So what about Montessori? - attracted yet ambivalent... Anyone sum it up in a nutshell?

[alittleteapot]

In general I feel a bit ambivalent about niche educational movements - I'm a local school person at heart - but I do find the Montessori philosophy - or what very little I know about it - appealing and I am visiting a couple of Montessori nurseries for dd.

What do you think about it? How does it work doing nursery then into mainstream? What exactly is so different about it anyway?

Ds went to a Montessori for 2 years before he started school - 2.2 to 4. Absolutely loved it. Lots of outside play, role play plus all the Montessori stuff. I liked the innate discipline it installed (playing with one toy and then putting it away properly). Very useful for home! Lovely nurturing environment and had we a local Montessori primary I would have been happy to send him there too.

Montessori doesn't work well for all children. The free choice and self-discipline can be a problem. I looked at another very structured nursery and ran a mile. Most of my friends chose the structured nursery as they had only heard negative things about the Montessori ethos.

If I were you I would go with my gut instinct on which type is suitable for your dd.

my little boy (now 5) was really, really happy at his montessori school in new zealand age 3-4. it was a fabulous place - colourful, full of life and the staff were wonderful. i liked the emphasis on independence (cutting their own apples up at break time with their own little knives on special chopping boards, mopping up their own spills, laying tables) and there was loads of free play and interaction too in a huge outdoor garden - he was really happy there, and i was sad to bring him home to the uk (where we are otherwise very happy) to a rather lacklustre pre-school attached to the primary he was then going to go to. guess it depends on the centre, then...

katie the stuff you're describing is the stuff i love about it, it's the more anal stuff i'm less sure about. but yes, different centres take what they want from the philosophy. the non-montessori i'm hoping for has some of those qualities.

Hi teapot! Looks like you have already made a decision and sorry I didnt post sooner!

I have 2 DD's, 6yrs and 2yrs. DD1 went to a very good montessori where she thrived and did really well. Her montessori had a fantastic garden and a home corner. She learned so much there and when she started school her recetion teacher said she had very good groundings. She now goes to an independant school where nearly all the children start in the nursery and make their way up so this was different I suppose for the recpetion teacher to see her 'montessori ways!'

DD2 started a different montessori in january and absolutely loves it. I know some people dont love the places and it's not right for their children but she has settled in so well. She started at 2.5yrs. She is more confident and independant. There isnt a home corner there but that doesnt bother me really as I want her to learn rather than play, obviously they do have play times. She is using scissors, they are teaching her the first steps to writing which is drawing lines from left to right and by the time they leave to go to school most of them can read a little. They teach 'life skills' eg learning how to pour so when they are very little like my DD they use beans and learn how to hold a jug properly and pour from one container to the other. When they have mastered this tey move on to rice and then water.

All of this is very appealing to me but I understand its not for everyone but I hope in some way i may have helped! DD2 is also staring the nursery at school in september for 2 full days (not monti) and im abit anxious about what they will be doing there, I will also be keeping her at the monti but if I had the choice she would just stay at the monti!

Ah, you see the 'learning to pour' activity was one thing that put me off the Montessori. I remember seeing a little girl sitting studiously spooning dry rice from one bowl to another and then back again. I did think, is this a way to spend one's childhood?!

My dd has been learning to pour since we started baby led weaning. I like all those elements but find it a bit odd the way they are separated out as single actions in montessori rather than being part of a bigger activity such as water play or cooking. So yes, in some ways I am naturally montessori but the more I think about it the formal montessori set up isn't right for us. Sorry i'm being repetitive now. Just relieved to work out the answer to my dilemma. I'm really glad it's worked so well for others though. All families, all children are different and it's great there are different options.

You see at my dc's pre-school they pour their own milk at snack time. They then spend their time at pre-school doing what they should be doing-playing and making mess.

Pouring beans I just don't get it.

I know,I know it just wasn't for us but pouring beans before being allowed to move onto rice and water. Isn't that a tad errr restrictive? Surely after one afternoon elbow deep in a water tray pouring would be 'mastered'.

I dont think its restrictive at all, in fact i think these are very important life skills I want my child to learn, it's all about control and concentration and an afternoon in a water tray wouldnt master the skills. She still plays at montessori but I certanly didnt want her to be running around, she is very active anyway and I wanted her to be in a place where she would have to sit down and concentrate.

I know I have done the right thing with my 2 girls but everyone is different and its not for everyone but I think alot of people are very judgemental and dont appreciate a montessori environment and what it can offer your child.

Don't know what's going on with me. prob just preg hormones. But. Took dp to see my three favourite nurseries this morning, inc the nice montessori as opposed to the one that was a bit culty. To my surprise and confusion i think i actually like the monte for her right away as the others are so busy whereas the monte is so calm, and she's so little! Actually feeling bit depressed I'm so confused. Still dp and I will have good chats this weekend and sort it all out.

Thanks all, interesting debating it, what's clear is that montessori can mean a lot of different things depending where you are...

I went to a montessori primary - except that it wasn't, officially, because they fell out with Maria Montessori about some of the more 'precious' aspects. Clearly we were not aware of the "philosophy" but from a child's perspective we got to run wildish and climb trees a lot, had a lot expected from us in terms of independent work, thrived, learned to learn things for the love of learning, IYSWIM, and almost all went on to do very well at conventional secondary schools.

I am sure there are good and bad nurseries in all sectors - from what I know/experienced, I think, had we had the choice, Montessori would have been great for DS and would not have suited DD at all.

Go for the ursery you and DD like best and ignore the labels.

Npg I disagree children can master skills through free play. I childmind now the 18 month old I mind can pour water easily. I frequently give her a bowl and tea set and she pours 'tea' for my dd.

I just think spending an afternoon pouring beans is wasted time when they could be firing up their imagination too. I don't really agree with restricting access to things like water until a teacher decides they are ready,what if some pour little kid doesn't master the skill satisfactorily do they never get to pour water then?

Not trying to attack just voicing my concerns I know all families suit different styles. My 3 would have been bored rigid at Mont but as kids are all different I'm sure it does suit some.