Montessori for creative and energetic boy?

[maxsmum]

I am considering Montessori for my son who will be 4 this fall. I toured a certain school and the classroom last year and LOVED it for me... but had concerns for my son. I decided not to send him last year because I felt that 5 days a week was too many and largely based upon my concern about the quiet and the proper usage of materials.

My son is an energetic, talkative, movement oriented person. He is also wildly creative spending most of his day turning everything into something else and tying and taping objects together to create new things. He is a builder and an inventor. When I asked how they would handle him taking the materials and using them in this way I was told he would be redirected to materials he could do this with...my immediate thought was that he will be redirected all day long.

Now a year later I regret my alternate choice of preschool and my son does not like school, so I am once again considering Montessori but again have reservations that my sons energy and imagination might be stifled and/or it might not be the right match for him.

does anyone have experience with Montessori for a child like mine?

Michelle

[SomedayMom]

I think it works beautifully. My more energetic/creative/builder type is my toddler so he is not in primary yet. He absolutely LOVES his toddler class though. He'll start the preschool program in the fall.

The energy and imagination of young children is a wonderful positive thing and kids in Montessori really learn to use their energy and their imagination in positive ways that are respectful of others. Just like real life, some things require a little more concentration (a great quality to work on at this age) and some things require more energy and creativity. They can choose and balance their day with these different works.

[MattBronsil]

He sounds perfect for the Montessori environment.

[mamadebug]

I have that kind of son, and Montessori has been wonderful for him. He was so high energy/creative/wild that I decided to put him in a very free play based preschool because I just couldn't imagine him calming dow enough for Montessori. His first preschool was fun for him in a free for all kind of way, but also a little overwhelming for him. I switched him to a Montessori school this year (right after he turned 5) and it has been an amazing experience. The school he goes to is so wonderful. He absolutely loves it and so do I.

[chistinawc]

My son will be 4 in October, and started Montessori three weeks ago. His personality is very similar to that described by the OP. He loves the school and I do too, but today when I picked him up, the assistant from his class told me he was going to be the last of his class to come out b/c he was not listening to the teacher's words today. I wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but when he did come out - walking hand in hand with his teacher, they told me that he would not line up with the others in his class to leave the play area and go into the classroom. Then he would not come to the big rug for circle time. So he had to sit alone and watch the others for a bit and was the last to leave the building. DS told me that he has trouble being quiet during silent time b/c he "just always like to talk." I'm clearly worried. He can be challenging, but until today had done quite well at school. I think I'm going to email his teacher for more info and ask for any advice on things we can be doing differently at home to help him adjust to the M environment. Did any of you who say your child is doing well in the environment have adjustment issues?

[GuildJenn]

Originally Posted by chistinawc

My son will be 4 in October, and started Montessori three weeks ago. His personality is very similar to that described by the OP. He loves the school and I do too, but today when I picked him up, the assistant from his class told me he was going to be the last of his class to come out b/c he was not listening to the teacher's words today. I wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but when he did come out - walking hand in hand with his teacher, they told me that he would not line up with the others in his class to leave the play area and go into the classroom. Then he would not come to the big rug for circle time. So he had to sit alone and watch the others for a bit and was the last to leave the building. DS told me that he has trouble being quiet during silent time b/c he "just always like to talk." I'm clearly worried. He can be challenging, but until today had done quite well at school. I think I'm going to email his teacher for more info and ask for any advice on things we can be doing differently at home to help him adjust to the M environment. Did any of you who say your child is doing well in the environment have adjustment issues?

Well I'm not sure my school would have handled it exactly that way although I love the image of them coming out hand in hand to discuss it.

But I do know that my son has had days like that, and so have (I would hazard a guess) about 100% of the other kids. Sometimes kids just have a bad day. I think the question for me is how was the response.

[freestylemama]

I have a very imaginative, creative almost 3 year old. She just started Montessori this year. I was really nervous about whether we were making the right decision in moving her from her chaotic, fun, play-based daycare because I was worried that the structure would stifle her creativity. She is over the moon excited about her new school and is more creative during her home play time since she started there.

I am totally amazed by the method because the children really respond to it. Some of the kids at her school are very rambunctious (and often aggressive and poorly behaved) on the playground, but there's something about the classroom that they respond to.