do you think uniforms belong at a Montessori school?

[OnTheBrink]

There is much debate on our parent email group about our new uniforms. Some say that it's not at all Montessori because it doesn't allow the child to express herself. I say it's very Montessori because a uniform goes along with the prepared environment. I think it's helpful for my children to have "work" clothes (uniforms), play clothes, etc. It helps them to get in the mindset.

Anyway - what do you think?

[GuildJenn]

I voted other because, like so many things, I think it depends on how it is implemented.

At our (new to us) Montessori they have the kids come in uniform (actual school polos) on Mondays to begin the week, and during the rest of the week there is a pretty loose uniform (white tops, navy bottoms). If someone's laundry isn't done or they are particularly - err - definite, they can dress differently and it is not an issue. I thought all that was a decent way to do it - the financial investment isn't so bad to just have polos for Mondays and the rest is just reasonable.

[alegna]

I think uniforms are very anti-montessori. Montessori is about choice and independence. Uniforms go against both.

-Angela

[burke-a-bee]

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[OnTheBrink]

Originally Posted by alegna

I think uniforms are very anti-montessori. Montessori is about choice and independence. Uniforms go against both.

-Angela

I disagree! I wore uniforms from K-12th and LOVED them! It was just one more thing I didn't have to think about - so I could focus on learning and making important choices. I feel as though uniforms do fit in M in the same way that having the teachers prepare the classroom fits.

I like our uniforms a lot: We have 2 different vendors to choose from. You can wear any of the khaki bottoms offered by these vendors (shorts, skorts, skirts, pants, jumpers). Then, you can wear any color polo shirt from these vendors with our school logo on them. I think it works out to about 15 different color shirts. My daughter has red, navy, orange, white, light blue, light pink, hot pink, yellow, green... more that I forget! The only requirement is that everyone wears the light blue polo on field trip days so that we can spot our kids easily.

[caeden&connersmom]

Originally Posted by alegna

I think uniforms are very anti-montessori. Montessori is about choice and independence. Uniforms go against both.

-Angela

I totally agree.

[UUMom]

Here is a link to MM's first school, with pix. The children appear to be dressed identically. Not sure of they are uniforms or what, but Italian kids do wear uniforms. I would think MM had nothing to say on the topic.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

[healthymantra]

Montessori is indeed about independence and choice. It sounds like some schools offer choice in color of shirt, though they all have the school logo. In some ways the uniform can promote independence, because they are easily found in the wardrobe and easier to put on than, say, the jeans and button shirt or other 'matching, cute' outfit that a parent might choose to dress their child in.
This is independence in the smaller sense, that of dressing oneself, rather than the larger sense of expressing oneself through clothing choices. I think that TRULY letting your child choose what he/she should wear each day can be a bit overwhelming and frustrating for them. If , on the other hand, the parent is laying the child's clothes out the night before then that is not choice or independence either, is it?

If you could guarantee that all parents will make all purchasing choices based on what is manageable for the child, rather than what is 'cute', then I would go against uniforms. In the mean time, I think it's a good option.

One other thing; when the children come to school in uniforms, you are at least guaranteed that your child will not be confronted by walking Disney billboards all morning!!!

[Melda]

well i voted no .... for all reasons stated above ... but secretly wished we had the policy because it would make life easier

[UUMom]

I thought this pic was so cute! lol Are these uniforms or aprons? It's a modern Montessori class in Italy. Looks like they are optional, at any rate.

http://www.scuolaer.it/allegato.asp?ID=108646

I am trying to figure out if uniforms in and of themselves are anti-montessori.

ETA more blue and pink kids in Italian M schools. lol

http://www.lastampa.it/redazione/cms...tellesi01g.jpg

[alegna]

Originally Posted by healthymantra

If you could guarantee that all parents will make all purchasing choices based on what is manageable for the child, rather than what is 'cute', then I would go against uniforms. In the mean time, I think it's a good option.

One other thing; when the children come to school in uniforms, you are at least guaranteed that your child will not be confronted by walking Disney billboards all morning!!!

Yeah, well, most uniform clothes are not as easy to put on as my dd's choices.

So you would have to guarantee that they have plenty of choices for 3yr olds that were without buttons and zippers until they mastered them.

And not so much on the disney. Shoes and backpacks.

-Angela

[E.V. Lowi]

I wish I could change my vote, now. Your posts convinced me that uniforms would be appropriate for Montessori- My immediate reaction was no, because it seen counter to the philosophy, but of course uniforms are work clothes, how perfect for the classroom. It's true that uniforms remove a lot of distractions, but I just never considered them for the Montessori classroom where independence, personal choice and responsibility are promoted.

