questions about montessori

[wednesday]

My son will be starting in a Montessori preschool in a few weeks. He is almost 2. He will be in a classroom of 1-2 yo's and eventually in a classroom of 3-6 yo's. Looking down the road with DS having a September birthday I realize we are going to grapple with the issue of what year would he start kindergarten--when he's turning 5, or when he's turning 6.

If we keep him at the Montessori school until he ages out, I suppose we could try to do some kind of assessment during the spring that he is 5 to figure out if he should go to kindergarten or first grade the following fall. Or potentially even 2nd grade, if we keep him at Montessori all the way through the year that he turns 6.

What I'm not sure of is this...do children not get a little "bored" after several years in the same Montessori classroom? I like the idea that putting all the 3-6 yo's together means he will have exposure to higher-level concepts whenever he is ready for them. I just wonder if going to the same classroom for that long won't fail to challenge him after a while. Will he really be doing 1st-grade level work alongside of 3-yo's learning their ABCs?

This must be a common dilemma so I am wondering how others handle it. Also wondering if a lot of parents pull their kids from the Montessori program in order to place them in traditional kindergarten or first grade when they are age-ready. Are there a lot of 5's and 6's in Montessori preschools (there are no higher age classrooms at this particular school) or does it tend to be more just 3's and 4's?

[alegna]

Kids don't seem to get tired of the classroom. They are always being introduced to new lessons and material.

good luck!

-Angela

[butternut]

Mine never got bored with Montessori--in fact they still are in Montessori in K and 2nd grade. You should have a peek in a Montessori classroom storage cupboard--they have TONS of materials! At least ours always have. They have even found it comforting to recognize Montessori materials when they have started at a new school due to a move to a new city. It is the teachers' job to see what is interesting your child and to make those materials available or to introduce new materials when your child seems ready. Our schools have also always had different theme work--just like any other preschool does. So each year was a little new information or excursions or songs or art projects, etc. Also our schools have always had smaller group times with different age groups to allow for age appropriate interaction--like the five year olds talking about the calendar. A good Montessoir school will make sure your child gets what she needs when she is ready, no matter what her age.
Good luck!

[flyingspaghettimama]

Hi - I think you will know more situationally once your son reaches the K age. For us, we chose not to do the K route and stay in Montessori because we like the socialization and the independent learning opportunities available in Montessori vs. a traditional classroom.

I would say that many of the parents at our previous (last year's) school did leave for K, but the school was also having some personnel issues. However, at the school she will be starting in the fall, there seems to be virtually no turnover and very difficult to get into. So I think it very much depends on the school and where your child will be at?

I was more worried about her being bored in straight Kindergarten - by K age in Montessori, my daughter is reading anything and everything she can get her hands on (right now, Amelia Bedelia); can do 4-place addition and subtraction; and is learning fractions (after asking for a lesson) and sewing. Each child is different - some will enjoy some materials more than others - i.e. more math than reading, or more hands-on/sensory than practical life - but there's opportunities to choose in any case.

The schools we did look into were public alternative schools, but we didn't get into the one we wanted...

[WhitneyVL]

Hi, I'm new to the Montessori board here, but I thought I'd chime in with my 2 cents (and maybe stick around :D ). Our older 2 children go to a Montessori that is Prep/Children's House through 6th level. They also have late birthdays (end of October and 1st of December), so we went through similar circumstances. We just met with the teachers a few times through the year leading up to K, and then made the decision based on their experience with our girls. They both ended up starting before they turned 5 (well, one did and the other will in 2 wks). So far, so good.