Does anyone have any first hand experiences or knowledge about Montessori schools?

Question

Does anyone have any first hand experiences or knowledge about Montessori schools?

Answer 1

It's always interesting to see how a parent sees the Montessori classroom.  You got some great answers from parents.  Let me help explain a little more on what was said.  They are right about a lot of their perceptions.  Just the language explaining it is sometimes hard unless you have done it a LOT!

"What it is is a school for children to teach themselves. There are teachers there of course, and aides, but for the most part, the children are left to their own devices for learning."

This is partially accurate and partially not.  What children learn from is the use of the materials, which they do without as much help from the teacher.  The materials are designed to teach specific concepts.  So as the child works with the materials, they begin to understand those concepts.  

"It's based on the knowledge that children are able to propel themselves through their learning at a rate that works best for them. Instead of sitting in a classroom with kids that are falling progressively behind, they are in a setting where it is encouraged for them to advance to a point that works for them."

I think I can agree with all that.  All children exceed at the level they are in.  One of the teacher's main jobs is observation.  If a child is struggling with something, the teacher can step in and help.  If a child is doing a fantastic job and thriving, why would the teacher step in?  We're just a distraction at that point.

I realized this to its fullest extent yesterday.  I am in Taiwan and no longer teach in a Montessori school (to my frustration).  I had a group of students and was guiding them through the workbook.  It was hard because I always have a certain amount of pages I have to get through every day.  We would get through them as a group, but it was a struggle.  Yesterday, I just told them in the middle of the lesson to start working.  I walked around and helped with one or two things, but overall, the kids just flew.  They got, on average, 10 pages done as opposed to my 6 I was struggling to get through in class.  And they enjoyed the freedom to just keep working.

I wish I had more to offer them than simply workbook pages, but you do what you can.

In many classrooms, the children further along hold those struggling back a lot.  I can't tell you how often I would have to tell one child to stop answering because nobody else will.  But then that holds that child back as well.  

In Montessori, there isn't that problem.  Everyone is excited about learning because everyone is doing something they can do while progressing.  

"My son was in this school, and because of it, I believe, he is reading and doing math at a sixth grade level. He just started 2nd grade. "

While that's great, be careful with focusing on stuff like this.  I know as a parent, that is a great benefit.  It is a great benefit as a teacher as well.  But remember that a Montessori classroom challenges the student to improve himself because it's simply what they love doing.  Don't think of it as "my son reads on a 6th grade level" as much as "my son enjoys reading so much that he has gotten so much better at it in such a short time."  Be careful not to compare the student to where people are in grade levels.  It's easy to do, it's ok to some degree, but it can totally mix up the benefits.

But it is important to note that the hands on and manipulation of materials helps students learn more quickly.  Learning comes through movement.  Movement is important because it gets our blood flowing.  When our blood is flowing, our brains are working.  We're also not only making mental connections in our brains, but physical ones.  

Montessori materials also bring abstract ideas to life.  Why does it make sense that 10 cubed is 1000?  Because they have handled the ten bars and the thousand cube since they were 3 or 4 years old.  They've used the chains to make 10 ten bars fold into a 10 square.  They've used the bigger chain to take 10 ten squares and make 10 cube by putting them on top of each other.  For most people learning about squares, square roots, cube roots, etc. it is confusing because they learn you just multiply them together to get the square or the cube.  They don't actually have the lifelong learning of what that feels like nor do they have the experience of actually MAKING 10 cube.

Think of it like cars.  I can explain how an engine works and how the piston inside the combustion chamber creates pressure and the spark plug ignites the fuel and that's how you get the power in your car.  You might understand it to some degree if I give a good enough explanation.  But if someone learns how to take an engine apart and put it back together, they will have a much better understanding of how it works.  The same applies to Montessori.

" A lot of schools call themselves "montessori," even though they do not incorporate the tools or teaching methods that the name implies."

Very important point.

"For preschools, the MOntessori method involves mixed-age classes with a somewhat limited universe of activities available to them. "

This struck me as interesting.  To me, the traditional classrooms have always had a more limited range of activities available.  Montessori has:

--Maps of the world countries

--Countless math materials (well...we could count them, but ya know)

--A variety of language materials ranging from writing aids to letter sounds to forming words with the moveable alphabet.

--Science activities.

--Practical life activities.

--Snack area.

--Reading area.

I think this idea might be more said that Montessori has more materials that are designed to help children learn specific concepts directly.  This varies from toys, which are designed to teach concepts indirectly.

"Each "toy" is a learning tool, and when a child is engaged with a particular toy, it is considered the child's "work." "

I'm glad you put the word "toy" in quotation marks.  There is a clear distinction (as I said above).  The word we use is materials.

