[blparent] Montessori education
Bernadetta
bernadetta_pracon at samobile.net
Mon Oct 22 18:51:58 UTC 2012
Rebecca,
Good questions. Yes, we've become familiar with some other learning
methods, but the Montessori method has stood out for us for several
reasons. We're fans of independence through learning, which is one of
the key points of the system. We like the fact that the kids don't just
sit at a desk and absorb a bunch of meaningless material from a teacher
standing at a projector or a blackboard; The kids don't get information
thrown their way and they aren't expected to regurgitate it perfectly
for a letter grade. Our kid is very inquisitive and seems to be a
kinesthetic learner. That's one of the reasons we think a
Montessori school would be a good fit for him. Besides that, we as his
parents weren't satisfied with the type of education we were forced
into; our parents didn't have the resources or the means to be able to
send either of us to an alternative school, so we figure we should give
our kid that chance since we can.
You're right that some kids couldn't thrive in a Montessori setting;
All that I've learned about the system allows me to conclude that some
kids wouldn't know what to do with themselves in that type of
environment. Some of that is due to their lack of ability to
concentrate for example, and some of it is due to the environment they
grow up in. In order for a child to succeed in a Montessori school, or
any other school for that matter, the environment at home has to be
similar or supporting of the one at the school.The learning methods
have to be reenforced.
It's sometimes hard to predict whether a kid will thrive in a
particular environment when he's just a baby, but certain pointers and
observations can give us, as adults, an idea of what might work. Some
might argue that it's best to wait and see how the child develops and
to start their formal education at an age when they can better
comprehend why they're there. I think that the education of a child
begins on day one, and a child is a child for a reason. They're not any
more ready to go to school at age four then they are at eighteen
months, for instance, if the parents don't prepare them at home.
Because a child is an explorer by nature, rigid education is never the
answer. Children should learn from experience, not from theories taken
out of context from a textbook.
That's why we think Montessori would be a great option for our son.
I thought I'd take the time to explain that, because I understand that
some people might push for an alternative education because of it's
fancy name or because it seems to be the rout taken by posh, rich
people, etc. Some parents want to keep up with the latest trend. I'm
actually researching what might be a good fit and regardless of the
demographic of the rest of the students at any given school, a parent
should decide on the best education for their kid based on how the
child behaves and learns, rather then who his friends might be in the future.
Bridgit and Bran,
Thanks for yoru insite on the topic as wel.
Bernadetta
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