I have a lovely 11 year old daughter who has thrived in Montessori schools since she was two and a half. I taught in a Montessori school before she was born, we have always reinforced Montessori ideals at home...if there was a Montessori poster family, we'd probably be at least in the running.
And now yesterday, I received news that the middle school program in my daughter's beloved school will close next year, due to lack of children. I understand. Really. You can't run an entire middle school with just a couple of kids.
So now she has one year left in the upper elementary, before we have to make a huge decision. Do we go public, which scares the heck out of me? The public middle school near us is supposedly quite good, is smaller than most, and has mixed age grouping which she is used to, but as Seattle schools have open enrollment, there's no guarantee she would even get to go there.
I've thought about Sudbury. There's a school fairly near us, and I will defnitely tour. It seems similar in its respect for child led learning, but perhaps its a little too freedom oriented. They allow the kids to play video games all day, even the ones rated M. That really bothers me.
Or, of course, I could just home school her, and keep the Montessori mode. However, I am a doula and massage therapist, so my schedule can be very erratic at times, and I'm not sure it would be great for our relationship either.
I know I don't have to decide right now, and I am very aware that I am mourning not only the loss of this school, but probably the loss of our Montessori identity. It is such a big part of who we are as a family. I just can't believe its going to be gone.
::SNIFF:: I'll be better tomorrow I know...
Any thoughts?
And now yesterday, I received news that the middle school program in my daughter's beloved school will close next year, due to lack of children. I understand. Really. You can't run an entire middle school with just a couple of kids.
So now she has one year left in the upper elementary, before we have to make a huge decision. Do we go public, which scares the heck out of me? The public middle school near us is supposedly quite good, is smaller than most, and has mixed age grouping which she is used to, but as Seattle schools have open enrollment, there's no guarantee she would even get to go there.
I've thought about Sudbury. There's a school fairly near us, and I will defnitely tour. It seems similar in its respect for child led learning, but perhaps its a little too freedom oriented. They allow the kids to play video games all day, even the ones rated M. That really bothers me.
Or, of course, I could just home school her, and keep the Montessori mode. However, I am a doula and massage therapist, so my schedule can be very erratic at times, and I'm not sure it would be great for our relationship either.
I know I don't have to decide right now, and I am very aware that I am mourning not only the loss of this school, but probably the loss of our Montessori identity. It is such a big part of who we are as a family. I just can't believe its going to be gone.
::SNIFF:: I'll be better tomorrow I know...
Any thoughts?
