Montessori Schools
- Thread starter evan1875
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I don't really like private schools - we pulled our kids out when 3rd one started school and fees went to $45,000 per year collectively.
I would rather use that money to gift them a house each - much better education there.
Montessori however is different - children are treated like people, not talked down to or made to fall in line like the traditional system.
They create a "happy environment" and the child can find themselves from there.
Traditional schools create stress and competition and the public ones add another rule - religion - more pressure on the child to be "right".
Mine will be going to a Montessori based high school next year.
No uniforms, very earthy feel in the environment, no stress - hopefully as that is the impression I got.
I don't really like private schools - we pulled our kids out when 3rd one started school and fees went to $45,000 per year collectively.
I would rather use that money to gift them a house each - much better education there.
Montessori however is different - children are treated like people, not talked down to or made to fall in line like the traditional system.
They create a "happy environment" and the child can find themselves from there.
Traditional schools create stress and competition and the public ones add another rule - religion - more pressure on the child to be "right".
Mine will be going to a Montessori based high school next year.
No uniforms, very earthy feel in the environment, no stress - hopefully as that is the impression I got.
Always thought they were a bit hippyish and way to lefto for me.
Till I read some research into schooling. Basically everything I read shows that the traditional western system of education does very little for the childs education - though it is very convenient for the teachers to manage.
Very few children learn well by sitting in a classroom for the day being spoken to by an adult. Most of them will learn better by interacting with the world around them in an unstructured manner.
The education system primes us to be able to adhere to sitting still all day being dictated what to do (aka having a job) - while minimizing free thought/behavior. Follow the line and be rewarded or be punished if you don't.
Add to that the new wave where no one fails, is upset or insulted or hurt. Its a recipe for the exact society we are creating.
Im not sure that Montessori is the perfect answer - but it cant be any worse. Especially in the early years.
Blacky
Till I read some research into schooling. Basically everything I read shows that the traditional western system of education does very little for the childs education - though it is very convenient for the teachers to manage.
Very few children learn well by sitting in a classroom for the day being spoken to by an adult. Most of them will learn better by interacting with the world around them in an unstructured manner.
The education system primes us to be able to adhere to sitting still all day being dictated what to do (aka having a job) - while minimizing free thought/behavior. Follow the line and be rewarded or be punished if you don't.
Add to that the new wave where no one fails, is upset or insulted or hurt. Its a recipe for the exact society we are creating.
Im not sure that Montessori is the perfect answer - but it cant be any worse. Especially in the early years.
Blacky
In the spirit of discussion, how do you think giving someone a house educates them?
Lets blame the teachers - a system to make things convenient for them. Do you feel better sitting in your ivory tower? Are you as a human being 'perfect'?
Have you ever thought that teachers are just as frustrated as you. That their hands too are tied by this bureaucracy.
I don't disagree with your views on offering a variety of learning opportunities. But don't blame the teachers - in the corporate world of private education it is about perception, accountability, structure, data, getting kids to jump through easy hoops to achieve grades that have been expected and paid for and a lot of parent pleasing.
All you can do as a parent is research schools in your area and decide which one compliments your family and educational values. If you can't find a suitable school, then home school.
Have you ever thought that teachers are just as frustrated as you. That their hands too are tied by this bureaucracy.
I don't disagree with your views on offering a variety of learning opportunities. But don't blame the teachers - in the corporate world of private education it is about perception, accountability, structure, data, getting kids to jump through easy hoops to achieve grades that have been expected and paid for and a lot of parent pleasing.
All you can do as a parent is research schools in your area and decide which one compliments your family and educational values. If you can't find a suitable school, then home school.
I think Catholic schools in some diocese are leaning toward Montessori learning. Not quite so child led but teaching is in small groups, kids work more independently and the workshop style learning includes sitting on cushions on the floor, standing around tables and booths and walking around the classroom, visiting 'stations' for relevant sight words.
And the Monessori school is cheaper (not in our parts)
Didn't notice Datto
I went to visit an open day at one on the LNS recently, this is very much about open lurnin' , wandering about, shared classrooms - WTF?? I couldn't get my mind around it. Our tour didn't include anything about the maths or english faculties & focussed on the arts. Needless to say, it's not our first preference.
As for Montessori schools, you don't start your core learning (alphabet/numeration) until you have lost some of your teeth. The local Montessori style school allows kids to wander climb trees etc yet they have turned out to be highly effective C Level execs, high court judges etc. Unfortunately, once you commit to this style of education you simply can't swap back to mainstream as the education style leaves kids having to relearn 'how to learn' as mainstream is so different.
Not sure where you got the idea that I was anti-teachers - or that I sat in an ivory tower, or that I blamed the teachers. I am critical of our education system, even so, I didn't blame the teachers at all.
I blamed the system in which they work. The system is structured more for the system to achieve than anything else. The teachers are in the system and form a part of it. It is designed to be structured - thus convenient to manage. Not sure where you think I said that the teachers had anything to do with that design.
I have a number of teachers in the family - I know they are as frustrated at the system as anyone, maybe more so given they work with it day in day out.
Blacky
And the Monessori school is cheaper (not in our parts)
Didn't notice Datto
I went to visit an open day at one on the LNS recently, this is very much about open lurnin' , wandering about, shared classrooms - WTF?? I couldn't get my mind around it. Our tour didn't include anything about the maths or english faculties & focussed on the arts. Needless to say, it's not our first preference.
As for Montessori schools, you don't start your core learning (alphabet/numeration) until you have lost some of your teeth. The local Montessori style school allows kids to wander climb trees etc yet they have turned out to be highly effective C Level execs, high court judges etc. Unfortunately, once you commit to this style of education you simply can't swap back to mainstream as the education style leaves kids having to relearn 'how to learn' as mainstream is so different.
The school that I am looking at only goes from P-6. So all of their kids end up in mainstream school for secondary. Some of the feedback I have read is that the kids actually start reading etc much earlier.
So much information out there just don't know what is true. Another thing is that not all Montessori schools are the same. Some are more strict with the principles of Maria Montessori than others.
All of our kids did Montessori from age 2.5 until they went into year one at state school.
They all settled into state school easily and were ahead of their peers in both maths and english.
I was happy with the learning aspect but hated that it seemed to attract pretentious parents who were severely lacking on the discipline side and therefore some very "bratty" kids.
But maybe that was just our area?
They all settled into state school easily and were ahead of their peers in both maths and english.
I was happy with the learning aspect but hated that it seemed to attract pretentious parents who were severely lacking on the discipline side and therefore some very "bratty" kids.
But maybe that was just our area?
