Worried about DS from teacher's reports

[rainy32]

Hi all -- DS is 4 1/2 and has been in a Montessori 3 - 6 classroom for the last 9 months.

At home, his behavior is really good - respectful, appropriately exuberant, happy, curious, focused. He loves to draw (seriously, he could spend 8 hours a day drawing), have things read to him, work in our yard, bake bread with me, and build castles which his bionicles then knock down.

His teacher has been telling us, since he first began at the school, that he cannot/does not concentrate, that he lolls about all day, and that he has no focus. Lately, he has been engaging in disruptive behavior - laying on/hugging/tickling his friends, wandering about the room talking to people engaged in their work, writing all over his body instead of on the paper at handwriting.

He tells us he is bored. And he tells us that he can't wait for the weekend. And summer.

I really wanted him to go to Montessori because 1) we have a public montessori school here, and feel so fortunate for it; and 2) I see him having great success at self-directed learning at home, and being really focused.

But now I'm worried that the types of activities his teacher encourages him in (spooning beans into bowls; tracing his name on a piece of paper) are, actually, boring him.

He gets very excited when she allows him to do "challenging, Kindergartner work" like measure things with blocks and rods, and work on math. He also subverts her assignments and direction to him -- for instance, she doesn't want him to draw all day, but will allow him to trace shapes. So he'll trace a square, then draw a monster crawling out of it .... he'll put together a puzzle, then draw the puzzle....

I feel like his creativity isn't valued, and that he is being left to his own devices in a room that doesn't have challenging or interesting items for him. The teacher has had a horrible semester with lots of personal drama, so we haven't spoken much about my concerns, frankly, I dont want to add to her stress.

I'm curious, does this sound like an issue I'm having with Montessori in general, or a particular teacher's approach? I'd really like feedback from those who know Montessori better than I do.

Thanks,
rainy32

[mamalemon]

It sounds to me like it is an issue with this particular classroom. Your son's strengths should be encouraged and applied to the Montessori materials. I would talk to the teacher about it because even if her semester has been difficult, that isn't your problem. The quality of your son's education is your primary concern and once his teacher is in the classroom, it should be her's too. I would tell her that you are concerned that you son is not developing a love of school and ask how he can be better challenged and also encouraged in his love of drawing. Ask her what you can do at home and if she has any ideas on what could be done differently for him at school since the current situation is not working out as you had hoped.

[MattBronsil]

Originally Posted by rainy32

I feel like his creativity isn't valued, and that he is being left to his own devices in a room that doesn't have challenging or interesting items for him.

But you did mention things before that are interesting to him. So the room itself has many interesting things for him.

My concern isn't about a lack of focus, but about a strong focus in one particular thing that, if it's too strong, may signify other problems. Not even necessarily a medical issue (though it can be), but if a child can draw for 8 hours and has a strong interest in math (the two are closely related if you really think about it...they both deal with figuring out spacial relationships), it might signify that a child is struggling in other areas and is trying to avoid them by latching on to what is strengths are.

The teacher has had a horrible semester with lots of personal drama, so we haven't spoken much about my concerns, frankly, I dont want to add to her stress.

Her personal drama has nothing to do with the classroom. It must stay out of the classroom. So contact the teacher.

What I would ask are reasons why she guides him to certain materials that she chooses. Does she see a problem with fine motor skills? Does she see a problem with him not correcting his errors? If so, what other things can be done?

It may be that she doesn't know he's bored with them. If a child is wandering I might take them by the hand and walk around the room for a minute and let them choose what they choose. Sometimes they just pick something easy (spooning, etc.) to "get rid" of me

For other disrupting wanderers who can't decide, I give them a boring task. Not necessarily intending it to be a boring task, but I just pick something I know they can do. This at least gets them out of the hair of another child working. If it's boring, it might be an added bonus (though I don't look for a boring thing necessarily) because they might choose something more engaging next time.

You might want to talk to your son and remind him that he may choose many materials he enjoys. But if he starts wandering and interrupting others, the teacher might pick something he does not like. I'd talk to the teacher first and make sure that's the case.

Matt

[Airmid03]

Originally Posted by rainy32

He also subverts her assignments and direction to him -- for instance, she doesn't want him to draw all day, but will allow him to trace shapes. So he'll trace a square, then draw a monster crawling out of it .... he'll put together a puzzle, then draw the puzzle....
rainy32

I don't think his reaction is subversion ... sounds like a creative compromise to me. For what it's worth, my dd (who is a little over 4, too) makes pictures out of all of her metal inset work. It's never been a problem, never been discouraged. I'd ask why she doesn't want him to draw "all day".

I'm disturbed by the concept of "allowing" him to do certain activities. That doesn't sound child-directed at all. At my dd's school, if they've had a lesson on an activity they can choose it at any time.

I would get as specific as possible in asking questions about his progress. For instance, I knew that my dd understood the concept of zero and could count to 20 by rote, but didn't know if she had any concept of place value. So I asked how they teach that and how she's been progressing through the curriculum. What I was looking for was a direct answer to my question as well as a feel for how observant the teacher is of the child's abilities and interests. She should be able to find his strengths and work with them.

[Flor]

Originally Posted by Airmid03

I don't think his reaction is subversion ... sounds like a creative compromise to me. For what it's worth, my dd (who is a little over 4, too) makes pictures out of all of her metal inset work. It's never been a problem, never been discouraged. I'd ask why she doesn't want him to draw "all day".

.

Yes, actually at ds's school they are supposed to "decorate" the margins and make their work beautiful. Mostly it is bands of color, but sometimes it is very detailed little people or gardens in the margins.

[eepster]

Originally Posted by rainy32

He gets very excited when she allows him to do "challenging, Kindergartner work" like measure things with blocks and rods, and work on math. He also subverts her assignments and direction to him -- for instance, she doesn't want him to draw all day, but will allow him to trace shapes. So he'll trace a square, then draw a monster crawling out of it .... he'll put together a puzzle, then draw the puzzle....

Why doesn't he choose works like these that he enjoys more often?