We're thinking about putting our 4 year old in Montessori part time. Has anyone any experience with this system? Looking for feedback both good and bad.

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-livin' in the terminally flippant zone

I attended Montessori when my family lived in a foreign country.

Let that be a warning to ye.

I think BlackE55's and Botnst's testimonials are enough.

Run, run away from Montressori as fast as you can while there is still time.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

I'm trying to envision my son as an E55 driving botonist...

Ok, guys will he make enough money so that he can support me in the life that I'd like to become accustomed to? Will Montessori help with that?

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-livin' in the terminally flippant zone

If ungifted, yet curiously expensive to maintain, pray your child marries well.

Our four year old boy is finishing his first year of Montessori next week. It’s a pre-K program run by the public school system. He’s an official student and attends five days a week like any other elementary student. As a one, two, and three year old, he attended regular private preschool one, two, and three days a week, respectively. The public school pre-K Montessori is part of the “magnet school” program. I applied thinking there was no way he’d get in. Well he did and switching from his regular school was a difficult decision for me and mommy. It wasn’t for him, though. He was excited to attend “real” school and has had a great year. On weekends he asks if there’s school tomorrow and is disappointed when there isn’t. On school days, he’s genuinely excited to get to class. He absolutely loves his teachers and the program. I highly recommend you check it out. When I applied for it, I had no clue what Montessori school was. When he got in, I quickly researched all I could. At the time, it sounded really, really hokey to me and I was very unsure of the whole thing. Looking back now, I can’t believe we ever considered not putting him into the program.

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Michael

1988 300 SL (5 Speed)
1994 E320 Wagon
1997 C230

He's pretty smart already, stubborn as all get out though. I'm the one that wants to be expensive to maintain. My plan was to marry into royalty. Obviously that didn't work out. Mrs. Peragro is pretty cool though - I think I made the right choice .

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-livin' in the terminally flippant zone

Liam already does that too. He goes to preschool now and is really not pleased when there is no school tomorrow. He's very jealous of his older brother too when he heads off to school and to boy scouts. At this point I don't think I really know what Montessori offers. We're going to take the "tour" given by the school but I'm often skeptical of what I view as sales pitches. I'm just now getting into the whole research thing about what it all involves. I really thought I had more time; the last time I looked my boy was not even a year old... Time moves so quickly.

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-livin' in the terminally flippant zone

Our local school system recently implemented a magnet Montessori school. I understand that the school is a great success with both parents and children (see above comments by Michael Kerley).

I was in Montessori from 4 through 6 yrs old when my family returned to the states. How much do you remember from when you were that age? I remember more from that period of my life than most of my subsequent elementary school experiences. I remember loving to go to school. I didn't feel that way again until I was in graduate school.

Bot

Have your boys stopped beating the **** out of each other? Ours are two and four and it seems like they're constantly at it, egging on and needling each other. Separately they are the smartest, politest, sweetest kids you've ever met. Put them together and they turn into hooligans. The other day I was inside and they didn’t know I could see them out the window. Man they were just going at it hitting and pushing like crazy. The funny thing is the two year old really holds his own and takes no **** from his brother.

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Michael

1988 300 SL (5 Speed)
1994 E320 Wagon
1997 C230

The short answer is no.

The stepson is 12, my sons are 4 and 10 months. The twelve year old makes the 4 year old cry, the 4 year old makes the 10 month old cry. All enjoy playing rough together and throwing various things throughout the house. I don't see this stopping anytime soon, regardless of my wifes or my wishes.

Like your boys, I'm sure, each of mine manages to charm whomever they meet. If only people knew what hooligans they really were; yet they seem to pull off this cute well-mannered little boy thing very well... Oh well, I guess it's nothing that high blood pressure medication and many beers can't help with. Did I mention I'm going bald???


In all seriousness, they are all three very good boys and I hope they grow up to be a benefit to society rather than a drain. It's what my wife and I are working for. Oh yea, and the aforementioned lifestyle that I want to become accustomed to...

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-livin' in the terminally flippant zone

We looked (and spent 'guest days') at several Montessori pre schools, as well as some local preschools and several of the KinderCare schools. The Montesorri schools seemed a nice package, but very heavy into an academic push - gave us the impression they were saying "if you want him to go to Harvard law, you need to start now and here". They didn't have as extensive a physical facility for indoor or outdoor play activities as Kindercare or the other pre-schools.

The KinderCare preschools also had plenty of planned academic structure such as reading time, music, letters/shapes/numbers, pre-reading, phonics, natural science, different cultures and languages, etc. But they mostly conduct these interspersed with frequent play activities which focus on social interactions development. Lots of emphasis on sharing, helping, taking responsibility, taking turns, leading activities, etc. They also had weekly lesson plan sheets with parent/student 'homework' to bring in some continuity with the home activities, and sent home a daily sheet with comments on physical/social/academic/emotional observations for that day. Also, for toddler to 2 year olds, parents would fill in a daily drop off sheet noting how the child had slept, what type of breakfast was had, and listing any concerns for the day. Kindercare also had the edge over the others with meal service - breakfast, mid-morning snack, hot lunch, after-nap snack.

Ultimately we liked the teacher-student ratio and social skills emphasis approach better, reasoning that self confidence and social development are at least as important as being able to read before you turn 5. So we used KinderCare for the last 3 years, toddler to age 4 class rooms. We have enjoyed the very caring and committed teachers, and have watched our grandson develop into a confident, fun loving, and extroverted 4 year old with an extensive vocabulary and K+ level numbers, letters, etc. skills. Nothing 'wrong' with the Montessori approach, it just seemed learning was more fun at the Kindercare, and learning to interact with people seemed to be a desirable core for the experience. The Montessori program was a little less expensive than kindercare, but the kids didn't look as happy to be there as the ones at the Kindercares we visited.

These comments might not apply to M or KC schools in your area, so it will be worth while to do some extensive checking yourself, and spend a half day or day at the ones you are considering. There are quite a few links on selecting a day care or preschool, including http://worknwoman.com/worknmom/daycare/what2look4.html. Good luck on your selection!

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John

2003 Firemist Red/grey leather SL 500
2015 Palladium Silver/black mbtex GLK 350
1987 Smoke Silver/burgundy mbtex 300E Sportline (SOLD)

Click to see 87 300E

I gather there is much evidence to indicate that pre-school can be invaluable in a kid's development. I've read of studies that claim it would be among the best public investments in education we could make. I could see problems in making it mandatory though. But then I guess regular school is not really mandatory (home schooling).

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

What's up with all the double posting, Cmacadoodle?

What's up with all the double posting, Cmacadoodle?

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-livin' in the terminally flippant zone

What double posting?

I don't know if it's MS software/hardware or mine, but I'm in this warp of time and space where things go swimmingly for a while and then they don't. The whole thing goes into pre dial - up speeds for about 10 minutes. I hit reply and it sits there for 10 minutes with the little Windows XP flag waving. Foolishly, I push the submit button again. After posting, or trying to, that one, it went into lock mode and I thought FI, I'm going to bed.

I'm so ashamed. How can I show my face again?

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K