Which is better - a Montessori preschool or regular preschool?

Question

And why? What about primary education - kindergarten through 6th grade?

Answer 1

For Preschool it depends on where you are planning to send them.  If it's posible have them attend Preschool at the same school they will be attending the first grade ( then they'll have the friends thing aside and can focus more on learning).

As for school in general, I would pick the Montessori.  This is because I have learning disablities though.  You should really look at your child socially with others their age and have an IQ test done.  If they are normal in every way then they would fit perfectly into a normal school.

Montessori are very good schools where they do not have a strict scedual everyone has to follow from minute to minute.  Instead they see everyone as haveing different strengths and weaknesses that they assess and use to help their students raise their weak areas up to closer to their strong areas.

If a student is hyper, they allow them to do something physical but still educational.  If a child is tired they have them do something that is a review so they can memorize something instead of trying to take on a challange at that moment.

They also cost more then a regular school.

So like I said,.. if your child is normal and average in every way then a normal school is already built around Average Joe, but if they are not then get them into a Montessori.  There will likely be a wait for Montessori so they may not get in next year.

Answer 2

It depends upon your child. Can he handle an environment with a lot of choice and not so much formal structure? I teach kindergarten and the children who come to me from  a Montessori program often have a hard time adjusting because primary school has more structure. I typically don't reccommend Montessori, but it is a very personal decision. You know your child's needs best.

Answer 3

I love coffee has no idea of what she is talking about!  Montessori children are not allowed to do whatever they want! They have freedom, yes, freedom to learn about science when the rest of the world tells them that they are too young and should be listening to fairytales,  They have the freedom to work on learning something for as long as they need to.  I have two daughters one is gifted and the other has special needs.  Both are now in a Montessori school and neither is allowed to eat candy all day, or stare at the wall, or run around and play ,or whatever I love coffee believes they do

My bright daughter gets to go through concepts very quickly.  In second grade she is adding fractions with different denominators and then reducing them.  If she was in a traditional school she would be stuck learning how to add and subtract- something that she did in  montessori kindergarten.  My other daughter is a year older and yet she has problems learning.  We actually had her in traditional school because people like I love coffee convinced us that it would be better for her.  Well, all that happened was that the teacher would teach a concept and then move on because of something called a district benchmark and pacing calendar.  Well, my daughter needed more time to learn the concept and she fell behind.  After a while she gave up trying because everything was too hard for her. Then we put her in Montessori and the teachers worked with her at her level and she was allowed to work on a concept until she actually learned it.  That is what is meant by freedom.  Children being able to learn the way they need to learn, freedom is not doing whatever you want.

And I don't know what the whole story is about the child falling.  Either the school is one of those false schools that lysa was talking about or maybe the child has emotional problems and goes crazy over every little thing.  My daughter use to do that.  She would cry and scream if someone brushed against her, or if she put her pencil down and it rolled off the table. If someone didn't know, you would think that she was dying.  All of the children in the classroom would start to run over to her and hug her all the time, and soon she started crying even more so the teacher made a rule that she needed to take care of things herself.  She couldn't cry all the time for any little reason. Maybe the situation was something like that.  Did she ask? Or just take her misconceptions and interpret what she saw as neglict?

Answer 4

My children go to a public Montessori and they LOVE it. So I would say Montessori.  But they can be different so you need to look at the schools near you and deceide.

But I think Montessori is great. My children can't wait to go to school in the morning and often call to ask if they can stay late afterschool Their teachers are the most loving and dedicated teachers I have ever seen, and really look at children as people.

In our school their day starts off with all the children in circle around a large rug that is a map of the world. They talk, sing songs, share and so on. They do fun activities. My children's favorite is drawing the equator and the tropics on the map with chalk and jumping from continent to continent.

Then they go to do their work. Since my children are in elementary school they have workplans. It's a paper that has a list of the work in all the different areas that they need to do. It is set up so that they have to do a mixture of things and all the areas of school things are done. They can't just do math all day. And they can't play all day either.And all the work is at their level. If they are good at something, they get harder work, if they are having problems, they stay and work on the area that they are having problems until they are understand it and then they move on. They don't get forced to do something that they aren't ready for.But they can do their work in any order that they want. I love the workplan. It has taught them to be organized and responcible. They love it too. One of their favorite things to do is to show the whole family their finished workplan.

