Very OT-pls tell me about Montessori

[las3888]

Do any of you take your kids to a Montessori school? My DS is only a year old but I keep hearing about it around here. Is it that much better than regular pre-school? I see they have programs for toddlers starting at 18 months. Has anybody taken their kids there this early? I was so surprised to see that...I thought I would have my DS by my side until the pre-school days which I thought started at age 3--not that I have to take him that early. I just wondered if it's really beneficial. My DS goes to Gymboree...he likes the music classes much better than gym. We are in a smaller room in a more intimate setting. I think he doesn't like crowds and tons of activity (much like his mom and dad).

Just curious as to what others have to say if anything. Thanks!

 

[mom2alix]

DD is in a Montessori pre-school here. It is actually in the public school across the street. This is a magnet program here and goes from Pre-K (3 years old) through middle school. It is VERY difficult to get in.

DD's LOVES her school and has REALLY made progress this year. My mom, who is a retired elementary teacher, has commented repeatedly that she is amazed with the progress she has made this year. One benefit is that the classes are multi-age. In full day classrooms they are 3-5 years old. (I only have DD in half-day so it's just 3 and 4 year olds.) The kids learn a lot from each other. They are encouraged to help each other which benefits both children. There is no better way to cement knowledge than to teach something you have learned to someone else.

I think one of the real advantages of Montessori is the level of the teachers. Montessori is an additional certification they have to have on top of the regular public school teacher certification and it is pretty expensive to get the training. The teachers in DD's school ALL have a real passion for teaching and truly believe in the methodology.

Hope that helps, I'd be happy to answer any other questions if I can.

Edited to add: There are some great books explaining Montessori by Paula Pol Lillard if you are looking for more in-depth info.

 

[AllyCatTapia]

Couple things:
1) 'Montessori' is not a trademarked concept or program so look out for anyone calling themselves it w/o somekind of cert from Mont Int'l or the other large accreditation

2) Public schools are catching on to the concepts of Mont but slowly.

3) they are VERY expensive

4) they like to start your kid at 3- don't wait for "kindergarten".

I'd do it in a heartbeat if I had the $$$ but today I was just thinking that the child herself is probably about 75% of their schooling- ie I'd say about this much success is predetermined by innate charactertiics/family values/work ethic.

 

[torinsmom]

I'm a Montessori teacher in the 3-6 year old classroom. Our school is a private preschool and a charter K-8, so after the child enters K, it is free. Our preschool prices are comparable to daycares in our area. Private Montessoris CAN be very expensive.

Montessori education is child centered, meaning the teachers observe the child and follow their lead as to what work they are ready for. We believe that the child benefits from being in a classroom with children of different ages. The younger children learn from watching the older children and the older children also benefit from helping the younger children. Being in the same classroom for 3 years helps the child and parents to build a strong relationship with the teacher.

Montessori is very hands-on. The children learn by watching and doing, instead of someone telling them what to do and how to do it. In our age group, the materials are very concrete. As the child moves through the school, there is less concrete and more abstract work.

As far as accreditation, it is not all that expensive to get Montessori certification. I believe it was $4000 for the year, which is much less than what I have spent on my state certification. Not all Montessori teachers have state certification. It is not required at most private schools, athough they do like you to have a four year degree.

I don't think there is a great benefit in putting a child in Montessori at 18 months vs. 2 1/2-3 years. You can use a lot of the Montessori methods at home. It is all about helping the child to be independent. Putting their things at their level and giving them plenty of opportunities to do purposeful activities is a good start.

If you're looking for a good source for inexpensive Montessori materials, this is a good site...

Montessori N Such

If you need more info, let me know.

Marsha

 

[PlutoPony]

DS was in a Montessori school at 1 1/2 until about 2 1/2 and it was a good fit for him then. He's 11 now so it's been a while, but at the time it was unusual to see Montessori classes starting before 3 and some are skeptical that there's much benefit to beginning that young. I think DS's school started at that age because they offered part-time preschool as well as full-time day care so just used the same program for all kids regardless of how long they were there (I was working part-time then so DS was only there for half a day). Overall DS did seem to really benefit from the approach as he was a very hands on, active learner - not an observer at all - and the teachers and program encouraged that. Talked to other parents whose kids had different learning styles and they were also happy, so in theory Montessori should be a good fit for most kids as I understand it. I think the biggest plus to the program at that age is that you know the teachers all have training in a specific philosophy (which is more than I found at other preschools frankly). We left not because of any dissatisfaction with Montessori but due to mis-management of the school's administration (as did virtually all DS's class).

 

[mommyceratops]

My DS5 is in Montissori and we LOVE it!! I have enrolled my DS3 to go next year. This will be his first anything in a social setting.

