Montessori vs. Public School learning for Kindergarten Years

[Serap]

My son is a December baby and will be enrolled (in Canada) into full day Junior Kindergarten this September. I am worried about him a little bit. He will be socially behind the other kids b/c he’s a December baby. He’s very tall though, so the other kids won’t realize that he’s younger. I am contemplating putting him in Montessori education during his pre-school years instead of public school (at a cost of an additional $600 per month).

Is it worth the investment? I’m not completely sold on Montessori learning and I’m still looking at the benefits with an open mind.

I was wondering if any of you had any information on this. Thanks!

 

[Chantal25]

My daughter is going to a Montessori and it is the best school for her. They have great program. If i would have to do this again, i would have put her even at a younger age.

 

[PatriceA]

Its all about knowing your child. We placed our daughter in a Montessori pre-school for a few months because we had similar concerns as you do about your son. She thrived. It was a great experience for her and what she needed at that time in her development. But an additional $600 in your case would give me pause. Our Montessori pre-school was slightly cheaper than the other options in our area. I wouldn’t have paid the extra money, especially at that price, for the Montessori pre-school.

Also, her pre-school wasn’t every day or all day. It was only three days a week for 2 and half hours. I knew my daughter wasn’t ready for any kind of formal school setting that was every day, all day until she was old enough for Kindergarten. Is all day jr. kindergarten for your son the only option?

 

[Serap]

Its all about knowing your child. We placed our daughter in a Montessori pre-school for a few months because we had similar concerns as you do about your son. She thrived. It was a great experience for her and what she needed at that time in her development. But an additional $600 in your case would give me pause. Our Montessori pre-school was slightly cheaper than the other options in our area. I wouldn’t have paid the extra money, especially at that price, for the Montessori pre-school.

Also, her pre-school wasn’t every day or all day. It was only three days a week for 2 and half hours. I knew my daughter wasn’t ready for any kind of formal school setting that was every day, all day until she was old enough for Kindergarten. Is all day jr. kindergarten for your son the only option?

Yes, in Ontario, full day school begins in Jr. Kindergarten. My live-in caregiver will not be an option as of September this year, so I am considering the option of Montessori instead of Jr. Kindergarten.

In your opinion, why would Montessori benefit my child more than regular school? My son will be 3 years and 9 months when he begins school.

The Montessori school is inside my son’s public school, so another option would be for him to do a morning at the public school and then lunch and the afternoon at the Montessori school?

I’m just seeing if there’s a real benefit at this point and what my options are.

THANKS!

 

[PatriceA]

Yes, in Ontario, full day school begins in Jr. Kindergarten. My live-in caregiver will not be an option as of September this year, so I am considering the option of Montessori instead of Jr. Kindergarten.

In your opinion, why would Montessori benefit my child more than regular school? My son will be 3 years and 9 months when he begins school.

The Montessori school is inside my son’s public school, so another option would be for him to do a morning at the public school and then lunch and the afternoon at the Montessori school?

I’m just seeing if there’s a real benefit at this point and what my options are.

THANKS!

I don’t know your son’s personality. I can only tell you what my daughter was like and why we choose Montessori for her first school experience. We kept our daugher at home for as long as we could, but it was becoming apparent she needed more and was ready for more, but not as structured as a formal pre-school. The Montessori school gave her just enough structure while still letting her “play” and ease into a school setting. We eventually did switch over to a more structured pre-school and then when she was old enough for Kindergarten, she went to all day. We did it in steps, because she could get easily overwhelmed in social settings. We let her master her environment a little at a time.

But you don’t have the option with only a couple of days or a couple of hours. I think that’s why I liked the Montessori school because they gave us the option of sending her every day, all day, or sending her a couple of hours a couple of days, etc. There was a plan to meet her needs instead of us meeting the school’s requirements. They met her development where she was at the first day and allowed her to grow into what they eventually hoped she would be able to master.

By the time she was old enough for Kindergarten, I had no qualms about sending her, she was more than ready. Where we live, all day Kindergarten is not the norm, its the exception. We still have half day Kindergarten for those children not yet ready for an all day school environment.

 

[SouthCatholic]

If you can afford the $600 I would go with the Montessori program. This type of education has worked well for every kid I have ever known who has gone through Montessori.