The idea of it being a child's work is important.  Parents are the child's best role models and one thing children that age really know is that mom and dad work.  The concept of "this is my work as well" makes the child feel a little more grown up.  Of course, they don't have all the stuff we hate about work associated with it.  But don't tell them the secret that most of us don't like our jobs.

"Also, the mixed-age classes allow young children to learn from the older children, and the older children to benefit from the confidence and social skills involved in helping the younger ones learn."

Yes.  AND the older children learn from the younger children.  When a student teaches something, they REALLY know it.  They figure it out on a different level.  They begin to understand why we told them, 3 years ago, to carry the red rods one at a time.  They see that the student is struggling learning a particular number, so they'll have them trace the sandpaper number and give them a three period lesson (even though they don't call it that).  What I really like about this is everyone knows different people are at different stages and  they are ok with it.  Now that I'm out of Montessori, I frequently hear, "Teacher, (insert name) is stupid!"  I don't think I ever heard that at a Montessori school.  Maybe if the child was mad and just wants to get back at the child, but not honestly meaning, "He's stupid and can't do this work."

"The classrooms tend to be fairly quiet, and there are more students per teacher than at many otehr schools because the children are supposed to work independently and quietly (sometimes alone and sometimes sharing with other kids). "

I think a different way to think of it is there is more than one teacher for every student.  The material the student is working with is the teacher as well.  

"She didn't get as much creative/active kid time as I might have thought best, but she did learn a lot and enjoyed being with the mix of big kids and small "

Curious what is meant by "creative/active kid time."  I hear that criticism of Montessori a lot and just must be ignorant of what, exactly, it means.  

"The quietness of the room bugged my husband because he is so used to a loud family with a lot of activity, but I thought it was good for her to have some time to process things quietly in her own head "

It is good.  We all need time away to process - no matter what.

"Probably the very most important thing to look for for MOntessori (or any other) preschool is a great teacher. The environment looks warmer with a warm teacher but kind of cold and sparse if the teacher is colder...."

I couldn't agree with you more.  I think it is important to see a Montessori class working and have someone that knows Montessori explaining it to you while its happening.  It's one thing to see it and be amazed.  It's another to have it explained without seeing it.  But having a child in front of you washing a table and having someone explain the particular reasons why the child is doing it a certain way is priceless.

Hope I helped!

Matt

Answer 2

The Montessori method is a method that works well with many kids, but as you look for Montessori schools it is important to really see whether each school is actually  following the method.  A lot of schools call themselves "montessori," even though they do not incorporate the tools or teaching methods that the name implies.  

For preschools, the MOntessori method involves mixed-age classes with a somewhat limited universe of activities available to them.  Each "toy" is a learning tool, and when a child is engaged with a particular toy, it is considered the child's "work."  The notion is that the toys can be used differently by children of different ages and that a child will progress through practice and some guidance from the teachers through the activities as they attend.  Also, the mixed-age classes allow young children to learn from the older children, and the older children to benefit from the confidence and social skills involved in helping the younger ones learn.  The classrooms tend to be fairly quiet, and there are more students per teacher than at many otehr schools because the children are supposed to work independently and quietly (sometimes alone and sometimes sharing with other kids).  It's a method that works better for some than for others, as you might imagine.  

My child was in a Montessori school for a short time before we moved and I rather liked it.  She didn't get as much creative/active kid time as I might have thought best, but she did learn a lot and enjoyed being with the mix of big kids and small (She was among the youngest at just under 3 yrs).  They emphasize personal responsibility and responsibility to others and they encourage some degree of independent thinking.  The quietness of the room bugged my husband because he is so used to a loud family with a lot of activity, but I thought it was good for her to have some time to process things quietly in her own head (especially in counter-balance to our loud household).  Probably the very most important thing to look for for MOntessori (or any other) preschool is a great teacher.  The environment looks warmer with a warm teacher but kind of cold and sparse if the teacher is colder....

Answer 3

I fell in love with the Montessori system several years ago.  My son was a part of the school for a while until we moved.  But what it is is a school for children to teach themselves.  There are teachers there of course, and aides, but for the most part, the children are left to their own devices for learning.  I'm not sure that I'm making it sound as good as it really is.  It's based on the knowledge that children are able to propel themselves through their learning at a rate that works best for them.  Instead of sitting in a classroom with kids that are falling progressively behind, they are in a setting where it is encouraged for them to advance to a point that works for them.  My son was in this school, and because of it, I believe, he is reading and doing math at a sixth grade level.  He just started 2nd grade.  Google it, they will have much more thorough info.

Answer 4

you can research montessori school, and of course it would be best if you have time to visit the childcare center