Help with school choice: AMI Montessori or Language Immersion?

[ZTMOM]

All advice welcome!

DD is enrolled in K at a large public K-6 language immersion school.  DD is a "model student" who loves everything about school, especially the immersion element & their strings program.  DD has made 1 extra special friend & several good friends, but they switch classmates each year so next year if they aren't in the same class they won't even have lunch or recess together.

Recently, a group of parents started pushing to move the school across town, which would amount to a 1+ hour long bus ride each way for DD.  At that time, we were thrilled to discover a private Montessori preschool that is expanding this year into a small K-6 charter program.

Now, the immersion school is going to stay in our neighborhood, but is going to move into 2 different buildings.  It will become either a dual campus K-5 or K-8, which has not yet been determined.  The parent community is bitterly divided over school location, the dual campus & now whether the program should expand or not.  One of DD good friends is leaving the school next year over the district's management of this mess. 

Montessori's differentiated instruction is very appealing to me.  DD doesn't currently qualify for gifted & talented services (our district uses the NNAT2) but I think she has strong literacy skills.  DD quickly began reading in the new language & is reading "Little House on the Prairie" in English.  DD's teacher just did an assessment & said DD knew 49 of the 50 immersion site words (students are considered proficient if they know 20 of the 50 by the end of the year).  

Both schools are going to be going through some transition bumps.  We can continue music lessons on our own but there isn't anything we can do to replace an immersion experience.  I don't know this, but I've heard talk that the immersion school has some issues with bullying in the older grades & that some teacher's may not be the best teachers but they have the required language fluency.

The Montessori school will have a high % of low income students which is the opposite of the immersion school.  Both schools have good racial & ethnic diversity.  The schools are on opposite ends of the spectrum for size in our area (immersion will be around 600+ vs. Montessori 140).

Thoughts?

[mattemma04]

I would try the Montessori,and switch back to the other school if my child did not like M. I like smaller class size and all that parental/school drama would be annoying. I would want my child's input though,and if they wanted to stay in the immersion school I guess I would allow it. If at anytime they were unhappy with their current schooling location I would allow them to try a different setting.

Best wishes!

If the Immersion  school had moved its location to an hour away there would be no way I would drive my child THAT far.

[velochic]

Dd is in immersion school an hour away.  She is in her 6th year there.  I feel that immersion is so unique that it is WORTH it, including the 100 miles a day that we put on our vehicles to send her there.  People who do not have experience with a good immersion school will probably not understand the benefits and won't be encouraging.  We have a lot of experience with it and I encourage you to think very carefully about keeping her there.  I put up with a lot more of the politics that happen behind the scenes because the curriculum (IB) and school itself is beyond anything we could get locally. 

If your dd is happy where she is, then I would absolutely keep her there.  Immersion is a different academic animal and you can't hardly compare it to something like Montessori or really *any* other teaching philosophy.  You have to compare it to other immersion programs.  I can tell you that in 6 years, dd has developed amazingly with the influence of immersion and IB (International Baccalaureate).  They don't have a G/T program either, but they do some differentiation to help keep dd challenged, even though it's already academically rigorous.  Perhaps you could ask about that.  Dd would no doubt get the "gifted" label in public school, and I like that they don't do this at her immersion school - the label has no meaning as long as the child's academic needs are being met, and it can actually cause problems, IMO (as it did for me when I was a child).

If you are in just the first year, you're not yet seeing the true benefits of immersion.  However, any school can be administered poorly, so if you really dislike the way the school is run, then that's another story.  Looking back over the past 6 years, there were things that have happened that have made me want to pull dd out of school (administration issues), but I knew the benefits outweighed the negative.  Good luck and hope it all works out!

[physmom]

Wow that's a tough one since both schools seem to be going through some growing pains.  For my own DD I'd choose the Montessori but that's because we're already a bilingual family. In the absence of that it would be a very hard choice for me because I'm a VERY strong believer in learning other languages but also in child-led curriculum/multi-age classrooms (and I prefer smaller schools at a young age). 