My DS5 is devolopmentally delayed and did not do good in the public preschool, he would come home crying every day. I said that is it and went and checked out our local montissori. I fell in love. I love their ideas and believe in the school.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[alloyd1170]

Children have different learning styles. I have heard some parents comment that their child did better in one setting vs another. I do like the concept of Montessori (I was a high school teacher and had to learn about it in my studies), but having lived in top school districts, Montessori wasnt as popular as public school.

As for starting age, my son was just not ready for any type of preschool until 3. Ive read that this is typical of boys, and that girls are ready earlier. He had no interest in playing with other kids or learning outside of what I was teaching him. Now he loves it, but only goes 3 days a week for 3 hrs at a time. At this age, kids still tend to play alongside, not with others too. Next year he will go 5 days in prep for K. Ive read reports stating it doesnt matter when your kids start school-that by the end of K theyre all pretty much in the same place learning wise. However, going into K they really want the kids to know so much these days that you almost do need to enroll your child in a program beforehand.

alison

 

[Mainebound]

Do any of you take your kids to a Montessori school? My DS is only a year old but I keep hearing about it around here. Is it that much better than regular pre-school? I see they have programs for toddlers starting at 18 months. Has anybody taken their kids there this early? I was so surprised to see that...I thought I would have my DS by my side until the pre-school days which I thought started at age 3--not that I have to take him that early. I just wondered if it's really beneficial. My DS goes to Gymboree...he likes the music classes much better than gym. We are in a smaller room in a more intimate setting. I think he doesn't like crowds and tons of activity (much like his mom and dad).

Just curious as to what others have to say if anything. Thanks!

DS6, now in public kindergarten, did two years at Montessori (starting at 3.5 years old). DS4 is now in his second year at the same Montessori and he started at 2.5 years old. Both of our children attend full day.

I can tell you that my DS6 is head and shoulders ahead of most of his classmates in most areas, including reading and math. He was also extremely well prepared for the hustle and bustle of public school by the Montessori method, which allows the child to lead his or her own education, encourages children to develop inner strength and self-knowledge, rather than having a uniform curriculum imposed from outside with teacher-led activities, like many other preschools.

We also like the emphasis on peace, on conservation of the earth, and on giving, sharing, and cooperation at Montessori. These are all values we hold dear as a family.

On the other hand, the transition to public school meant a transition to "we all do this at time A, we all do that at time B" and there was an adjustment period. DS6 had to learn he could not just take any work off the shelf but had to do what the whole class was doing. Overall it was pretty quick, though. And he has been somewhat bored at times because the Montessori environment is so incredibly rich and stimulating, that he had read most of the books, studied many of the units, and done a lot of the activities already.

My final two cents is that I would not love any preschool if I did not love the teachers. We chose this school because its head teacher was the first preschool educator in the state of Maine to win "Maine educator of the year", and wins many other national awards and grants for her innovative curriculum and methods. We also adore the other teachers there. We were not committed to "finding a Montessori school" by any means, it just happened to be best. But now that we are in our 3rd year of being Montessori parents, we can see the many strengths the program has.

I hope this helps you. Good luck making your decision!

 

[las3888]

Thanks all for your great responses.

When people say that Montessori is hard to get into - is this because the classes are full or is there some sort of admission process that screens kids based on some kind of abilities or something?

I also wondered if anybody can give me a really rough ballpark of how expensive it is. I would probably just have DS go 3 days a week for half days. DS is only 1 now, I am a SAHM, and I have never looked into the costs of daycare. I am sure it varies by area, but I literally have no concept of what Montessori would cost vs. regular daycare or regular pre-school.

If we were thinking of enrolling him maybe in a year or a year and a half, should we start the process now due to waitlists? Is that how it's done?

It would be nice to enroll DS in something as early as 18 months, but maybe just one day a week (I would miss him!).

Is it unusual to enroll your child into a class mid-year (or is this even possible)?

Thanks for your patience...I probably sound clueless, and I guess I am. I appreciate your responses though.

 

[SylviaL]

Both of my boys are in Montessori schools. My older one started at age 2 and he is almost 5 now. My younger one started at age 2 and he just turned 3. The toddler class is just 2 year olds and is only for about 2 1/2 hours 2 or 3 days a week. The other class mixes 3-5 year olds. I love that the 3-5 year olds are together. When my son was 3 and started in that class, he would come home with things that an older child helped him make or made for him. I thought it was really neat that these children are learning to share and be generous with others. Now that he is one of the older ones, I know that he looks out for the little ones and he takes pride in it.

DS4 has really thrived and just a few weeks ago started to read. We had been trying for awhile to teach him because he knew all the letters and phonics but it just didn't click. One day, I picked him up from school and he brought a book him that he could read. I know if he was in a regular preschool, he would not be reading now. I think it's amazing that the teacher has the time to spend with each child and their work.

I would recommend that you observe a class in a Montessori and a regular preschool. The good ones near me take applications in January and fill very quickly.

