Any early elementary teachers on here? A preschool question for you (or anyone with input really).
Have you noticed any difference in kids who have come into school based on different models of preschool education?
Right now the boys are in a Montessori program. I don't like the teacher very much. She is fairly strict and we haven't "bonded" for lack of a better term. The boys don't love going to school and after several days of observing I can understand. For next year we can either stay at the same school with a different teacher, who seems a lot more nurturing and happy or change schools. We just toured a Reggio Emilia school and really loved it.
I really think it was the teacher we didn't like and not necessarily the Montessori approach. So I don't want to rush the move but at the same time we did get a good feel from the other school. Do you have any input on how kids do once they are in elementary school. Does it really matter play based vs Montessori vs whatever else? I get the feel that academically they'd be ahead in the Montessori school, and while that would be nice, it isn't as high a priority for us as that they are enjoying school and the learning process in general.
Re: Any early elementary teachers on here? A preschool question for you (or anyone with input really).
I have become friends with a number of teachers, not one myself, and from what I have heard, the biggest differences in what the teachers notice in kindy is from the kids who have been to any type of setting vs home with a parent or even a small in house daycare. The difference is the kids being away from mom and dad but also the social side. They have already learned how to act in a group, how to share, how to follow the classroom rules, sit in circle time and all that type of stuff. I never hear anything about the academics but more on the social side. I can't see that the type of preschool would make that much of a difference in this sense unless the kids are just running wild all day. As long as your kids can follow rules, act OK in a group setting and listen to adults and do OK without you, I can't see that it would make a huge difference.
And off topic, my DD's have gone through (little one is still there) in a Reggio Emillia PreK and we love it. I can't say enough positive about this program. Best decision we made to put the kids into this program vs staying at the daycare centers PreK program that we had been attending since birth (daycare then preschool at the center).