Ok, here's my though:  why not talk to the schools more and get a feel which is going to be more accommodating to your child.  Will the immersion school provide in-class differentiation for your DD or even a pull-out program in reading?  If she's reading Little House in the Prairie it seems like she definitely could use it (and it sounds like your DD is picking up the language just fine anyways).  Also, what about talking to the Montessori school about their second language options?  Since they're a new school they really might be open to ideas (maybe encourage them to get a full time teacher in your DD's second language? I've heard of Montessori schools that switch off days in two different languages. 

Also what are the costs for the two different school and how far are they each from your house?   Do you know if this Montessori is a true Montessori?  Have you visited it?  Does it have the standard works?  Is it really child-led or do they have certain requirements for the kids?  Also have you talked to any of the parents in the preschool to feel out their thoughts on the school? 

[Linda on the move]

I would leave your DD where she is if she is happy. Changing schools, esp. to a different type of school, is a BIG transition for a kid. Just because she  loves school right now, it doesn't mean that she will love a different school. And I would say the same thing no matter what kind of school she was going to!

The things you are unhappy about in her current school are grown up issues and really don't effect her. No matter what school she goes to, you'll end up finding out things about it that aren't perfect. If you change schools every time you find out what the problems are in a school, she'll go to a different school every year.

If she ends up unhappy with the school years from now because of bullying or whatever, you can change then. Besides, immersion is a pretty cool experience. The more years she stays there, the better IMHO.

What is her new language?

[ZTMOM]

Thanks for the responses!  I really haven't been able to find much out there comparing these two models.

All 3 school campus sites are within walking/biking distance of our home & both schools are tuition free.  The Montessori school is the real deal.  However, when I asked if they would consider offering a foreign language I was told it is possible that someday they would hire a teacher who is bilingual who could then share that with the children, but that is not their focus.  DD is learning French & has said she really wants to learn another language although which one doesn't matter.  

The immersion school is a pretty typical traditional school that has a reputation of being rigid.  More than 1/2 their population tests as gifted & DD's teacher told me the school doesn't offer very much to those kids anyway.  Their view is that they're already providing an enriched environment in the classroom.  If DD was showing strength in a subject like math I would be more concerned that they weren't challenging her.  

I keep saying I'll cross this bridge when I get to it in 2 years, but in the back of my mind it's hard for me to imagine DS (almost 3) liking the immersion school.  Right now DD & DS adore each other so I'm a little sad they would go to different schools, although I know a lot can change in 2 years!  My hesitation about DS is about how punishment is handled at the school.  DD is one of those easy going, rule follower types (to a fault perhaps) & DS is quite the opposite.  An example of what I have trouble with:  none of us are going to recess because "max" did this or "max" did this in the morning, so "max" has to take a time out during play time in the afternoon.  

Like it's been said, no school is going to be perfect.  With the way immersion works it's hard to just jump in or out of the program though.  DD's never been one to have any problems with transitions & she really has loved everything about every school she's attended (preschool, Pre-K & now K).  Overall, it's been a good year, but we wouldn't have chosen the school if we knew there would be an internal push to have it moved.  There are more experienced families saying things such as a split immersion campus is going to destroy the program - I don't know enough to know if that's just more drama or a valid concern, but it does make me wonder if the push to move isn't going to be an ongoing thing.  I know people do very long commutes for good schools, but for our family that isn't an option.  With DH's work schedule & our finances right now, traveling that much would require sacrifices of our whole family that we're not willing to make.  

I've organized a few class play dates & typically it's the kids in the area who attend although I usually hear from almost everyone saying what a great idea, but xyz is happening so they can't come.  I've set one up for this week & I haven't heard back from the majority of the parents, making me paranoid!  I've heard the drama has spread with the older kids & it concerns me that the parent mess is going to impact the kids' relationships.  During a FB discussion of the school location I said for our family the immersion school staying on this side of the city was a social & economic justice issue (we're in the poor corner of town, 1/2 the city's kids live here, we have a high minority population & all the other immersion programs are on the opposite side of the city)  ... my opinion was borderline mocked on the school's FB page by one of the school's parent leaders.  I've continued to volunteer at the school & don't want to let this get in the way of doing what is best for DD.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by ZTMOM 

All 3 school campus sites are within walking/biking distance of our home & both schools are tuition free.

