Feedback on Montessori Preschool Program

Hi L.,

My son is 18 mo's. We took him to La Petite Day Care after my maternity leave was over and I thought he was doing great! Some management changed which made us decide to look at other day care facilities... We found Lakeside Montessori Academy in the Colony and at first I was not crazy about it, but my husband loved it. They have a VERY structured day and they are constantly teaching them. I wanted to make sure he was going to get the love and affection that he needed at his age. We started taking him there about 4 months ago and now he is learning SOOOOOO much more than at the other place. He LOVES it there and they are very good with all the kids. I would HIGHLY recommend Montessori School, even at the young age they are :) Hope this helps and good luck!!! A.

My daughter is 5 and has been in a Montessori school since she was 18 months. I also start my 3 year old when he was 20 months. It's a fantastic program. We have seen tremendous growth in both of them!

I had the same question and asked my cousin-in-law (a kindergarten teacher) and my mother in law (in the education industry -- administration - not teaching) and both said the same thing... it depends on the child. Some children NEED the structure provided by a regular preschool program in order to thrive... yes, these are all teacher directed and initiated activities. In a montessori program, the activities are all student directed for the most part. So it's like you have one group of kids in a traditional preschool classroom setting and you have someone saying -- look at all this stuff.... right now we'll play with this... and later we'll play with that. Then in the montessori classroom you just say, here's all the stuff, you decide what you want to do or play with. The other thing that my husband didn't like about the montessori program is that they are SO individualized and working on doing better for yourself that they almost don't let kids compete... and competition is good. Not the "I'm better than you" type of competition but learning that life isn't always about "me" and what I can do... My mother in law says that montessori programs are almost always suited for girls (just in the way we're wired) over boys -- just depends on the child. Another friend of mine that is a child psychologist is 50/50 on montessori programs because they just allow them to foster their own interests but still learn through play.... her big thing was "let them be kids" they have enough time to learn that life isn't fair or fun all the time later. Good luck. I considered monstessori too...but we're going with a christian based preschool.

L.-

My son is now 7 and has been attending a Montessori program since he turned 3. I love the concept! We moved here 6 months ago from IL and I searched high and low for what I felt was THE best Montessori program. Then we started to look for homes to purchase based on the Montessori school I selected.

Everyone is different in their individual financial situation, for me, I did not enroll my son prior to him turning 3 as it was so expensive! Here at our current school, it is costly even moreso than it was in IL, so my daughter who is 2.5 will be waiting till she turns 3 to start the Primary program. If not for the high costs, I would have enrolled her sooner. We will be paying more than $5,600 for her starting as a 3 year old. They are increasing tuition probably 5% or so, so that amount will be closer to $6,000 or more. For my son we now pay $9,000 a year and that too will increase shortly. I do believe it is well worth the investment. I firmly believe that a solid foundation will carry them through their lives from an educational standpoint. If we can financially continue, I will go through as far as I can find here in TX. Seems no program goes past 6th grade though :(

C.

I am planning on putting my son in Starwood off of Legacy and Tollway area. I have heard rave reviews about this school from several moms and a friend of mine has her two kids in it. It isn't very expensive either... I think around $750/ month.

Hi, I am a teacher with a masters degree in education, and I will eventually put my child in a montessori program. There are a lot of benefits to the montessori method. I suggest you look up some websites that tell you about the montessori method and see if that is whaq you are looking for. If you need more advise, just write...

I think it's a great idea. I used to work in a Montessori School while I was in High School. It's more structured and laid back at the same time.
Good Luck

Hi L.,

My 23 month old daughter is currently going to Montessori and has been for almost 2 months now. We are loving it! In the first week, we noticed her doing things like pushing her chair in after dinner, using her fork more (although not all the time :-)), wiping her face after she eats, wanting to help around the house, etc. She is very happy and loves going. Not long ago we went to an open house where she got to show us her favorite activities. She was so proud! And the directress of her class gave us as parents guidance around the purpose of the open house and what to expect. We are really happy with the program.

For the big picture, a study was recently completed tracking participants in a Montessori program through their high school years. THe study showed children who had participated in a true Montessori program before the age of six graduated within the top 5% of their high school class. I think alot of that has to do with an instilled love of learning at an early age.

ONe thing to be careful of, though. THe term "Montessori" is not copywrited, which means anyone can use it and not be using the methods of Dr. Montessori. wHen you research a program, make sure they either are accredited, or are at least in the process of accreditation. I know the American Montessori Society regularly monitors their affiliates.

Good luck! Feel free to email me if you have any questions!

A. Federico

I started my daughter in Montessori when she was 20 months old and we loved it. They school was really good about encouraging independence. I visited a few times and was amazed to see kids as young as 18 mo old sit at the table,follow instructions, use a fork and regular cup (no sippy!), finish their snack, put their napkin in the trash, then go choose an activity...all without prompting. They were a HUGE help with potty training too. I liked that the learning was self-paced -- kids could do a certain activity until they mastered it, and weren't forced to move on too early. And if they learned quickly, they had a variety of new challenges to choose from at any time. I also liked that the Montessori environment just looked more inviting and homey, as opposed to the "industrial" feel of traditional childcare facilities. We had a very good experience with it.

Hi L.,

Montessori is great for preschool. It allows the child to develop at their own pace and can help to develop self confidence and individualism.
By age 1-2 if it’s a good school, your child will start to learn sounds, letters, shapes, and develop the fine motor skills. My mother is a retired Montessori preschool teacher and has started taking care of my two year old. Since she has begun working with Emma, her vocabulary is increasing and she is beginning to know her shapes and can count to 10.
Be aware of the type of training the Montessori school teachers have gone through. AMI or AMS is best. Most important is for you to visit the school and observe the toddler classes and just go with your gut. Make sure you visit more than once and if they will allow you to show up without an appointment, that would be best, then you can get a real read on the classroom.
I think you will be happy choosing a Montessori education for your child. Good Luck!
S.

I HIGHLY recommend Montessori. I used to teach in a Montessori school and I feel that their approach to children is the highest quality of education you can receive. The approach is based on a high respect for children and teaches children to respect themselves, their environment, and others. I recommend that you make sure the school is accredited through AMS or AMI.