Durning work time their teachers sit with small groups of children and teach them. This way the children get the spacific help that they need and they feel special. All the children get to be close to their teacher, she is not someone who just stands in front of the room.

I have 5 children who have been in Montessori and many of my friend's children have too. When they go to junior high school they know more than the other kids about reading and math and they know about things that the other children don't like science, history, and geography. Almost all of the Montessori children have the highest grades in the schools.

Answer 5

That depends on what you think is important, and what your child is like. Montessori schools are great at academics, and at teaching children to work independently. The materials are well designed and children learn a great deal about how to take care of their own needs. However, there is little emphasis on learning to work with other children in groups, a skill usually needed in Kindergarten, and it is woefully lacking in creativity or imaginative play. Some kids find the freedom and the necessity to make decisions about what to do next a little overwhelming. Your best bet is to spend some time at any program you are considering - at least a full morning-and picture your child in each setting.

Answer 6

An academic-based preschool will best prepare you child for kindergarten.  Kids from Montessori schools take a few months to adjust from a do-as-you-please to a structured school schedule.

Kids gotta learn structure, which they ain't gonna get in Montessori.

Answer 7

Montessori schools aren't a "franchise" or "national chain". There is no headquarters or governing office. This is both a good and bad thing. It's good because individual schools have more of an ability to adapt to the needs of their students, but since there aren't any "standards" or "criteria" that all Montessori schools must follow, anyone can open a school and call it Montessori.  Sadly there are some unscrupulous people who capitalize on this and open schools without trained staff, but call them Montessori.  I tell people this not to deter them from looking into a Montessori program for their children, but to enlighten them as to what to look for to find a good one.

There is Montessori Certification that is the equivalent of a Masters degree. It covers in-depth study of botany, biology, history, language, mathematics, and geography as well as child development, curriculum development and implementation and classroom management.  Insuring that the teachers are certified is a major step in making sure that you have a good programs.  The easiest way to do this is to ask, “Are the teachers certified?” CERTIFICATION is different than TRAINING.  Ã¢Â€ÂœTraining can mean anything.”  Ã¢Â€ÂœCertification” means that they completed a training course. So you want to make sure that they are CERTIFIED. There are different kinds of certifications, but I won’t go into that here.  For more information on that contact me privately or post a question about different types of Montessori trainings.

Some people talk about the lack of “structure” in a Montessori Classroom. They hear the word “freedom” and think “chaos” or “free for all”. They seem to think that if all children are not doing the exact same thing at the exact same time that they can’t possibly be working or that they will be working only on the things that they want and their education will be lopsided.

Yet, a true Montessori environment is organized and structured in fact MUCH MORE then in a traditional classroom. In many traditional classrooms all the children do the same thing at the same time. The "structure" is in keeping them quiet

In a Montessori classroom the children are all working at their "cutting edge" or "maximum plane of development" so they are doing different things. Montessori "structure" revolves around rules and procedures so that they can work all be doing different things, but still learn. Additionally, since most of the work is initially done with manipulatives, a "structure" needs to be in place as to how to share the materials, work with them, and put them away. Lastly, the teacher puts in place a "structure" to make sure all the children are working. In a traditional classroom, that doesn't always happen. In most traditional classrooms the teacher hands out a paper, and either sits in front of the overhead and talks while the children copy down the work, or walk around the classroom  looking at the children as they work. I’ve seen this happen in as early as first grade. Granted, not all classrooms are like the traditional ones I've spoken about above, but when people talk about "structure" those are the classrooms they are talking about.

So to recap there is choice, but within boundaries. In preschool Montessori children have freedom of choice, but the only activities available to them are ones that they will learn something from. In elementary Montessori children will be given a work plan or a contract and will need to complete an array of educational activities just like in a more traditional classroom. The main difference being that the activities will be at each child’s “maximum plane of development”, will be presented and practiced in a way that the child understands, and the child will have the freedom to choose which he/she does first.

True Montessori education is for everyone since all children get to work at their “maximum plane of development”. (Sorry- I never say “at their own pace” which is what many people say when talking about Montessori since that gives some people the impression that children who don’t want to work, don’t have to work.). Working at their “maximum plane of development” means children who need extra help get it, and children who have mastered a concept don’t just sit and become bored while the rest of the class “catches up”. Additionally since they move on once they have mastered a concept they aren’t inundated with “busy work” which is what teachers and programs often do with bright children. This means that although a Montessori classroom is very good for children who are having trouble learning, it is also very important for children who are excelling, children who are self motivated and children who need motivation.  A true Montessori program works with each child’s strengths and needs and teaches them to be independent, self motivated learners.