 

[Serap]

How does Montessori school structure their day? I heard that Montessori has a lot of rules, etc.

What I like is that my son would have a lower ratio of children per instructor. He would benefit from this.

My son is quick to anger; quick to feel overwhelmed; dislikes big crowds; and is prone to crying when frustrated.

Is Montessori ideal for this personality type?

 

[SonCatcher]

When is the age cutoff in Canada? In the U.S., December babies tend to be the oldest in class because the cutoff is usually 1 December for public schools. Private schools here tend to have their cutoff in the summer so December babies would be “average”.

Really, though, the most important factor is not age as much as family involvement in your son’s education. I think you should look into environment stability to help with the social issues. Your son should be around the same adults and kids the whole day, preferably in a smaller group if there is a choice (unless he’s a natural social butterfly).

$600/month, even Canadian, is a lot more than Catholic school in my area, so I understand the financial concern. (I am transferring my son into a new school. There are public school options available but they are “long shot” chances for acceptance, so Catholic school stands as a fall-back for us so my kids don’t have to go to the neighborhood school (which is on the “worst schools list” in my state).

If your public school is a good one, I’d find it hard to argue for Montessori given the cost.

 

[SonCatcher]

How does Montessori school structure their day? I heard that Montessori has a lot of rules, etc.

What I like is that my son would have a lower ratio of children per instructor. He would benefit from this.

My son is quick to anger; quick to feel overwhelmed; dislikes big crowds; and is prone to crying when frustrated.

Is Montessori ideal for this personality type?

He might really need a small class situation, then. You would have to discuss with the Montessori instructor whether they consider him a good fit, however.

You might consider introducing him to the concept of school early by enrolling him right away in a small group preschool or even daycare.

 

[Serap]

When is the age cutoff in Canada? In the U.S., December babies tend to be the oldest in class because the cutoff is usually 1 December for public schools. Private schools here tend to have their cutoff in the summer so December babies would be “average”.

Really, though, the most important factor is not age as much as family involvement in your son’s education. I think you should look into environment stability to help with the social issues. Your son should be around the same adults and kids the whole day, preferably in a smaller group if there is a choice (unless he’s a natural social butterfly).

$600/month, even Canadian, is a lot more than Catholic school in my area, so I understand the financial concern. (I am transferring my son into a new school. There are public school options available but they are “long shot” chances for acceptance, so Catholic school stands as a fall-back for us so my kids don’t have to go to the neighborhood school (which is on the “worst schools list” in my state).

If your public school is a good one, I’d find it hard to argue for Montessori given the cost.

School cut off in Canada is that a child must turn 4 by December 31st of this year to attend school in September. It’s a different cut-off here. It makes my son the youngest in the class.

I should note that the public school is an excellent school with excellent teachers. That is something in our favor as we live in a nice neighborhood.

thanks so much parents!!!

 

[Serap]

He might really need a small class situation, then. You would have to discuss with the Montessori instructor whether they consider him a good fit, however.

You might consider introducing him to the concept of school early by enrolling him right away in a small group preschool or even daycare.

yes, I am beginning to enrol him in pre-school classes for the month of April and then again July/August for 1/2 days. I’m doing this to prepare him for school in Sept. It is going to cost me, but I have a care-giver who can take him to the classes.

 

[PatriceA]

How does Montessori school structure their day? I heard that Montessori has a lot of rules, etc.

What I like is that my son would have a lower ratio of children per instructor. He would benefit from this.

My son is quick to anger; quick to feel overwhelmed; dislikes big crowds; and is prone to crying when frustrated.

Is Montessori ideal for this personality type?

Can you observe the classroom at the Montessori school? Perhaps even take your son with you? I would do the same with the public school setting if possible.

 

[Serap]

Can you observe the classroom at the Montessori school? Perhaps even take your son with you? I would do the same with the public school setting if possible.

I volunteer at my daughter’s class, so I’ve seen how they run their kindergarten classes and I am very happy with their methods. Public schools allow more “free play” time in the classroom, but they are expected to sit nicely on the carpet during instruction and reading time.

In Jr. Kindergarten, in the public school, they allow more learning through play to occur, but for Sr. Kindergarten, they begin focusing on learning to read and write and math.

I am honestly happy with the public school methods. I’m just investigating if my son would be better of in a smaller class size like a Montessori school. You are right, I should observe Montessori and bring my son with me, so he can see it too.

