Montessori School?

Froggy76 · January 2012

I've never posted here before, but I thought some ladies on this board might have some knowledge about Montessori schools.

I have been looking for a daycare for DD to go to starting at about 5 months old. Today, I went to a Montessori school that is just starting to take infants and I got a really good vibe from the place. It is very homey and they place a lot of emphasis on holding and talking to the babies, rather than just plopping them in a swing or bouncer. That sounds great, of course, but I just wonder if DD will miss out on anything if I don't send her to one of the fancy daycare centers with a strict curriculum, etc... I'm hoping she will attend the same daycare until kindergarten.

What are your thoughts on the Montessori method for infants, toddlers and preschoolers?

Thanks!

citychicks · January 2012

Montessori is amazing! We found a preschool that tries to model a lot of the montessori methods, but we just couldn't afford true montessori school in our area.

ljanette85 · January 2012

as a nanny and former daycare worker it sounds wonderful.... at 5 months old a curriculum should not matter at all, not for a long time! a place that holds your baby and interacts with her and is safe is the most important thing. if you had a good feeling then i would go there. if it doesnt work when she is older you can always change schools.

webMistress0609 · January 2012

Ari started attending Montessori 2 weeks ago.

Children learn through play, & Montessori ties into that beautifully. I doubt your LO would miss out on anything by attending Montessori - if anything, she may thrive even more!

In Ari's toddler class there is a boy who is about to turn 3 who's learning to read. He's ready & showing interest so they're rolling with it. So he's definitely not missing out from not having a traditional curriculum. Montessori isn't wandering aimlessly all day, there is a structure. The children just have a say in how they go about their day.

sacey21 · January 2012

IMO anywhere where the goal is to love your baby is a winner. Sounds like a wonderful place! I'm an early childhood certified teacher & I'd never send my DD to a big fancy daycare.

Froggy76 · January 2012

Thanks, everyone! I'm just struggling with the decision to do something different than the norm and send DD to this place, rather than the big daycare everyone has recommended. Lots to think about...

pottermommy · January 2012

K did montessori preschool b/c it started at 2.5 and she needed something more indepth than daycare.

When we tried to put her in public pre K at 4 they wouldn't let her in b/c she was "too advanced" apparently a 4 year old that tells you a triangle shaped block is a square based pyramid and that means they are too advanced..... Wink

As it is she is in first grade now and reads at a low third grade level as of last week.

The biggest problem we had was transitioning her from montessorri style learning to the public style curiculum for kindergarten.

Our experience for the 2.5 years she was there was great, she is really advanced now and you would think you are talking to a mini adult sometimes...If you have the opportunity I say go for it.

pixieprincss · January 2012

I am a firm believer that young children learn best through child-driven play. I love the idea of Montessori, but it is way out of our budget, and I don't forsee wanting LO in a 5-day program anytime soon. So, it isn't right for us, but I think it is a cool thing nonetheless. I was emailing with another mom recently whose son is 5 now, so she's walked the road I am at and I like to bounce ideas off of her. Here is what she wrote to encourage me...

If you want to read something that will convince you that kids under age 6 (yes, 6) *need* to only learn through play, check out the book: "Miseducation: preschoolers at risk" by David Elkind. He wrote the book in the 80s, when the "superkid" phenomenon was just taking off, and he made some predictions about how those kids would turn out, and he was RIGHT! It's eerie. But we haven't learned anything. He explains why that social pressure is there, too. It's interesting sociology. https://www.amazon.com/Miseducation-Preschoolers-Risk-David-Elkind/dp/0394756347/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327012893&sr=8-1

I don't agree with *everything* in this book, but the majority of it is spot-on. It makes a great argument against academic kindergarden, too and the downward pressure in elementary school, too, to teach things kids before they are ready.

ETA- This doesn't exactly match up with your question, but I read this article the other day and it struck a chord with me on the importance of play-driven learning...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-parenting/post/parents-are-the-biggest-obstacle-to-letting-kids-play-says-study-in-pediatrics/2012/01/02/gIQAeV96YP_blog.html

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