montessori

[justmama]

Anyone put their child in a montessori school? I'm familiar with the principals of montessori and the general ideas but I'm worried my daughter won't "fit" into one. There's a montessori school very close to us that I'm looking into for my daughter for next year(she will be turning 4 this summer) but I have yet to decide. She's a very "spirited" child who frustrates easily and is incredibly smart. She's a really social kid but she is VERY bright and hard to keep entertained. When she gets bored, she tunes out and becomes hard to deal with. But she also frustrates so fast that she's difficult to teach something to. She has quite a difficult time sitting still and doing fine motor control things like coloring and writing and stringing beads. She's much more into playing pretend and running around and going down slides and bouncing and such. I know she's ready to learn and read to be in the company of other children but I worry that she's not ready for a school environment. I'm a full-time student so she is currently at a home daycare 3 days a week but I worry that maybe she's not ready for a teacher and a classroom? My biggest worry is that montessori isn't for her because she is so loud and outgoing and "challenging" in nature. Is this fear completely unfounded? Am I looking too much into this? Or is this something that will be addressed at the school? I just don't want to start her and have to pull her out because she's too disruptive or montessori isn't for her. She's wanting to start school yet maybe she's not really as ready as she thinks she is?
Is this just me worrying too much????? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Meg

[zinemama]

I've answered many people's questions about Waldorf by saying that yes, there may be the overall philosophy, but what it comes down to is the individual school. My ds is in a Montessori school, but I've read about/heard about other Montessori schools that don't sound anything like where he goes! I would say, spend an hour visiting and observing, then ask yourself if your daughter would be happy inthis particular environment, not in a Montessori school in general.

[heartbeat]

My daughter is in a Montessori. And it is fantastic. My child is very sensitive and very boisterous, not to mention having a strong will. And the Montessori program is ideal for her. She has a lot of self motivation to learn. Her attention span is quite short, but it works well anyway. Since starting the school this past fall, she has become much more outgoing. Though, she is still very sensitive.

[Gendenwitha]

Re: montessori

First of all, not all schools that say "M" on the outside, practice her principals on the inside. I observed some in my M. teacher training that I couldn't even use for my papers because they were so NOT M. So check it out. 2ndly I'd say it would be a great school for her because:

She's a very "spirited" child who frustrates easily and is incredibly smart. She's a really social kid but she is VERY bright and hard to keep entertained. When she gets bored, she tunes out and becomes hard to deal with. But she also frustrates so fast that she's difficult to teach something to.

M. is good for the frustrates easily because all of it is self-correcting and chosen by her. She can put it back and go to something else if it's too hard (and they're mostly graduated so that they do one then know that the next one will be a little bit harder). It's self-correcting, not like looking up the answers yourself, but as you go along you can see that you're doing it right.

She has quite a difficult time sitting still and doing fine motor control things like coloring and writing and stringing beads.

Like I said, things are graduated, so she wouldn't do fine motor skill items like picking things up with a tweezer until she picked up ping-pong balls with tongs for instance. (sounds strange, but it teaches fine motor skills for writing as well as the left-to-right, top-to-bottom rythym.)

She's much more into playing pretend and running around and going down slides and bouncing and such.

If she's got a lot of energy to run off, make sure she'll get enough outdoor play time. I don't know if this is typical in M., but my teachers felt the kids should be outdoors rain or shine (short of SEVERE weather). Also, is she getting enough outdoor time where she's at now? With you, it's different, there's nothing like a goup of kids to run the excess energy out of you.

My biggest worry is that montessori isn't for her because she is so loud and outgoing and "challenging" in nature.

As opposed to what? At least M. there's a lot of freedom of movement and hands on, not desks & dittos.

She's wanting to start school yet maybe she's not really as ready as she thinks she is?

If she wants it I'd say go for it.

[Queen Gwen]

Great book about how Montessori teachers help kids integrate into the classroom -- Children Who Are Not Yet Peaceful by Donna Bryant Goertz. It's about kids who really seemed not to fit in *any* classroom, and how she use Montessori principles to help them become part of the community.

Of course, not all Montessori teachers will be exactly like Goertz -- it depends on the individual. And, not all schools that say Montessori on the door are even Montessori, as pointed out previously.

[Raven]

I used to work at a Montessori school here in south africa. I personally LOVe the pricipals of this method of education. What makes me hooked is the fact that they follow the child's learning abilities and strengths.

My dd is also very spirited and I think that the montessori environment is very good for her b/c it means she can explore and learn at her own pace. Montessori is very hands on which is great b/c kids get to learn in a multitude of ways, seeing, hearing, feeling, handling, creating and making.

Many ppl feel that montessori is not very creative but I disagree b/c I have seen children with my own eyes do the most creative and imaginative things in a montessori enviornment,

If I were you I would go and observe for a day at the montessori school youre thinking of using and speak to the directresses about your thoughts and concerns,

God Luck...