 

[mom2grace]

Don't start your child in any program until YOU are ready! He is going to learn the most and best from you. My kids started a mom's day out/preschool (not Montessori) at 1, they went 2 days a week because I needed the break, they didn't NEED preschool at 1 or 2 or 3!

I think it is a good idea to have them in some type of structured preschool 2 years before they will start kindergarten. DD will go to kindergarten in the fall, and she goes to preschool 2 days/week.

Make sure you visit lots of different programs and choose the one you are most comfortable with. PLEASE do NOT go on reputation alone, individual teachers can really vary within the same program.

I pay $136/month for 1 "full" day (8:30-3:30) at a NAEYC accredited program in a church in Indianapolis. 8:30-12:30 is $73/month per day.

At my program, we pay by the day, so we get to decide how often our children go (we have to do 2 days) and we don't have to pay "full time" if we just want a few days.

 

[torinsmom]

Ive read reports stating it doesnt matter when your kids start school-that by the end of K theyre all pretty much in the same place learning wise.
alison

I would definitely disagree with this. There is a big difference in my class between the Ks who have been there a year or two and the ones that I got "off the street" this year as Ks! I'm not saying that they can't learn in other preschools, but some preschools are just not teaching these kids what they need to know. For example, a child coming in knowing their letter names; how is that going to help them read? We begin teaching our children letter sounds by 3 1/2-4. It is much harder for them to learn the sounds as 5-6 year olds. We have children barely sounding out words in K and kids in K who are reading at a 3rd grade level. We have kids still working on learning their numbers to 20, and kids doing division. There is also a big social transition for children who have never been in a classroom setting. It is so much better for this transition to happen as 3 or 4 year olds vs. K's, because then they are even more delayed in their learning. Our returning K's are so much more independent and self motivated that the newer K's.

 

[Tiger926]

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[amsafko]

I second the poster who said to check out different Montessori schools before choosing. My dd4 started at one Montessori school last January ('05) when she was just over 3 for 5 days per week 1/2 days, this school seemed very good to us and appeared to follow the Montessori approach but as time went by we knew it wasn't a good fit. It ended up being VERY strict. It was very "formal" and everything had to be just perfect or they felt the child had "issues". We finished out the year, barely, and started at a different Montessori school and now dd is just thriving. The teachers are so warm and friendly, she loves going (begged to go over the holiday break), and she is in an environment that stimulates her natural curiousity. It is expensive but we feel it is well worth it to us. DD is very hands on and just loves learning so it is a perfect fit. Our tuition for 4 days per week 9-3 is $755/month, but rates vary greatly depending on location.

Good luck!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Just to offer another opinion.

I work as a special educator in a inclusive (meaning we serve a mixture of children with disabilities and typically developing children) pre-school that follows a developmental philosophy. By developmental I mean that the focus is on social, language, and motor skills, and on creativity and problem solving. It also means that we believe that children learn best through activities that they select and direct, most of which are activities that would be described as "play".

If you were to compare my program to a traditional Montessori program you'd see many differences. One is that most of the activities in a Montessori classroom are "closed-ended". A puzzle is a good example of a closed activity -- it has one right way to use it. On the other hand, a baby doll, an easel with paints or a set of legos are "open-ended" activities. In a developmental classroom there are some closed activities such as puzzles, but the majority of materials and toys are ones that are designed to be more open ended.

Another difference is that in a Montessori classroom you will see a lot of emphasis on independence. Children learn to do things for themselves, and frequently by themselves. On the other hand, in a developmental classroom there is a greater emphasis on social skills, and social interaction. Children are encouraged to cooperate and play together.

A third difference is in the goals we set for children. Many of the skills that children develop in the two types of programs are the same. For example, children can develop their pincer grasp by playing with sponges in the water table or building collages with beads and sequins (developmental activities) or by polishing silver or tracing templates (Montessori activities). However, Montessori schools also place a lot of emphasis on academic skills such as letter recognition and coutning. Developmental schools believe that if you concentrate on developing children's social, language, and motor skills, and you give them the tools to make choices and use materials creatively, they'll have the foundation to pick up academic skills quickly when they get to Kindergarten. Research backs up this belief.

I am not saying that Montessori schools are bad or that developmental schools are better. I think you need to make the choice that best suits your child and your family. However, I think it's important to understand the differences between a Montessori school and a more play-based one, and to look at in terms of what kinds of experiences you want your child to have, and what goals you have for him. I know that for my own child I considered creativity, and social skills to be high priorities and so choosing a play-based, developmental program made sense.

 

[camdensmom]

If the Montessori philosophy is used correctly it is an outstanding method. With that being said, I feel it is most appropriate for preschoolers. As a public school teacher the biggest problem I've had with former Montessori students is just what a PP mentioned...they march to the beat of their own drummer. That's not a bad thing, but it is VERY hard to get them to understand that "I'm trying to teach a lesson on addition so no you can't go and paint at this moment."

