What if you could no longer afford the tuition? Making the transition to public school :(

[mum2sarah]

There is a long story behind all this but suffice to say with a new baby on the way and my taking time to be at home with the baby, it's unlikely we will be able to afford to keep sending DDs to Montessori school.  They are finishing up 1st grade and 3rd grade, and I'm so scared about the prospect of sending them to public school.  DD#1 had some public school experience (some of it good and some of it bad), but DD#2 has only ever done Montessori school.  I'm sad that this year could be the end of their Montessori education.  We live in one of the best public school districts around, but it still has some major shortcomings.  Does anyone have any encouraging words as to how to make a transition to public school more smooth?  Things we can do at home to keep the Montessori "spirit" alive?  Experiences to share of your child successfully going from Montessori to public school?

[Shaki]

Well no stories of successful transition yet, but we are in the same boat. Leaving our beloved Montessori for public kindy in the fall because we can't afford the tuition anymore.

Actually we never could afford it; went into debt to pay for it and this was with financial aid! So there's absolutely no question that financially we are making the right choice--in fact we don't really have much of a choice. It was either going to have to happen for kindergarten or first grade. I had been assuming we'd make the switch in first grade (and go even deeper into debt) so DD could finish out her 3rd year in the 3-6 classroom, but then DD wound up being offered a coveted spot at the top public school here (you test into it)--it's just one of those things that you don't turn down.

We love the Montessori school so much, if money weren't an issue we wouldn't have even looked at public school. It's unfortunate because the Montessori school values diversity and wants to have a more diverse student body, yet they don't have the resources to retain a family like ours--it's sad because not only are we being forced to leave a school we love but the school is loosing a family that brought diversity to the community and was also deeply committed to the school.

So anyway no advise just commiseration!

ETA: DD's toddler teacher told me when DD was in the youngest class, not to worry too much about making the transition to public school (she was aware of our financial situation) because even a few years in M school give kids an inner sense of focus and direction that serves them well in any environment. This is a teacher with 20 plus years of experience whose own daughter had to move to public school around the first grade because our M school didn't go into the upper grades at that time, so she was speaking as both a teacher and a parent.

Edited by Shaki - 4/12/11 at 5:25am

[mattemma04]

Well the only stories I have read are from older kids that moved on to 9th grade learning,so I know that is not much help.

I would look into your local schools curriculum,and see what is expected for the grades your girls will be going into. The first few weeks are usually review material. From what I can recall from my kids public school time there was a lot of *no talking* and *do not get up without permission*.

The kids will have to remember to not just get up to use the bathroom or even sharpen the pencil,but I suppose it will depend on the teacher.Another thing is everyone gets work as a group,and then you all wait for everyone to finish before moving on to the next thing. No getting your daily work in the am and working at your own pace like in M.

Your dd's will catch on pretty quick. My kids always did regardless of the setting.

You could look into public school charters.There are some that are M based.

I  know what you mean about the tuition and all the extra fees.We get help from family otherwise we would never be able to pay for it.

[VisionaryMom]

Originally Posted by mattemma04 

The kids will have to remember to not just get up to use the bathroom or even sharpen the pencil,but I suppose it will depend on the teacher.

This has changed in tons of schools. It's not really the standard anymore. Every school we toured, both private and public, allowed/expected kids to just get up and go to the bathroom when they needed to. I wouldn't tell my kids "what to expect" because it may not *be* what they should expect.

[physmom]

OP,  I've heard something similar about children transitioning well.  We have a family friend who sent her 3 children to Montessori school for the 3-6 age range and they went to publics after that.  Her gets are grown and all very successful adults, very well adjusted and happy (know her and her husband, though, I'm sure a good portion of that can be chalked up to wonderful parenting too, though!).  Anyway, she does contribute a good portion of her children's success to the foundation that they got in their Montessori school and really raves about it.  She says her kids never really had any problems with the transition afterwards either. 
 

Originally Posted by mattemma04 

Well the only stories I have read are from older kids that moved on to 9th grade learning,so I know that is not much help.

Would you mind sharing those?  Just curious because DD is currently in a Montessori that ends after 9th grade and we're curious about that transition (even though it's a long way off).

[ollyoxenfree]

I have 2 children who moved into public school after 3 1/2 years in Montessori. The transition was fairly smooth, although they were unsettled at first with the noise and frenzy in the public school classes, compared to Montessori. They had to adjust to new classroom environments, but really, their Montessori experience helped with that too. They had skills in assessing a situation and figuring out how to work within it. They did stand out from most of the other children because of their independence, sense of responsibility, helpfulness and leadership. I found the public school teachers recognized and appreciated these skills. DD used to help dress her classmates to go outside for recess (tie up shoes, zip up jackets). She led the way in tidying up the classroom after free activity time. In some ways, the transition to public school allowed her to blossom with these skills. They had excellent public school teachers who emulated a lot of the Montessori philosophy, even if they didn't follow the methods or use the materials. I can see a rough transition could happen if the children have a different nature or they encounter difficult teachers. It wasn't our experience though.  

They both made a similar transition when they moved into high school, leaving their full-time gifted programs in the public school, in favour of attending a performing arts high school. There was another adjustment to a more relaxed academic pace. For the most part, it's working out.