Who ARE you people anyway? - Page 3

[freistms]

Originally Posted by MattBronsil

The director of your school is originally from Cincinnati. I'm guessing she just probably wanted to come back. I think, at least. I recognize the name, but cannot put a face to it. I think she used to run Summit Country Day's Montessori school for years. I may be mistaken, however.

Matt

Nope, that's her. She was the "principal" of the Montessori program there for 12ish years. Not that that's important to us. She was totally awesome, the execution was impeccable, and my girls hit it off with her from the get-go. That was what was important to us.

[honeybee]

I'm a mom who did some research and visited different schools, and was really impressed with a local ps M, so now I drive my 4 yo from the suburbs into the city to go to his M school.

[*Amy*]

Originally Posted by mightymoo

So know her so well as I know myself, I knew Montessori would fit her perfectly and it has

mightymoo, would you mind explaining some of her personality traits that make Montessori a great fit for her?

[Flor]

Originally Posted by Freedom72

Can you tell me the name of the Charter in Santa Maria? I tried to search for it online and couldn't find it.

Yes...the Santa Ynez valley is ripe for one, indeed!

http://www.tchmontessori.org/about.html


Here it is. A lot of sources still list it as a private school because the change was recent, and well, it is still partly private.

Come start a school in SYV! I want to move there but I want ds to stay in Montessori.

[NoraC]

Here's my first post to the forum. I have three children under 6 and the two oldest are in a Montessori school -- one in K and the other in his first year of preschool. The youngest starts preschool in Sept. We started looking into preschool options when our oldest was about 1 and Montessori seemed to be a good fit with our family. The children are currently in a school that goes to Grade 7 so for now, we think that we'd like them to continue there until then.

[MattBronsil]

Welcome to the board, Nora.

[Lousli]

Have I replied here yet? If not, it is because I'm currently in the midst of elementary AMI training at Loyola College of Maryland. :

I am being sponsored by my school back in California and will return there at the end of May when I graduate.

I have 2 kids, 3 and 6, both currently attending Mater Amoris Montessori here in Maryland; one in primary, one in elementary. They will both be attending my school back home too, although I won't have either one in my class.

Prior to Montessori I taught public school for 5 years.

[bdoody11]

I'm a Montessori child, DD of a Montessory preschool teacher, and now a Montessori Mom!

I knew I would be sending DD to daycare at 3 months and I was really dragging my feet finding childcare. The thought of leaving her with strangers was too much for me-- and she wasn't even born yet!

A friend mentioned casually that a Montessori school in town had an infant program. It also happened that the Admissions Director was my 6th grade teacher and his wife works with my Mom at her Montessori school.

I visited and I liked it, frankly I didn't have an alternative so I enrolled her. Well, 10 months later I'm soooo glad I've chosen Montessori for my daughter. I love the staff-- they are so caring and they love, love, love the babies. They kiss and hug them, are always respectful of me and DD, and are just the kindest and most dedicated teachers.

DD has blossomed under their care. She is such a smart, energetic and lovely little girl (although I like to think I had something to do with this too ). She will move up to the Toddler Room in August. I'm already mourning the loss of our current teachers. I think it's going to be harder for me than for her.

She will most likely stay in Montessori through preschool (the school goes up to 8th grade). We are undecided as whether we will send her to public school or private, Catholic school (DH's wish) for K-12. We figure we have a lot of time so we're not rushing to any decisions just yet.

It's nice to meet other Montessori parents!

[princessalex]

I was able to stay home with both of my boys until the younger one was 4-5. We knew that we wanted to send them to a local Montessori (public charter) school, and felt that the older one was ready when he was almost 5. (His birthday is in November, so couldn't start Kindergarten until the next year.) We got on the waiting list, but were told that the chances weren't very good. About the second week of September, I got a call that there was an opening! We debated it, me not wanting to "let go" of him just yet. But, we knew we just had to because, once they're students, they're guaranteed a spot as long as they continue to be students, and our younger son would have an advantage to getting in, as well. Also, I've heard that their Kindergarten waiting list is tremendously long! So, if we waited, we would run the risk of him not getting in.

