Some of you may have read my recent posts about the new public school Montssori program where ds started lower el. this year. It's eating me up, and I don't know what to do. Friends and family all advise me not to rock the boat. I don't want to have feelings toward me spill over to ds, but part of me feels like I shouldn't be so unhappy and unable to express my feelings for fear of ticking someone off by giving feedback. Also, ds isn't unhappy at this point. I think in a different classroom, he could be equally, if not more, happy, but he has a hard time with change and likes his teacher and some of his classmates (although none are to the level of "friendship" and he still plays alone at recess). Furthermore, this class (non-Montessori as it is) is much better than his traditional neighborhood school. Lastly, there are the questions of who I would say something to, how much, and when.
Issues:
1. Only 1 hour of uninterrupted work time (most days - Wednesdays also include a timed Math test during that time), then a lesson, then another 1/2 hour work time before other lessons, lunch, recess, silent reading, something else, and specials. So the 1-1/2 hours that they get of work time is interrupted. Imho, makes it hard to get into a work and be able to budget time effectively that way.
2. Green/yellow/red behavior plan on the wall with no opportunity for truly "redeeming" themselves (although teacher says they can). Also, kids will start missing recess if they don't get their work plans completed.
3. Appears to be writing-based learning, rather than learning with writing embedded on the side...at least at this point. (Ds is not a fine-motor kid.) The busy work may or may not be reduced by this point. The spelling assignments are completely writing-based. We haven't had any struggles yet, but if we have to do these every week for the whole year, I see battles ahead. That, and there are lots of ways to learn to spell words.
4. Little freedom of movement in the classroom. I told the teacher flat out that this was one reason we chose Montessori - he has a hard time sitting in chairs for extended periods. She said he's only had a couple of spills out of his chair - none serious.
5. I was flat out lied to when I asked the principal when I toured the school about how true to Montessori the classrooms are. He said as true as they could be while meeting the public school requirements (testing and such). He said they have a very strong parent group who wouldn't let them be less so.
6. When I toured, I asked about discipline, I was told they do positive supports, rather than negative.
7. Other classrooms within the district (don't know about this school, in particular) are much more Montessori.
8. I met with the principal before school started to ensure a smooth transition. He obviously didn't listen to me at all. He spouted information he's been trained to say and heard at a conference. If he'd considered the things I said, he would have reviewed the teacher assignment to match him to someone meeting his needs. He said that at this conference he went to, the man said he'd only encountered 2 truly adhd kids in his entire Montessori career, because the method provided so many of the accommodations these kids needed naturally. I'm not saying my kid is adhd, but I can see the teachers saying it in the not-so-distant future.
So wwyd? Say something? Not? To whom? What? Ask for a new class? This year or wait until next? TIA!
Issues:
1. Only 1 hour of uninterrupted work time (most days - Wednesdays also include a timed Math test during that time), then a lesson, then another 1/2 hour work time before other lessons, lunch, recess, silent reading, something else, and specials. So the 1-1/2 hours that they get of work time is interrupted. Imho, makes it hard to get into a work and be able to budget time effectively that way.
2. Green/yellow/red behavior plan on the wall with no opportunity for truly "redeeming" themselves (although teacher says they can). Also, kids will start missing recess if they don't get their work plans completed.
3. Appears to be writing-based learning, rather than learning with writing embedded on the side...at least at this point. (Ds is not a fine-motor kid.) The busy work may or may not be reduced by this point. The spelling assignments are completely writing-based. We haven't had any struggles yet, but if we have to do these every week for the whole year, I see battles ahead. That, and there are lots of ways to learn to spell words.
4. Little freedom of movement in the classroom. I told the teacher flat out that this was one reason we chose Montessori - he has a hard time sitting in chairs for extended periods. She said he's only had a couple of spills out of his chair - none serious.
5. I was flat out lied to when I asked the principal when I toured the school about how true to Montessori the classrooms are. He said as true as they could be while meeting the public school requirements (testing and such). He said they have a very strong parent group who wouldn't let them be less so.
6. When I toured, I asked about discipline, I was told they do positive supports, rather than negative.
7. Other classrooms within the district (don't know about this school, in particular) are much more Montessori.
8. I met with the principal before school started to ensure a smooth transition. He obviously didn't listen to me at all. He spouted information he's been trained to say and heard at a conference. If he'd considered the things I said, he would have reviewed the teacher assignment to match him to someone meeting his needs. He said that at this conference he went to, the man said he'd only encountered 2 truly adhd kids in his entire Montessori career, because the method provided so many of the accommodations these kids needed naturally. I'm not saying my kid is adhd, but I can see the teachers saying it in the not-so-distant future.
So wwyd? Say something? Not? To whom? What? Ask for a new class? This year or wait until next? TIA!
:
Poor kiddo. He seemed relatively unphased, except that he missed recess those days - lost and alone.
I know last year the teacher would use a chair method during morning meeting time, but it was very inclusive. 1st time you got just a warning. 2nd time you move to the "watching chair" which was just inches from the circle. That chair was used if the child was physically or verbally being disruptive. 3rd time you would move to the "waiting chair" where you could still hear the lesson/meeting, but was much farther away. The child was allowed to get off those chairs whenever they wanted. I saw some kids sit there for 5 seconds and rejoin the circle. Some kids took advantage of that time to really get it together and stay there for 10/15 minutes! But the teacher never, never, never forced them to stay there. Now, they might rejoin the circle and start being disruptive 5 seconds later, so back to the watching chair they would go. The teacher also would use positive language like, "could you focus on a child who is upholding the order of our circle?" instead of "you need to listen!" or "you are misbehavin!"
Especially for such young kids.
Just doesn't seem right - for any kid, but especially for one who needs movement and to develop peer relationships.
