what would change?

[Rose-Roget]

This is a question I will pose to ds's teachers, as well, but I wondered if anyone here might have some insight. Ds is a new 5 yo, but he meets criteria here to be in kindergarten. He's on the less mature side, but he is academically strong. The Montessori we are at has an accredited kindy program, and I've enrolled him as a kindergartener this year, with the possibility of him doing 2 years of kindy if he still seems immature by the end of this year.

At conferences, his teacher made a recommendation that he stop following the kindergarten "program" (for lack of a better word) and just be registered as a primary student. For several reasons, I said I thought it was too early to make that decision, but I didn't think to ask about what would be different. So what do people here think would be different if we just continued him as primary and not a kindergartener?? I understand that there are certain standards a school might have to meet to have an accredited/acknowledged kindy program, but isn't one point of M. that students can develop skills at their own pace? So would there be harm in a student following a kindergarten "program" in case we make the decision to progress him next year? Or is there something beneficial to not even giving it a try?

On the kindergarten progress report, he was at Mastery level of roughly 1/2 the kindergarten skills, developing in several others, and hadn't been introduced to the rest. He had a couple of areas of "working on" in terms of social skills/maturity, but most were marked as satisfactory. While I understand their point, I contend for the moment that he is still adjusting to a new classroom, he always regresses a little around his birthday, and I am having a baby (first sibling) in a couple of weeks. Those are some very clear reasons for regression, and I don't think his entire academic future should be decided in the midst of all of this.

[ADirrim]

Hmmm... You have asked a really good question and I will be really interested in hearing what the school had to say.

Functionally speaking (in terms of what goes on day to day in the classroom), I doubt (and kind of hope) that there would not be a difference. Obviously, Montessori (as a person and as a method of education) does not draw a distinction between kindergarteners and other children in the primary program (3-6)- there is not a separate "program" for kindergarteners, a separate set of skills/requirements, or a different method for teaching them. As you state, Montessori believed children should be in mixed age groups in which they have the freedom to choose amongst growth promoting materials, and the guide should be presenting appropriate materials to children as they demonstrate readiness for them (and the materials available in the 3-6 classroom encompass concepts all the way up to long division, operations with four digit numbers, reading, and learning about grammer and parts of speech- so no supplemental materials need to be added to her program for kindergardeners). So, practically speaking, there would not be a difference between a kindergartener and any other child in the classroom (except that presumably they would have had more presentations and have had more time in a Montessori environment to develop good work habits).

So, my best guess it that the school makes a distinction between kindergarteners and other students for administrative reasons, not pedagogical/teaching ones. Perhaps it matters to them how he is considered in terms of predicting re-enrollment for the following year, administering required testing (is this a public/charter Montessori?), state funding purposes, or perhaps, kindergarteners receive different reports at conference time (so that Montessori materials are framed in terms of state standards)?

However, in an authentic Montessori, I don't see what difference it makes from a classroom perspective (and your son certainly should not feel any stigma regardless).

Abigail Miller
www.bloommontessori.com
www.bloommontessori.blogspot.com

[Rose-Roget]

Thank you, ADirrim. I'm glad that my thinking wasn't off-base, and I was really wondering whether I was missing something. It's not a public or a charter Montessori. They do offer a different progress report at conference time, but it doesn't seem so in-depth that it should require extra consideration about what works target what. I do guess that you're right and their reasoning is for administrative purposes of some sortIt's frustrating that they are pushing for a particular decision this early in the year.

[rumsmyname]

The only difference

we saw between a kindergarten year and the non-k year was a checklist for each week. It was/is a precursor to the weekly workplan for lower el. Children were expected to do works in particular areas such math, language, cultural, science. It enables the child to do select works but the works meet the educational needs of the k student. This way the child is able to transition into 1st public/private non-Montessori even with little difficulty. The real world of providing private schooling. My guess but it is just a guess and what I have seen in two separate Montessori schools.

[eepster]

At DS's school, the K students are given some non-montessori work so that they are doing things similarly enough to the local public K's that they can move on to the public 1st grades and be familiar with the curriculum.