Now, he's in First Grade, and his brother is in his first year. And, DS5 is in the same classroom that DS7 just left! So, DS5 already knew the teacher and several of the students. It was a terribly easy transition!

NOW, I've gotten into the mix! I was able to get a job as an Assistant Teacher in one of the 4th-6th grade classes. I LOVE it! I'm working very hard with the co-principals to go to Teacher Training for Middle School.

I love the level of respect that the students are given, which directly leads to the high expectations we have for them. And, even with those high expectations, they often STILL amaze me!

My boys love going to school, and their teachers love them. I honestly couldn't ask for more! And, I love that it's perfectly fine for me to truly love my students. I can give them hugs when they need it, talk with them about their personal problems, and ask them a question, if I don't know the answer. It's a far cry from the public schools I attended growing up!

And, as Dr. Montessori said, “One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.”

But, don't assume that this schooling method is "The Right Way" for all students. If a child truly isn't able to be self-directed and self-motivated, this might actually add more stress to them. We have a couple of 4th-graders who are too used to the rigidity of traditional schools. So far, it seems to still be a toss-up as to if they can loosen up and be responsible for their own work. I'm working as hard as I can with them, though!


Edited to add: I forgot to mention that I live in Phoenix, AZ, and would welcome anyone from the area contacting me!

[Mountain Diva]

I am a certified AMI Montessori Primary teacher. I trained at what was called OMTI in Cleveland OH, it has now been absorbed by NAMTA, I think. I taught for many years and then started having babies. I am homeschooling my 6 yr old DS and 4 yr old DD. We live in the mountains of Colorado. We have many materials, and a carpenter for DH. I am going to learn the Lower and Upper El programs if I can't afford to send my son to the private school here which is the closest thing to an Erd Kinder. Of course, first I have to get over my fears of sending him to school anywhere before that can even be considered. And since I may never get over my fears for my daughter, the whole point could be moot, and I'd be wise to face the fact that I will be teaching them for a long time. Some moms think I'm crazy, others ask if they can send their child here. My husband wants me to open up officially, but I have no desire to do that, too many legalities. Plus, we like to call Snow- Days and go skiing whenever there is fresh powder! People make positive comments about my children all the time. Not because they are doing any advanced academics, they are not, but they are polite, respectful, friendly and compassionate. I'm new to this whole web page, and hope to gather lots of useful information.

[wonamini]

Hello Montessorians!

My name is Karen and I have a 4 year old son, Jonas, who is completing his second year at Freedom Montessori. www.freedommontessori.org My son and I accidentally fell into his current school after an unpleasant experience with his daycare.

The school helped guide me through his onery age of 3 and in the process has helped develop a young boy of 4 years of age who exhibits so much grace and courtesy to himself and others - that it may frighten some!

I have read and continue to re-read Maria Montessori's An Absorbant Mind and continue to be amazed by her groundbreaking, progressive, and universal approach to life and the critical moments that we must (and most fail to) seize upon.

Jonas will be entering into a new class next year. His breadth of knowledge and self-discipline and kindness and patience towards others is more than anything I ever expected out of my child. I did not intend to have my child go to a "private" school. But his school does plan on expanding in grades and I do hope to keep him there for as long as possible.

I look forward to talking more Montessori talk with everyone.

"If hope and salvation are to come, they will come from the children, for the children are makers of men." - Maria Montessori

[honeybee]

I'm a former high school math teacher, who then went on to do some work in math educational publishing. I taught a more hands-on, contemporary curriculum that dealt with experimentation and a focus on comprehension and problem solving rather than memorizing and regurgitating steps.

I was looking into different preschools, and actually thought I wanted to send ds to an Emilia Reggio school... until I visited our local Montessori public school. I was so impressed with the class and the teacher. And, I fell IN LOVE with the math materials. I immediately went out and bought the book Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius and devoured it. Montessori just seemed to embody everything I've learned about how kids learn best, and the quieter atmosphere seemed to fit my sensitive son perfectly. He has been attending preschool this past year, and it has been wonderful. I can't tell you what warm fuzzies it gives this former math teacher to hear him identify patterns and use correct terminology like "squre prism."