Montessori or regular preschool teaching for my ACTIVE 3 year old?

Question

I've taken tours of both places & now I'm stuck whether to enroll my 3 year old son to a Montessori or regular preschool program? He's hyper-active, sociable, energetic (at times "rumbunctious") but loves to explore and be creative. I feel regular preschool limits his exploration (he cannot sit still) & with Montessori, I'm afraid his short attention span will make it difficult for him to work independently. He already knows how to identify ABC's & 123's which is not Montessori way? If I choose to teach him at home, is it even possible to blend the 2 methods or would that only confuse him? Any site references would be great!

Answer 1

I chose Montessori for my 2 and 3 year old - I found that even though they were both in the same class they were given activities at their own level.  There are 2 teachers in a small class and the kids got attention and focus needed  from the teacher which I believe it is important.

Answer 2

I think preschool.

My kid is always running around I put him in kindercare because they have lots of outside play and interactive stuff, because he gets bored easily.

This is a kid who didnt like the bee movie because it was boring to him :)

Answer 3

What three year old isn't active?  :)

I am a Montessori primary teacher (3-6 year olds).  A big part of  having three year olds in our class is having them work in the practical life area and with the sensorial materials.  

These areas  are important to our classroom because it is where children prepare for more academic work.  They improve their concentration, coordination, order, and independence.  It may seem like they are "playing"when they are table scrubbing or polishing silver, but through these types of activities they are becoming prepared to do the "real" learning.  Sensorial materials develop the senses to increase children's natural tendency to explore.

As far as being sociable, I must have one of the most sociable classes on the planet.  I believe it is important for them to grow socially so I welcome it.  They learn how to get along and they help each other out.  With the multi-age classroom I believe there is such a wonderful opportunity for this type of growth.  The older students in my class take the younger ones under their wings and they really learn how to be compassionate.  It is the most touching thing!

As far as already being able to identify letters and numbers, that's terrific.  A good classroom of any type will build upon this.  If he doesn't know the letter sounds that is what we teach in Montessori before the letter names so...  As far as the Montessori curriculum goes  compared to traditional preschool, your son would learn about things like the continents; animals of those continents; typical science themes like seasons, weather, plants; timelines; land and water forms-anything that interests him.

You may want to do some more research at the library.  An excellent book is David Gettman's Basic Montessori:  Activities for Under-Fives.  It describes the lesson presentations of activities you would find in a classroom.  This might better help you determine if this would be what your child needs.

Above all, the important thing is to consider where he would be the happiest.  Are their friends at either of these schools?  Do you know of parents at the schools (ask them about the teachers there and the policies, etc)?  He needs to feel comfortable and allowed to be a child-an explorer and creative mind.  :)

Answer 4

I'm a huge advocate of Montessori.  I have worked as an Early Childhood Educator in various mainstream daycare centres, and although I am certainly an advocate of daycare, I believe the Montessori method is far superior.

Just to confuse you even more, there is another approach called the Waldorf Approach, which is also excellent.

Answer 5

My son is also turning 3 soon. He knows his ABC's 123s also and also energetic and creative. Both his dad and I have been skipped forward in school and while it was a great experience for me it wasn't so good for Dad being he youngest boy in class.

I suggest regular preschool for now. I feel at this stage that he needs to socialise and earn ground with his peers, understand their perceptions of the world they explore together. I don't feel that preschool asks children to sit still for longer than they can.

Answer 6

montessori all the way