Wow Flor that was a very thoughtful and insightful answer you gave.<br><br>
I also agree with lazra about 3 being a special time. This is a magical phase of child development where the awareness is changing from subconscious to conscious. Montessori elaborates on this in The Absorbent Mind. At this age, the child is laying foundation for intellectual organization as well as qualities of the personality. He is eager to know how things work and what the name of every object is. He is able to absorb learning effortlessly and prepares for more advanced work with the materials during the first year in the Children's House (it's better if the child starts at 2 1/2 actually).<br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>KristiMetz</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7922598"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">My DS is only now entering a phase (and not really there yet) where he would be willing to be away during the day with a bunch of strangers like that. So it's not the most AP-friendly philosophy, in that respect. Although other aspects of Montessori seem AP-ish.</div>
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It's not supposed to be like leaving him with strangers - there should be a gradual phase in process at the beginning so that the child can adjust and get to know the others and become comfortable. The child is entering a community of children and should feel welcomed.<br><br>
About the issue of having parents in the room, it's something that takes some understanding. Also, to agree with lazra again, this is a nuance that is indeed hard to describe. Achieving a normalized classroom is a delicate and somewhat complicated process. It takes a strong discipline (on the part of the adults) to balance between impulse and inhibition. Out of respect for the children who are "happy and busy" (as Flor put it) or concentrating (for Montessori found that this is what causes happiness and peace) or in the Flow (Mikhail Czsentmihayl) or however you want to describe it, it's better to handle adult meetings outside of classtime. Here, we ask parents to give 2 full months to the prevention of class interruptions before scheduling observations. We do have lots of school wide social events and other opportunities for parent participation such as with bringing in books and reading to children, material making and celebrating cultural events.<br>
Also, parents don't enter out of respect to the Directress who is busy concentrating on guiding a class of 30 or more children. It takes alot of awareness and mental energy to do this. You are presenting individual and small group lessons as well as suggesting practice work and guiding games all at the same time. So you can understand how interruptions, however good intentioned they are, can affect the environment.<br>
When a child's parent is present, he would naturally turn to mom or dad to communicate his needs. Parents often anticipate the child's needs and communicate nonverbally. When the parents are not present, the child must initiate communication with an adult or other child in order to achieve a desired result. This exercises confidence! (In a happy community of non-strangers)<br>
Also, when the parents are present, the child expects this as part of the arrangement and it can become harder to change the routine and much more a disruption to the class down the line.<br>
However, I do think that the parents should be made to feel part of the community too so there should be opportunities for socializing outside of class time. The Directress should be respectful and gracious towards parents who need more attention concerning class routines.