In the past few years there have been more and more studies published comparing Montessori Education and traditional education the most famous one being the December 4, 2006 article titled Montessori the Early Years: Evaluating Montessori Education in the Journal of Science by Angeline Lillard. Contrary to what some people say, Montessori children DO NOT have problems in social situations, in fact, ALL studies show just the opposite; In general Montessori children are ahead of their peers when it comes to social interactions and academics. The “problems” that some have when transitioning is that they get bored with the slow pace of scripted programs and the drill and kill approach to learning that is so prevalent in many societies today. They have been taught to think and analyze and find it hard to sit and regurgitate.

Montessori children learn to be responsible for their actions and to take responsibility for their education. They learn to manage their time. They learn science, social studies, history and geography in addition to reading and math. They learn to respect others, their beliefs and cultures. They learn to be kind and considerate of their peers, thoughtful in their actions, conscious of their behavior and how it affects others. I know that I am bias, but I can think of no better way to truly educate a child.

Answer 8

Montessori is about teaching children to self regulate and discipline.  I think they learn far more than in regular preschool.  My sis teaches montessori and she has 3 year olds who can label all the countries in Asia, and 4 and 5 year olds doing long division.

There are a few things to consider though.  Montessori is generally much more expensive than regular preschool.  Most montessori schools will only accept children at age 3 or younger.  They typically are beneficial to children with special needs.

Answer 9

Give someone a soapbox and they'll think they're an expert.  Give someone a keyboard, and they're going to try to be an expert to a wider audience.  It is almost scary what some answerers twist just to suit what they are thinking.

Let me start by looking at all the answers and responding to them.  This will help you get a more clear picture of what decision you are trying to look at:

Answer #1:

"montessorii!!!! c[=

teachers care a lot more about their preschoolers"

Not really true.  Simply look through this board at a few questions and you'll see a LOT of teachers that are NOT Montessori teachers who care a lot for the children they teach.  Montessori is a way of looking at the structure of teaching and understanding it from an environmental and particular developmental concept.  It is NOT a badge that says, "we care about the students more than anyone else."  So definitely do not go in with that mindset.

Next answer:

"An academic-based preschool will best prepare you child for kindergarten. Kids from Montessori schools take a few months to adjust from a do-as-you-please to a structured school schedule.

Kids gotta learn structure, which they ain't gonna get in Montessori."

I'm sure you know the general rule to not accept something someone says online when they end their closing argument with words such as "gotta" and "ain't."  

There is some truth to this statement, though.  Some children may have trouble adjusting from an academically fulfilled day to a time when they're "learning" concepts they mastered 2 years ago.  When a child that can do long division gets thrown into a classroom where they are doing 1 digit addition problems for a 45 minute period of time, they do sometimes have issues.  The real issue, however, is Montessori developed a love of learning - not a sense of "get this done so it's done."  The question may boil down to which trait do you want your child to have?

Answer #3 was fantastic:

"It depends on what you are looking for. I eventually put my kids in a Christian preschool. The ratio of student to teacher was much lower than at most schools and all of the teachers needed to have their teaching degrees. I enjoyed the curriculum much more and my son liked it so much I enrolled my daughter years later."

At the same time, I would like to point out that Montessori classrooms can handle more children than most regular classrooms.  The reason is that the child, while working with the materials, has his own teacher.  The materials actually ARE teachers in the Montessori classroom, as are the students.  So, if we think of it that way, there are really more teachers for each student in a Montessori classroom than most other classrooms.

Answer #4 (another good perspective at least) said this:

"So like I said,.. if your child is normal and average in every way then a normal school is already built around Average Joe, but if they are not then get them into a Montessori."

Montessori is great for the Average Joe as well.  

Answer #5 is one of my favorite types of answers to pick apart:

"It depends upon your child. Can he handle an environment with a lot of choice and not so much formal structure? I teach kindergarten and the children who come to me from a Montessori program often have a hard time adjusting because primary school has more structure. I typically don't reccommend Montessori, but it is a very personal decision. You know your child's needs best."

