I would appreciate you tell me your experience with Montessori schools.
I am planning to send my kids to a Montessori school but not familiar with the method and if your kids are/were really happy at a Montessory School.
I am sorry to say that I can't tell you from personal experience with my own children (my DD is only 16 months) but I know when she is old enough, I plan to put her in one. In college I majored in early childhood education and Montessori's theory of educating young children was my favorite. I love her beliefs and methods and think it clicks well with a young child's brain. I hope it works out well for you!
I am a reg. ed teacher and I love Montessori! My oldest daughter went there when she was young 3-6 yrs. and I would take off work and go and observe and be just amazed at what all the kids do there.
That is the thing. You need to observe and check out different schools and judge each by the atmosphere and the teacher and the individual school. I believe in intuition about what you feel when you are there.
It is a very healthy approach for kids. Love it...
My chidren went to Montessori schools - one until 6th grade one through 2nd when we moved and couldn't find a good Montessori school. The method as outlined by Maria Montessori is wonderful- multisensory, hands on and lets each child learn at their own pace. That said, there are many schools that call themselves Montessori that are in name only. Look for AMI or - there is another certification- maybe someone can help me out- my kids went to AMI schools. Visit the classrooms when school is in session. You should see all the kids engages and working on something different. Ask questions about teacher training, certification, where the graduates are and if you can talk to some current and past parents. Ultimately, go with your gut. You know your kids better than anyone and know what they need. I would enthusiastically recommend a good Montessori education.
If you aren't sure exactly what Montessori education is, then how are you sure that you want to send your children to that environment? I agree with the Montessori concept but it is not for every child. Do some reading on the concept and then do individual research on the specific school you are planning on having your children attend because not every school that claims "Montessori" really follows the concept 100%. Some schools use that title because it is a current trend that signifies "different from traditional education"! So, do research on the actual school and determine if that is the right place for your kids.
Good luck.
blessings,
Stacy
My daughter who is 2.5 started Montessori last fall and we love it. My husband and I choose Montessori because it focuses on the child learning at their own pace and learning practical skills.
We enjoy it and we also encourage and utilize the same principles at home. I think the home component is key. At school they put their work away when they are done; at home we put our toys or whatever away when we're done. At school they help clean up and at home (this is hard for me) I let her help clean up as well.
My daughter enjoys being independent and helpful so Montessori works out great. When interacting with peers; she tends to do her own thing rather than what they're doing. I think this is important because it lets me know that she is more likely to succeed in an enviroment where she is encouraged to learn independently.
Good luck!!! You should make sure it works out for you and your family.
The following link is to the Austin Montessori School website, and has a lot of info:
http://www.austinmontessori.org/
Any school can call themselves Montessori, but not all are, so make sure they are accredited by the American Montessori Society or Association Montessori Internationale .
I agree with some of the other postings. Be sure to check out accredited Montessori schools in your area. Do your homework. It's a great concept but does not work for all children. Are you planning on leaving your child in Montessori school through the upper-grades? If you plan on putting your child in a traditional classroom setting later, you may have problems. Montessori is very different and often kids have an extremely hard time adjusting to the regular classroom later.
My son attended a Montessori pre school and we really loved it. The main thing about Montessori schools is that they allow the children to learn at their own pace, they also teach important life skills and independence.
Here are some helpful web sites I found, one thing I did see was to make sure the school is accredited by the American Montessori Society, if a school isn't accredited that doesn't mean it's a bad school but their philosophy may be a little different so do your research:
http://privateschool.about.com/od/privateschoolfaqs/f/mon...