I know it makes your choice a bit harder, but that is phenomenal.

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by ZTMOM 

I've organized a few class play dates & typically it's the kids in the area who attend although I usually hear from almost everyone saying what a great idea, but xyz is happening so they can't come.  I've set one up for this week & I haven't heard back from the majority of the parents, making me paranoid!  I've heard the drama has spread with the older kids & it concerns me that the parent mess is going to impact the kids' relationships.  During a FB discussion of the school location I said for our family the immersion school staying on this side of the city was a social & economic justice issue ..my opinion was borderline mocked on the school's FB page by one of the school's parent leaders.

You can opt out of ALL this drama. Rather than inviting over tons of people, invite over one child that (or 3) that your DD really likes. Keep it simple. Make it personal.

I'm not a fan of Facebook. I think it is often a drama machine. If you have drama on Facebook, it's VERY easy to opt out of it. Just quit showing up for it. Facebook is simply not a path to healthy communication IMHO.

I think that part of the problem you have with the school is caused by what you are doing, and that if you do the exact some things in a different school, you will end up with the exact same problems.

You also said  "The Montessori school is the real deal."  It may be the real deal as a private preschool, but in most states it is not possible for a charter elementary school to be the real deal. They give that up with they take the state's money. Because they don't have an elementary yet, you don't know what it will be like or what those bumps will be the first few years.

Where we live, charter schools are required to take the state standardized test, and they push for high scores so they can say how much better they are than the public schools, because that way they can get more kids, so they can get more money, which lets them expand their programs and do things like offer foreign language. Some of the charters are quite good and a better option for many kids than their public school, but I think you have an idealized view of what the school will be like.

Any school that takes the state's money plays by the state's rules.

You started the thread with this:

DD is a "model student" who loves everything about school,

especially the immersion element & their strings program. 

Nothing you've said has convinced me that pulling her out of her current school is in her best interest.

[Drummer's Wife]

I would jump at the chance of a AMI Montessori school.  They are pretty hard to come by, especially for anything beyond primary.  Ideally, I'd love a dual-language Montessori school, but between the two you are comparing, definitely Montessori.  There are other ways to become fluent in a second language. 

eta: after reading some of the responses, I'd still take a Montessori charter school over a non-Montessori school.  But obviously I am partial to that pedagogy.  My kids are in a Montessori public school (not a charter) which means it can't be 100% authentic, though they never claimed to be affiliated with AMI - they definitely are not, but to me, being 'mostly' Montessori still has tons of benefits, especially for my kids who are advanced.  My 2nd grader is not stuck doing 2nd grade work.  He is using materials that introduce concepts normally taught in middle-high school.

[BCFD]

I'm late to the party here, but I wanted to say first that I am a Montessori mom with 3 kids in Montessori schools.  My youngest attends a private, "authentic" Montessori school, and my older two children are in a Montessori charter that is AMS and WASC affiliated.  Every child does Rosetta Stone (even the kindy students) and can pick between Spanish, French, Chinese, German, and a couple others (can't recall).  You could always ask the Montessori school about their language program and if they didn't have anything you could incorporate Rosetta Stone at home.  Just a thought.  Good luck with your decision!

[Diane B]

My daughter's in first grade in an immersion school... this experience is totally not the same as getting language instruction, i.e. classes, or Rosetta Stone or whatever.  In immersion, you are not taught the language, you are taught your regular school subjects in the language.  It's the way we all learn language as very young children.  By the middle of first grade, my daughter was speaking, reading and writing at or above her grade level in Spanish. She is truly bilingual and bicultural; by fifth grade, we can expect that she will be completely fluent.

I guess it depends how much of a priority immersion is for you.  We like the school in other ways, but the pedagogy isn't fabulously innovative; for us, that was a trade-off for the language and cultural immersion. 

Also, our school split this year from being a K-8 to being K-5 at one campus, and 6-8 at another.  This has turned out to be a great thing, as the school is really focused now on the earlier grades.  This wouldn't have been my preference originally, but it's worked out well. And any school will have its drama!

Good luck.