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People have asked about Montessori schools. DD3 is in an accredited one, and I am happy. I wrote the teachers that I thought she needed more and was interested in spelling and reading and within days they worked with her, letters, spelling etc. She told me and said it was a lot of fun.

So they can work well.

Ren

That's great! I wish our Montessori had been as responsive to our DS's needs as yours. That's really super!

Three of my kids are in montessori as well - a public charter - DD6 (2E, VSL, auditory/visual/sensory processing issues, slow processing speed/working memory issues), DS5 (clearly 2E also, same issues, though not entirely tested yet) and DS5 (the neglected one). At least a couple of the teachers have promised me that if necessary, they will get materials from the upper level classrooms. So far I am happy. They have likewise responded well to my specific requests. One of them even pointed out to me a perfectionism issue with DS5 (the neglected one) and is trying to help (he had been choosing only easy works, and the teacher figured out that he is afraid to make mistakes, so she's trying to build up his self-confidence by requiring him to do a few harder works each day, that she knows he is capable of - all on her own initiative. I'm very pleased that she spotted the issue because I didn't see it).

For the time being, the teachers have all seemed very flexible. My biggest irritation is the first grade homework, which apparently is photocopied out of some sort of workbook, and has widely varying degrees of difficulty on each page (e.g., a question on fractions, a word problem requiring multiplication, along with simple addition). I'm starting to wonder if it's written that way on purpose, to deal with different levels (not that it's well-written by any means, but it at least would be a reason - a dumb one, but a reason). All the first graders in DD's class (which also has second and third graders) get the same homework regardless of what they're doing in class, which doesn't make sense, but it's not the end of the world for now. I'm sorta waiting for these 2E issues to shake out as we get through a whole bunch of therapy this year. I guess I shouldn't complain about the homework too much, since it did spur a long discussion the other night about multiplication - DD is very interested and wants to multiply all the time now LOL except only by certain numbers - and I don't know how to teach her the rest (if she'll even let me).

I didn't mean to be so long-winded here - I haven't even formulated the questions I have about the montessori curriculum in 2E situations; they're lurking somewhere deep in the recesses of my mind for now. Considering the current state of my kids, though it's not perfect, it's hard to imagine a better school situation, since I don't know of any schools nearby who would deal well with their 2E-ness (and the local public elementary school, which is supposedly very good, was not helpful at all for dd - she just floated along doing average in K and no one noticed a thing - we have done all of her testing privately since then). Plus, it seems to me that the montessori teaching materials, being so hands-on and visual, are so much more effective for my kids' visual strengths/auditory weaknesses than regular school is. But I have no idea how learning takes place in a gifted classroom. Is it more like a traditional sit-and-listen classroom? We'll take it one year at a time... (and if only I could homeschool, but my sweet little introverted DD has a major oppositional behavior problem directed solely at me - what is up with that. makes even doing homework a nightmare.)

Our Montessori school is not that great. Or rather, DD's teacher is not that great.
According to her, DD is asking too much atention from her and has a short atention span. She (DD) tried to do a 12-piece puzzle at the beginning of the year and the teacher told her right away that it was too difficult for her. Then of course, DD found it 'difficult' and could not do it

There is more to it, but essentially, DD is 'free' to do any activity... provided that she chooses the one that the teacher thinks she should choose.

I hope that now that she knows the numbers (finally!) and has started at home to do addition, she can get some more challenging stuff, at least in maths.

Teacher noticed as well the issues with perfectionism, but intstead of increasing the level of challenge, she wanted to give her only very easy tasks, to build her self-confiance....

I will soon have a conference with Mrs Teacher and I will get more feedback on what is going on.

I still think that, if properly done, Montessori is a good system, but it needs to be done flexibly, which in my case it is not.

The problem is that any school can use the Montessori label. If you want the real Maria Montessori tradition, you need to look for the school that is Montessori certified. I think some of the hybrids are actually more flexible though, and may be a better fit for gifted kids. As with any program though, a lot depends upon the individuals involved.

I agree that it depends on the teachers. DD3 has great teachers and, as shown, respond. When she started in the fall, she went right to the math area and got into it. Using the numbers board until she got to 100 and working with base 10 concepts and how it works through 1000. They have 1000 blocks of beads. So DD3 says we have the number 2008 (two thousand and eight) on the wall at school, she understands. All from her Montessori.

Though, I mentioned to her teachers that someone at school told her that she was too young to read and she stopped for a couple of weeks. Then the need to do it overtook her. I don't think it was a teacher, I think it was a 4 or 5 year old.

Ren

DD's school is certified. But, if only her teacher had a better feeling on how DD operates... that;s the real problem. Not the lack of 'certification;

I think we've had this same conversation before, and I was trying not to turn Wren's happy thread into Montessori-bashing, but I'll chime in to back Isa: our school was certified, too.

The fact is, if the teachers don't get it, certification doesn't matter. There were all sorts of great things in DS6's preschool (he was then 4)--including books, naturally--but he wasn't allowed to use any of them until he completed the umpteen pre-reading activities that didn't interest him at all because they were too easy for him.

We finally got the director and teachers to understand, but it was a hard battle, and I'm certainly not recommending that particular school to anyone with GT kids.

Philosophy is nice, but it's practice that really matters! I'm glad the practice at Wren's school is working for her DD.

I have to agree that it's the teacher(s) that makes all the difference! My DD5 and DD4 went to Montessori school last year (2-3 and 4 years old at the time) and had great experiences. Although I have to say DD4's teacher never noticed she was GT (the assist. teacher did) I had to ask for more challenging materials to be put in to the toddler room and they happily did that. Since she was only 2 and in a toddler room, I didn't think it was a big deal. I was happy with the social skills she was developing and she loved school, which meant that she wasn't bored and the classroom was well structured (she HATES disorder!) DD5 had a great preschool year and a wonderful teacher.
We moved, DD5 has transitioned nicely into a public school K. I found a local (certified)Montessori for DD4 and checked it out thoroughly, meeting w/preschool teachers for over an hour. She seemed happy there, but as the year progressed, she was not being challenged again. On a classroom visit, DD4 told me there were certain materials that were only for the K kids. I thought she had misunderstood so I went to the teachers to clear it up. To my shock, they said she was correct. She wants to use the large number chains but is being denied because they don't think she's "ready". There are other problems popping up and she won't be returning there next year. I absolutely love the philosophy, but again it's the teacher that matters!

I am wondering if there is a difference in certification and accreditation. The teachers get certified, the school gets accredited with the American Montessori Association.

And I agree it is the teachers. DD3 can use the large chains and thousands blocks of beads. Why she understands about 100s, 1000s. They are showing her and letting her use the tools.

Ren