 

[PatriceA]

I volunteer at my daughter’s class, so I’ve seen how they run their kindergarten classes and I am very happy with their methods. Public schools allow more “free play” time in the classroom, but they are expected to sit nicely on the carpet during instruction and reading time.

In Jr. Kindergarten, in the public school, they allow more learning through play to occur, but for Sr. Kindergarten, they begin focusing on learning to read and write and math.

I am honestly happy with the public school methods. I’m just investigating if my son would be better of in a smaller class size like a Montessori school. You are right, I should observe Montessori and bring my son with me, so he can see it too.

Perhaps the Montessori school your considering is quite different than the one we used. Our experience was not very structured at all, there was a lot of “free play” and work time in the classroom. The teachers “met” the interests of the student on any particular day. Our preschool option was more like the Sr. Kindergarten classroom you are describing and I knew our daughter was not ready for that kind of environment at 3 and a half years old.

 

[Serap]

Perhaps the Montessori school your considering is quite different than the one we used. Our experience was not very structured at all, there was a lot of “free play” and work time in the classroom. The teachers “met” the interests of the student on any particular day. Our preschool option was more like the Sr. Kindergarten classroom you are describing and I knew our daughter was not ready for that kind of environment at 3 and a half years old.

sorry, I was referring to the public school.

I have to check out the Montessori for a day still.

Was your daughter quick to anger like my son? Maybe it is worth the investment after all for Jr. Kindergarten.

 

[PatriceA]

sorry, I was referring to the public school.

I have to check out the Montessori for a day still.

Was your daughter quick to anger like my son? Maybe it is worth the investment after all for Jr. Kindergarten.

No, not anger, quick to cry when overwhelmed or frustrated. By the time of all day kindergarten at age 5, she was one of the more well adjusted children in her class.

I knew you were referring to the public school, but you had said in previous post that you had heard Montessori schools were structured and ours was anything but. Supervised in a appropriate manner, yes, it wasn’t a free for all by any means. But it wasn’t structured like the preschools or pre-kindergarten options in our area.

 

[Chantal25]

It is completely different from a typical school. For instance they mix three different age. The child is given opportunity to develop their skill to the fullness. Versus teaching with a black board where all children has to listen, each children will explore different area in his/own speed. I have seen children adding number of 4 digits 1000. Their material is unique and develop by Maria Montessori.

When a child is young, they can absorb and learn so much, from a typical school, they are sadly limited.

My daughter didn’t know how to socialize but now, she makes friend easy. One thing, i love, there is zero percent of tolerance with bullies. They learn basic skill.

Perhaps, it is best for you to read on their site. There are many free information.

Regular school system can work very well with many children but without question the Montessori school is very well design and recognized around the world.

 

[Serap]

It is completely different from a typical school. For instance they mix three different age. The child is given opportunity to develop their skill to the fullness. Versus teaching with a black board where all children has to listen, each children will explore different area in his/own speed. I have seen children adding number of 4 digits 1000. Their material is unique and develop by Maria Montessori.

When a child is young, they can absorb and learn so much, from a typical school, they are sadly limited.

My daughter didn’t know how to socialize but now, she makes friend easy. One thing, i love, there is zero percent of tolerance with bullies. They learn basic skill.

Perhaps, it is best for you to read on their site. There are many free information.

Regular school system can work very well with many children but without question the Montessori school is very well design and recognized around the world.

Chantal, you give such great information. Thanks!

I will have to call the school and see if I can watch.

 

[Chantal25]

I don’t know which area you are in Canada, but if you are in Ottawa, search for Bishop Hamilton (they teach Christianity)

Another one that just open and is Catholic, is located near Vanier Parkway in a beautiful location. This one started from homeschooling and now they are integrating Montessori approach.

All the best!

 

[Serap]

I don’t know which area you are in Canada, but if you are in Ottawa, search for Bishop Hamilton (they teach Christianity)

Another one that just open and is Catholic, is located near Vanier Parkway in a beautiful location. This one started from homeschooling and now they are integrating Montessori approach.

All the best!

Thanks! spoke to husband last night and he thinks Montessori is not such a good idea and that it’s “silly”. It looks like he might make the decision for me Oh well.

My son’s public school is also excellent and they have fantastic teachers.