Would you go with a Steiner or Montessori Education?

[Sastra]

Just that really. I've had a brief look and I like the general ethos - I think. However, it's not that popular really in the UK. I guess I'm looking for the other sides of the coin?

montessori - definately yes, it's just a different style of teaching the national curriculum and works well for many children

steiner - no, it's more of a religion/philosophy than method of teaching. (google antroposophy). a bit too woo for my liking

Yes montessori - In fact we're moving to Germany in a few months and if we're still there when DS turns 7 we'll probably look at getting him into a Montessori school.

Steiner no - I won't elaborate but use the search function on here and read through some previous threads to gain an idea of the "against" arguments.

My cousin goes to a Steiner School and loves it! He was at the local primary for reception and year 1 and hated every minute of it, he had no friends and was getting into trouble. Now he is at the Steiner school he is a completely different child as it suits him down to the ground. He isn't particularly academic, but they seem to be helping him with his reading and writing more than the local school was. That may well say more about the local school than about state schools in general though.

My own children will go to state school though. I just think it will suit them better (and we don't have the spare money to pay for school)

There's a Steiner school near us and I looked into it as I thought it looked lovely. There's a huge amount on the Internet (and MN). My conclusion was that it's effectively a cult.

Montessori yes, absolutely. DD2 was at a Montessori nursery for years and it was brilliant. Very much into individual development for each child.

Steiner, no way. You are expected to subscribe wholeheartedly to their beliefs, and if eurythmics is not your thing then you're stuffed.

Montessori yes

Ds1 went to a Montessori Nursery. Fantastic. Montessori and Steiner are poles apart and based on what I have seen at the Steiner school fete I wouldn't consider a Steiner school. Might suit some children but I prefer a little less anarchy.

We have a Montessori teacher in our family. Montessori nursery/school, absolutely. Steiner, no. I do believe in competition.

I didn't think that Montessori are keen on competition either?

For ds1 Montessori would have been great up to age 7 as it is a very nurturing environment and builds up their confidence. From yr3 ds1 needs a more competitive environment where they play team sports etc. No size fits all and I can even see the advantages of a Steiner education for some families - just not ours.

No experience of Steiner, but I had a pseudo-montessori primary education (pseudo because they fell out with Maria Montessori and were therefore not allowed to call themselves a Montessori school) and if there had been one locally I would absolutely have considered it for my DC. My school was probably fairly anarchic by the standards of some "normal" schools, but it instilled a love of learning and an "if you want to know, go and find out" attitude which I continue to value, as well as the idea that everyone is valued and has different things to offer.

That said, DS is getting the same values from a (on the surface) very traditional prep school so I guess my advice would be to consider all schools but to look for the values/attitudes/approaches that you like in them.

Are Montessori schools not supposed to "do" competition ?

Mine did - inter-house competitions and outside ones - at the time we were small and disorganised and generally lost inter-school sports matches (not that I was ever on a team) but won chess competitions and the like - including habitually fielding 6yos in under 9 comps, 9 yos in under 13s, etc (I never made chess teams either [not bitter]). The only thing we didn't do was exams - just about the only things I learned in my first year at senior school were how to make work neat and how to take an exam.

Steiner - no. Too many funny ideas.
I don't think Montessori either - doesn't it stifle creativity?

The only thing I heard recently about montessori which I'm not keen on is that they don't encourage children to use items for their non-intended purpose. So jigsaw pieces should only be used to put together the jigsaw, if they wanted to use them to build a tower or put them together to make a road or something, that would be discouraged.

The argument for this is that "You wouldn't use a violin as a hammer", but was discussing this with a friend the other day and we thought it was a little bit sad and potentially stifling of creativity. However I love all of the other things about Montessori.

Agree with you bertie re stifling of creativity. Also, I think Maria Montessori didn't really believe in learning through play/imaginative play which totally goes against what I believe.

2 DC have been thru Montessori nursery, fine by me. Quite structured & can be rigid, but very good overall. I wouldn't say it stifled creativity.

Steiner, ugh. Friend came out Steiner schools & feels very positive about it (she has learning difficulties due to accident as a baby). But she didn't rush to put her own NT children in there. Steiner seems zealous to me, the little direct experience I've had with it, zealots put me off enormously.

What I would love is a true play-based curriculum for DC until start of y2 or 3. Like the Tools of the Mind thing discussed in Nurture Shock. That would have suited DS2 so very well.

Montessori -fab

Steiner- not with a barge pole.

No way to Steiner, I completely disagree with the religious/spiritual stuff behind it.

Montessori probably.

Montessori - yes, DD had a brilliant time in a Montessori preschool, if there had been an option for primary I would have leapt at it.

Steiner - no way. Far too rigid ideas about children's development, and I don't buy into all the karma and mystical stuff.

I think mainstream,steiner and montessori all have pros and cons.

I really like the big focus on art and nature in steiner schools,ive read a couplr of steiners books though and even though ive heard they dont actually teach all of his philosophys in the schools some of it for me is like someone else said,a bit woo!It is also (like montessori)very strict and controlled from a certain age,its not the hippy dippy thing people imagine.

Montessori,i dont like the way there is no emphasis on imaginative play,but i do like the whole "work is childs play" thing,if i had these options on my doorstep-nearest one is brighton to me which is a bit of a trek at rush hour-then i would try them,as it is my local state school is lovely and tried to put more emphasis on the above things than a lot of schools do and seems generally "nice" so i am happy for them to go there as long as they are happy to.

Bertie - at my DD's Montessori preschool (she's 5, but school here starts at 6/7) the learning aids have to be used in a particular way when they're actually being used as aids. The rest of the time the children can do what they want with them, as long as they're careful with them because it's important that pieces don't get lost. I remember seeing one of DD's friends playing with a blue segment as if it were a baby - arguably more imaginative than playing with a doll :)

They also have construction toys, farm animals, dressing up clothes etc. (although not shedloads of toys) for afternoons and general play, plus tons of craft stuff which they're definitely encouraged to use imaginatively.

Montessori schools vary, but I know this one is into its Montessori stuff without being anti-creative.

DS1 goes to a montessori primary school and we love it!

why do you think montessori schools are strict or stifle creativity? we've found the exact opposite at ours.

and yes, plenty of imaginative play

I don't think it's stifling creativity either. montessori schools don't tend to have many toys out, but plenty of tools for experiments including art tools.