[Drummer's Wife]

I'd say no also. It just doesn't jive with Montessori IMO.

That said when I was teaching the staff wore uniforms. well nothing too extreme but denim aprons and solid pants. But it was also a 0-3 facility and the consistency of uniforms for caregivers was important.

DD will be starting Montessori again at the end of the month and I am glad her school does not require uniforms. I do see how it could make things easier in ways but over all I am pretty anti-uniform for kids in any school setting.

[E.V. Lowi]

One thing that I want to mention that has not been addressed on this thread is that uniforms help to even out the playing field and take away some of the economic stigma attached to clothing. Some families really struggle to pay for the tuition and can't afford a lot of extras. Uniforms make it easier for these children to fit in with their peers. This is an inportant reason why uniforms are promoted in the school setting, including some public schools, as well.

[caeden&connersmom]

Our Montessori does not allow character wear at all, so that eliminates being bombarded by Disney billboards all day! They are encouraged to wear comfortable, loose clothing that parents dont mind if it gets all gummed up! (lots of painting, outside, etc)

They give out backparks the first day of school so we dont have to worry about that either. (I guess that eliminates all the unexceptable ones they had probably seen at some point!)

My niece goes to a private Christian school and has a uniform and my sis loves it. School shopping is a breeze!

I just have a "thing" against conformity in general, and I feel it doestn fit my expectations of what Montessori should be. (That said I dont let my kids totally choose their clothes themselves! OMG dh lets them and they have on the most hideous combinations sometimes! )

[alegna]

Originally Posted by E.V. Lowi

One thing that I want to mention that has not been addressed on this thread is that uniforms help to even out the playing field and take away some of the economic stigma attached to clothing. Some families really struggle to pay for the tuition and can't afford a lot of extras. Uniforms make it easier for these children to fit in with their peers. This is an inportant reason why uniforms are promoted in the school setting, including some public schools, as well.

I have never bought that argument at all. My high school was across the street from a private school with uniforms. Instead of what brand jeans it was shoes or purses or socks or or or

-Angela

[E.V. Lowi]

Originally Posted by alegna

I have never bought that argument at all. My high school was across the street from a private school with uniforms. Instead of what brand jeans it was shoes or purses or socks or or or

-Angela

Most parents that I have spoken to at length about the use of uniforms in public school have embraced them and this has been mentioned as an important factor. This was certainly the case with the local magnet academy, a pubic elementary school. I'm sure that people will always find a way to pursue status in any group, but the parents and children that I spoke with from the academy said the uniforms were definitely a democratizing element and would never go back to street clothes, for this reason alone.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by E.V. Lowi

Most parents that I have spoken to at length about the use of uniforms in public school have embraced them and this has been mentioned as an important factor. This was certainly the case with the local magnet academy, a pubic elementary school. I'm sure that people will always find a way to pursue status in any group, but the parents and children that I spoke with from the academy said the uniforms were definitely a democratizing element and would never go back to street clothes, for this reason alone.

I'm not denying that people like them. I think they've been a private school thing so long in the US it's seen as a status thing

I would never send my child to a school with uniforms.

-Angela

[OnTheBrink]

Originally Posted by alegna

Yeah, well, most uniform clothes are not as easy to put on as my dd's choices.

So you would have to guarantee that they have plenty of choices for 3yr olds that were without buttons and zippers until they mastered them.

And not so much on the disney. Shoes and backpacks.

-Angela

Good points! So when we chose the uniforms for our school, we picked a bunch of different things that are accessible or challenging - depending on what the kid wants. There are pull on elastic pants and shorts. There are jumpers that can be pulled over the head. There are pants and such with zippers, buttons, snaps, etc. You can pick belt loops and wear a belt or no belt loops if you don't want to deal with the belt. Something for everyone, I guess.

Oh, and the kids can wear any socks or stockings they want. But they cannot have characters, brand names, marketing, etc on them. Same with shoes and lunch boxes. We don't have backpacks.

[onlyboys]

I like it, and as far as being Montessori pure, I too have seen all the pics with the kids with identical uniform type outfits on from the schools of old.

The issue with equalizing is true to some point--I like it that I don't have to worry about my kids being singled out because we can't afford $90 jeans (or even $40 jeans, really). It did help when I was in school to make the kids who have less money less obvious, though I don't think it eliminated it.

I appreciate it that there are no characters, they irk me! We have so much choice in our policies that it is freeing--but within limits. It would be great if we could all be able to dress our kids appropriately for school, but some of us don't fit as well into that mold--myself included! If I could wear a uniform, I would!