One of the schools in my area offers an infant through 8th grade program. If you are a SAHM and your child is well-socialized then I would hold off until preschool before starting any formal schooling.

Also, as someone mentioned...BE CAREFUL. Anyone can post an ad and say they are a "Montessori School."

 

[daisyduck123]

As a public school teacher the biggest problem I've had with former Montessori students is just what a PP mentioned...they march to the beat of their own drummer. That's not a bad thing, but it is VERY hard to get them to understand that "I'm trying to teach a lesson on addition so no you can't go and paint at this moment."

My thoughts exactly. That is by far the hardest thing I've ever encountered in my 1st grade classroom with kids coming from Montessori Kindergarten. OOHHH I wish that if parents knew they were going to enroll their child in a regular public 1st grade, that they would put them in regular public kindergarten too.

 

[metivier]

Just to offer another opinion.

...

I am not saying that Montessori schools are bad or that developmental schools are better. I think you need to make the choice that best suits your child and your family. However, I think it's important to understand the differences between a Montessori school and a more play-based one, and to look at in terms of what kinds of experiences you want your child to have, and what goals you have for him. I know that for my own child I considered creativity, and social skills to be high priorities and so choosing a play-based, developmental program made sense.

Thank you for this excellent post!

Another great resource is a comparison of Montessori with other program models (including Waldorf and High/Scope) at ParentCenter:
The top preschool programs and how they differ

 

[emma'smom]

We chose Montessori preschool for our 3 year old daughter specifically for the child-centered, structured environment. There are so many wonderful materials that she uses on a regular basis to devleop a lifelong love of learning and discovery. It amazes me how much she has learned since she started in September. Her literacy skills are really taking off. There are plenty of opportunities for socialization and play. She interacts with her peers all day in class and on the playground (a peace playground). She eats lunch with her peers using real china and cloth napkins. I'll never forget the day I tried to pour her a drink at school and she said "Mommy, the kids can pour their own drinks here!".

Our daughter goes to preschool five days a week from 9-4 daily. The cost is about 6000. a year. It is cheaper for the kids who go for a half-day (naturally), but I really think she is getting a much fuller experience by being there the whole day.

I am professor of early childhood education. I understand and value many differing teaching philosophies (including the developmental approach outlined earlier). For us, this school is the perfect fit. My daughter (who, in my humble motherly opinion, is very bright) is just thriving!

However, I do feel that I need to introduce technology and open-ended fantasy/make-believe experiences at home as they are not emphasized at school. There are trade-offs in any environment and these are worth it!

If you are even thinking about it, look into it further to see if it is right for you. Don't let the cost be prohibitive...some schools have sliding scales and offer scholarships!

BTW- To the teachers who say that Montessori kids have difficulty transitioning, do you also find this to be the case at the middle school level? We are planning to keep dd in Montessori through elementary school so that she has an opportunity to learn in a more open environment for a longer period of time.

P.S. Some schools require a three-year committment starting as preschoolers. Maria Montessori writes a great deal about the "explosion in learning" that occurs in kindergarten as a result of the foundations that are created in the first two years.

 

[torinsmom]

I always hate to see my Pre-K and K parents moving their kids to public K or 1st grade! It is not a good time to transition IMH0. Its even worse if the child has learned to read, do addition, etc with us at 3 or 4 and then goes to public K where most of the kids do not have these skills.

I have never observed at a "developmental preschool", but as I work in a Montessori 3-6 classroom, I can comment somewhat. There are many open-ended activities in my classroom. We have a large art area that includes cutting, gluing, painting, play dough, stamps, etc. Many of our works, such as red rods and pink tower are used very creatively by the children, and as long as they are not being disruptive or destructive to the materials, the children are not interrupted. Children are able to work in groups for almost every activity, and conversation within and between groups is encouraged.

We do not force academics on our 3 and 4 year olds. We wait for them to show interest and then introduce the materials. With the mixed age grouping, this is usually a given at 3 1/2-4 years with letter sounds. The younger children see the older children doing language work and they want to do it as well. With the K's, we do have to get them to a certain level, but we still allow them choice in what work they want to do. They complete a math, language and writing work each day and then have free choice.

I think it is much easier to transition at the middle school or high school level. Although the kids can still choose when they do different subjects in the 9-12 class, they have a work plan that needs to be completed each day. In our schools middle school(7th and 8th grade) program, everyone is doing the same thing at once. It is actually more like high school and college,in that there are lectures and note taking and lots of group activities and research going on. The kids and parents get a "syllabus" at the beginning of the semester, so you know what is due and when throughout the year.

My son will transition when entering high school. He is in 6th grade now and has gone all the way from pre-K. He also has some LD and Montessori has been great for him!

Marsha