NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/misc/kids/33090

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-21 | 6.4 KB

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From: [e-mail] (Valerie Jorge)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Montessori Schools
Date: 21 Jan 1993 18:39:19 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
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In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Anne Paulson) writes:
>
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Valerie Jorge) writes:
>
>   My experience with Montessori school is limited - my stepdaughter
>   and her cousin both attended, my stepdaughter for 3 1/2 years (
>   (preschool through first grade) and my niece for preschool and
>   kindergarten.
>
>   This program was NOT a good match for either girl.  My stepdaughter
>   is a daydreamer, and seems the program at this Montessori school
>   let her choose a lot of the activities she wanted to do.  She
>   learned that she did daydream, and that it was ok.  Then she
>   transferred to public school (they stayed with Montessori because
>   the daycare arrangements etc. all worked out well.  When her cousin
>   moved when her dad got married, they both started public school
>   in the same district, but different schools.)  The transition
>   was not terrible, but it took 1 1/2 to 2 years for her to learn
>   the more structured routine.
>
>   My niece is ADD, and the Montessori atmosphere was not good for
>   her either.  The ages of children up through kindergarten were
>   mixed, so she always was doing the "baby" things rather than
>   choosing to do more age appropriate activities.  In her school
>   picture in kindergarten, the kids were sitting or standing,
>   and she was being held by the teacher.  I don't feel that is
>   appropriate behavior.  She had a very difficult time transitioning
>   to public school, though she might have anyway.
>
>I have little knowledge or experience with Montessori schools.
>However, I don't find that the anecdotes above are an indictment of
>Montessori schools.  Instead, they point up a problem with public
>schools!   As I understand the anecdotes, both girls were very happy
>in their Montessori schools, and only had trouble when they moved to
>public schools that had more structured (and in my opinion, duller)
>routines.  What is so sacred about sitting all day listening to some
>teacher drone on?  Or doing the same thing as everybody else?  This
>does not teach a child to think for herself.
>
>-- Anne

I guess you have to be there.  My step daughter is doing great
in school now, is on the honor roll, running for school Historian,
has lots of friends and is well liked by the kids and teachers.
But, she can also read, write, multiply, divide, study (she
has some pretty hard tests - learning simple machines, the human
body, California History, missions, etc.).  She basically has
3 different teachers - the 4th grade teachers work cooperatively
and one teaches social science, one teaches science, and one
teaches PE.  They move to the appropriate class each afternoon.
(One of her teachers was voted teacher of the year for the
school, then district, and is now in the running for teacher
of the year in the state).  She also goes to one of the other
teachers for math.  She doesn't sit all day listing to some
teacher drone on.
She was way behind grade level
in reading and language when she started 2nd grade in public
school.  She is working at grade level now, having had some extra help
and tutoring.

My niece no longer acts like a baby in school.  She had to learn
how to grow up and act her age.  Being in a class with much
younger children, she acted and played with the youngest ones,
rather than acting her age.  She is now learning social skills
that were not required or encouraged before.  It has been
hard because she could do what she wanted and now she has
to do what is expected.  Would you want your child
to always play with the babies rather than learn to cultivate
friendships and relationships with children her age?  That
is what happened with her.  But it is only 1 case.  Take
it as that.

I was only stating my opinion based on my experiences.  I
didn't put in all the details because I didn't think it
was really necessary at the time.  There are a lot of
Montessori schools and in my opinion they must be doing
something right because they are still around and are
prospering.  I just wanted to state my opinion of 2
cases where the children's personalities and behaviors
didn't seem to match with the curriculm they offer.
Their methods seem fine, it's just these two girls
are both somewhat immature, and one has real behavioral
problems that have interfered with her ability to learn.
She does gets  1-on-1 time with the
resource specialist at her new school.  My stepdaughter's
life up to going to school was less than perfect.
Her  mother is  an alcoholic and manic depressive who
had been in 5 alcohol treatment programs (in-patient and out-patient)
from the time my stepdaughter was 6 months old till 2 YO.
(Wasn't diagnosed as bi-polar till about 2 years ago).
She and her father moved in with Grandma when she was
3 and lived there for 5 years with her cousin and her dad.
Her mom has been sober about 2 years (had a real breakdown
when her fiance committed suicide) and just got a job
last November, part time.  She is on some sort of state
aid and lives in a little shack in the mountains with
a disabled Vietnam veteran whom she met when she was
going to a daily Lithium support group.  She needed
a little structure in her life.  My stepdaughter started
seeing a counselor when she was about 4 because she
was going to school all day and not communicating to
anyone.  She daydreamed all day, lived in her own
little world and did her own little things at school.
She's progressed a lot since then.  She's been through
more than any kid deserves.

Well, I went on and on.  Email is usually a great mode
of communication, but at times is not.  Things come
across in ways other than intended.  I don't mean to
be rude or trash Montessori as I previously stated,
just giving my opinion.

Have a nice day!

Valerie