Montessori actually has MORE structure than most schools.  The secret is that the structure is developmentally appropriate.  What is considered disruptive to some environments (not sitting in large groups for unecessarily long periods of time - teaching other students - engaging in conversation while working - asking questions - wanting to take a break and read rather than work on math) is considered natural in a Montessori environment.  

The idea is that the STRUCTURE of a Montessori environment is centered around the fact that we try not to disrupt the natural energy and flow of the child.  We try to cultivate that energy and curiosity by setting up a structured environment where children naturally find pleasure in working rather than squash their curiosity so they can sit back and listen to the teacher.

Isn't it natural for children to be seeking out things?  Investigating things?  Trying things?  Working with things?  We take our children to an interactive science museum where they can try things out.  We go home and say, "Wow...what a wonderful experience he had learning."  The following Monday, we send them back to school where they sit in a desk and the teacher talks about how electricity works.  The child's not moving, so his blood is not flowing as much in his brain.  The child is not doing anything interactively with science, so he might not be very interested.  How did our society grow to define this as "structure?"  To me, structure can be defined as (Yes...I am looking at the dictionary):

"a complex system considered from the point of view of the whole rather than of any single part"

Montessori classrooms engage the WHOLE child in learning.  Not just listening, but the tactile, visual, auditory, and spoken mode of learning.  Talk about structure!

Another answer:

"However, there is little emphasis on learning to work with other children in groups,"

This just doesn't show this person knows much about Montessori.  Simply because it's more individualized does not mean that children do not work in groups.  Studies actually show that children tend to have better problem solving skills in groups, which makes sense given the fact that their group work is cooperative rather than competitive.  No child is seen as "better" than anyone else.  Each child is seen as someone who can help the other in some way.  And this isn't a good group skill to learn?

"My cousin is an early childhood education major. She did some field work at Montessori school. When she was there, one of the children fell and was crying. None of the instructers did anything. My cousin finally went over to comfort the child. She got yelled at because the staff said, "you need to let the kids work this out for themselves.""

That's just not true.  The cousin might have misread a situation, but I can tell that is just not correct.  What MIGHT have happened was this was a student she did not know well and the student was playing a game called "manipulate the teacher."  It may have been she came in asking for...whatever...wanting to go home.  When the teacher didn't drop everything and call mom and dad, the child might have tried a whole list of things ("But teacher, I'm sick.")  

You can rest assured that this information is simply not correct.  No ECE teacher would ignore a hurt child.

"I mean, are you going to let them eat candy because they want to?"

Again, what does that have to do with the question?

Ok...now to answer your question.

It's hard to say which school is "better."  There are fantastic schools that are both Montessori and not Montessori.  There are crappy schools on both sides of the coin as well.  What you want to do is go visit each school you are considering and watch how the classroom is run.  It is also good to have an idea of what you will be looking at.

To get a better idea, the internet is fantastic :)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM1Gu9KXV...  There is a video that gives a good basic idea of what a Montessori classroom is like for 3-6 year olds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTpAILazP...  Here is it for elementary.

A well run Montessori program will foster a love of learning in the children.  You will see students working - not because they have to - because they want to.  

Matt

Answer 10

montessorii!!!! c[=

teachers care a lot more about their preschoolers

Answer 11

It depends on what you are looking for.  I eventually put my kids in a Christian preschool.  The ratio of student to teacher was much lower than at most schools and all of the teachers needed to have their teaching degrees.  I enjoyed the curriculum much more and my son liked it so much I enrolled my daughter years later.

Answer 12

I don't agree with the teaching methods in the Montessori schools.   I don't like the unstructured environment.  

Kids need some sort of boundaries at any age.  I mean, are you going to let them eat candy because they want to?  No!  Why would you want your child in such a laid back school environment.

My cousin is an early childhood education major.  She did some field work at Montessori school.   When she was there, one of the children fell and was crying.  None of the instructers did anything.   My cousin finally went over to comfort the child.  She got yelled at because the staff said, "you need to let the kids work this out for themselves."

What a load of c**p!!!    If the kid falls, go over and make sure they are OK.  God forbid they were really hurt.    You don't have the baby them, but what's the harm of walking over and saying, "Are you OK?"

Answer 13

It does depend on your child and whether or not he/she is self-motivated enough to thrive in a setting where he/she gets to "plan" his/her education.

Go and visit  classroom and see for yourself.