take her. I can even ride my bike. She starts on Sept 11, and I will keep this thread updated. Thanks
The montessori schools were created for exceptional students by Dr. Montessori. They tried the concept on the typical child and there has been a lot of positive outcomes of this form of education. I'm going to be doing some research in an urban public montessori school this semester. I'll post my findings. I'm very excited to do this. Cosmic, I hope your child positively learns in this environment. It's a great thing that some parents can educate their children, but some are not able to because they have to work to supply for their children. One can say that educating your children could be the same as if a teacher educates him or her because you are teaching what you want to teach. The child isn't in full control. For an example, say if a mother is not too good in math, but is great in language skills, she will teach better when it comes to language/writing skills. This child is not being taught the appropriate math skills. So is home schooling better? The Montessouri schools are trying to break away from thewhole "insitutionalized schooling" by teaching the foundations of things and then allowing the child to dictate what he/she wants to learn.
Yes indeed, Bumble. I was very surprised to see the older children doing a variety things, and they seemed so calm, advanced, and aware. Another thing about the place is that they use organic soil on the property, have live stock, and request that you pack healthy lunches. The lunches cannot have sugary items like fruit roll ups, and koolaids. Also, they ask that the children's clothing do not have any commerical cartoon characters...These kind of requests are similar to the way I raise my daughter. The school I will be taking her to is AMI certified. Anyone can open a school and call it a Montessori. There are hundreds of Montessori's here in AZ, but only a few are AMI certified.
I beg your pardon. You posted your question in the homeschool forum. That means you will get the perspective from parents who choose to homeschool. Montessori is not unstructured learning, the approach is very rigid in certain things. Kids aren't allowed to play with manipulatives in any way other than the way the teacher has been told those tools and toys are intended, otherwise it's disrespectful. If these blocks over here are meant to be stacked according to size, the children are not allowed to build a tower or a wall with them. There is a lot more redirection and teacher involvement than the school would have you believe. There are academic goals each child must meet, and every toy the children play with is to teach a certain concept or idea, everything has a goal in mind, and that tends to suck all the fun out of learning by not allowing the children to just play. I'm having a very hard time finding the controversial stuff I read about Montessori, it couldn't have been more than two years ago. Look into it yourself. They've done a real good job of covering it up, but you really need to be aware of what exactly your children will experience in that environment.
not so. You really don't have a clue, what with your years of experience as a mother and teacher (*sarcasm*) When a parent is homeschooling a child, it can be just like school, or it can be something totally different and unrecognizable to those with a formal education training. I have lots of friends who homeschool their children, and generally they simply try harder to teach those subjects which they did poorly in school, or better yet, they try a different approach than the one that obviously didn't work so well when they were kids. When my five year old expressed an interest in archaeology, I didn't tell her, "you aren't old enough to learn that" I found new ways of using books and resources that were geared for a more mature audience. I didn't tell her "Mommy doesn't know squat about history" I learned it alongside her instead. Montessori doesn't really allow the child to learn what they want at their own pace, not by any stretch. As far as school goes, some of them are really good schools for some kids, but no one approach is best for all kids, or all parents.
I beg your pardon, but I did not post this in Homeschooling, but in parenting. The thread was moved. I do not think the montessori school she will be attending is going to be THAT rigid. I am happy, and proud to be putting her in the school, and I think you need to get off your high horse. Because I could just homeschool her in the abusive relationship we just left. Or maybe even in an alley, in a castle made of card board boxes! Not everyone has the money to homeschool. Are you a single mom? Do you have lots of money in the bank? Some schools are great, and some schools are pieces of crap. Some homeschooling mothers are fabulous, others are lazy delusional turds. My life story is much different from yours.
I use some montessori aspects in homeschooling my kids. I looked into Montessori AND Waldorf private schools before choosing to do this, and we could never afford the $5000 plus per child they were charging. So I homeschool and my kiddies get a mix of this, that & the other helpful teaching style, each different to go with their VERY different learning personalities. If I was in a position where I could afford to send my kids to private school I would definitely consider this for my daughter... but NEVER for my son. I think it works well for a child who thinks & learns best in a tactile & somewhat open environment. But that child MUST be self-motivated or they would very easily "slip through the cracks" in this type of schooling. Children who are more "logic-centered" as structured/linear thinkers do not do well in this at all. No, from the outside it looks nothing like a rigid, structured technique. But a good read through some of Martha's books shows you that there is structure there. Goodness, her learning concept breaks the entire day down from waking to bedtime... if a full-day 24/7 routine isn't structure, I don't know what is. love, mom
just wanted to let you ladies know that montessori schools were created by maria montessori for poor children whose parents both had to work. not for excpetional students. fyi
i think you're mistaken. Maria montessori developed this type of learning for the autistic and mentally retarded of the working class because these types of people learn with their hands and since both parents had to work there was little time for one-on-one instruction from the parents. You can find this at: http://www.wier.ca/~ daniel_schugurensky/assignment1/1907montessori.html
Gaea is doing very well in school! I love her teacher. I have seen so much wonderful growth in my daughter since she started! Her school is not rigid but not loose. Very balanced. Im not going to even bother with Montessori myths I hear people spewing.
Your right but the children in her first acctuall school for working parents were all normal. when she started in her carreer she had the "degenerats" as society called them back then.the school she had the disabled kids in had older kids. not preschoolers I didnt say poor people couldnt have smart kids. My parents were dirt poor. We had no mony and never ever got new clothes. And there child taught for years at a montessori school and is now useing the method to teach her own. I said her school was not a school for the exceptional. it was a school for kids whose parents had to both work. back then most moms didnt work if they didnt have to.IM sure they were as smart as my kids.or anyones here. they were preschoolers who went to school in the same building they lived in. I read "The montessori method " about 4 weeks ago for the second time.ill check out that site you put here. sounds interesting. thanks.
