montessori or not as i think i prefer pre-school

[barneybear]

hi all

i've looked at two montessoris in my area and one pre-school (and due to visit one more pre-school next week before i make a decision)...for plans to send my son for two mornings a week when he's 2.5years.

anyway, i really liked one of the montessoris but felt the session was too long (8-1 each morning)...the next montessori did 9-12 sessions, only one qualified montessori teacher who WAS lovely although she didn't seem to be that detailed in explaining what goes on there. it didn't help that there were two little boys who were really upset there (they were new and i know it's understandable).

i then went to visit a pre-school and really liked the feel of it too...huge garden/play area, kids have their own herb patch, for learning they concentrate on a theme per term, at the moment it's the Chinese New Year. when i arrived each 2 year old was at a table playing with their own sandpit...

i guess the only thing that's making me stall is all the good stuff you hear about montessoris...

does anyone have any advice?

thanks

Ds went to a Montessori and he loved it. I have always been a big fan of their ethos. However I am a firm believer that you should go with your gut feeling when it comes to nurseries so I would go for the pre-school.

I don't really know anything about montessori, but I imagine that as with any nursery environment there are good ones and bad ones.

I would go with the individual establishment that you feel your son would be happiest, rather than the 'style' of teaching iyswim.

Our DS is at montessori and it is lovely. In nursery the hours were 9-12 or 9-13 and the children do have a great time. I had preconceptions of it all being a bit airy fairy and the kids running wild but the discipline is good, the activities are great and the children seem to love it. We have had chinese new year, australia day, international day, book day... visits to zoo, fire station, museum... and there is water and sand play, as well as stacks of toys. The children are allowed to choose what they want to play with at certain 'play times' but are directed with activities and games the rest of the time. We are also lucky enough to have a large garden (it is attached to a junior school) and a library. In nursery we had 3 teachers to a class of 20.
You can only really go on how you like the school - what did it feel like, how did the kids look, what was the atmosphere like?

Where are you? Maybe other mums can advise?

I would go with your gut feel. I had my DD's name down for a pre-school and a Montessori. She has started at the pre-school in January although held a place at the Montessori to see if it all works out. She loves her pre-school, the keyworker to children ratio is lower than the Montessori - the keyworks seem more cuddly. The Montessori I visited had lots of individual play time at their own desk when at DD's pre-school they roam around and choose which activity they want to do alone or in small groups. I think it suits my DD better but DD naturally quiet and individualistic so I wanted her more in a more boisterous and group setting - what worried me most is when I asked the head teacher at the Montessori nursery how the children managed when they went to Primary school after being in the quiet and polite environment at the Montessori school I got a strange smile!

Ask other local mothers with slightly older children - asking in the local playgrounds I found very useful.