[MattBronsil]

I'm just confused on what the difference is between the "Kindergarten program" and the regular primary program.

[babeak]

He might be advanced academically, but how is he doing socially? Since boys mature a bit more slowly, then that would definitely be something to take into consideration. I also think that you are spot on in terms of letting things settle out in the household before making a big decision. I am sure that the school would understand your reasons for postponing a decision.

[bobandjess99]

Originally Posted by MattBronsil

I'm just confused on what the difference is between the "Kindergarten program" and the regular primary program.

That's just because you're such a purist!

Many M programs here in the states do distinguish, in same way, the children in the third year of the 3-6 room (the ones who are 5-6 and would meet the states cutoff for kindergarten) as "kindergarteners".
Here, they actually have a longer day. the 3 and 4's go a half day, and the 5's (or, K's) go a full day. The 5's also have to meet the states standards, like for literacy, etc.
Depending on the states laws, and how the school is set up, it might have to do with regulations or licensing, or helping transition to a non-M 1st grade, etc.

[Rose-Roget]

Originally Posted by bobandjess99

That's just because you're such a purist!

Many M programs here in the states do distinguish, in same way, the children in the third year of the 3-6 room (the ones who are 5-6 and would meet the states cutoff for kindergarten) as "kindergarteners".
Here, they actually have a longer day. the 3 and 4's go a half day, and the 5's (or, K's) go a full day. The 5's also have to meet the states standards, like for literacy, etc.
Depending on the states laws, and how the school is set up, it might have to do with regulations or licensing, or helping transition to a non-M 1st grade, etc.

, Matt. I know it's confusing, and I knew you'd ask the question!

Babeak, he is ready academically and I understand that socially he is on the more immature side, which is the basis for their recommendation. It's just that for the reasons I mentioned in my op, I'd like to hold off on making a decision, and I wasn't sure how changing would affect his education/experience at this time.

Thanks all.

[MattBronsil]

Originally Posted by bobandjess99

That's just because you're such a purist!

You say as I hold my talking dog puppet and talking gorilla puppet.

[eepster]

Originally Posted by Rose-Roget

, Matt. I know it's confusing, and I knew you'd ask the question!

Babeak, he is ready academically and I understand that socially he is on the more immature side, which is the basis for their recommendation. It's just that for the reasons I mentioned in my op, I'd like to hold off on making a decision, and I wasn't sure how changing would affect his education/experience at this time.

Thanks all.

I must say, I'm not a believer in holding kids back in general. I especially don't believe in it for purely "social" reason in an academically ready child. To begin with, when a teacher say "socially immature," most of the time (though not every single time) they really mean the child has a personality they find hard to handle.

IMO holding a child like this back simply makes them behave less well not better. They have no age peers or older children to model more mature behavior for them. They also are more likely to get into mischief when academically bored.

I would not make this decision now.

[bobandjess99]

I'd keep him inthe "K" program, and re-evaluate at the end of the year, as you had planned to do. If he truly isn't ready, keep him in K another year, but if not, you want him to be ready to move on.

I agree with Matt about the personality..usually, it measn the young boys are more energetic or difficult for the teacher to deal with, not that they aren't "socially mature."

[Rose-Roget]

Originally Posted by eepster

To begin with, when a teacher say "socially immature," most of the time (though not every single time) they really mean the child has a personality they find hard to handle.

Yes, he's definitely on the "spirited" side. All of his qualities, though, are ones which can be shaped to be positive, given the right approach.

Originally Posted by eepster

IMO holding a child like this back simply makes them behave less well not better. They have no age peers or older children to model more mature behavior for them. They also are more likely to get into mischief when academically bored.

I would not make this decision now.

The great thing about Montessori is that he's less likely to become bored because there is such a range of learning built into the programs. This is a primary reason I did not put him in a traditional kdg. setting, and why I will work hard to keep him in a Montessori setting.

Also, the older peer bit makes sooo much sense to me.

I can see a lot of reasons not to jump to a decision right now, and I'm appreciating everyone's input. Makes me feel like I'm not alone or necessarily "pushing" my son.