Ok this post got away from me, so it's quite long! Hope it helps!...
We made a mid year switch from a play-based preschool to a Montessori school for my 3 year old DS just a few months ago. I know many here & on other gifted boards who say they've had luck with this type of play-based program, & we did too from about 11 months (when he started) until about 3 years. It was a wonderful program, with loving, caring teachers whom I adore. To their credit, the teachers told us that it was no longer a good fit, despite DS's wonderful behavior. (Seriously, they all loved him!) By 3, DS was reading fairly well & was counting by 2s, 5s, & 10s. These were not interests the other children could relate to. The teachers did their best - bringing in more complex puzzles, having him read checklists out loud, letting him help make bulletin boards, etc. - but it just wasn't enough. Apparently a typical morning might begin like this - He'd start a puzzle, & another child would take a piece & run away. By the time he'd tracked the piece down, another kid would have come over & messed up what he'd already done. Perfectly understandable 2-3 year old behavior, but frustrating for DS.
So when a spot at the local Montessori school opened up, DS's teachers urged us to take it. I was hesitant b/c of the horror stories I'd read online. It sounded like our only options would be play-based or homeschool. When we visited the new school, I was upfront about his giftedness, providing specific examples, & I did my homework on the Montessori method to make sure I knew what to look for in that regard too. We also talked with his teacher-to-be, because IME that's probably the most important factor for success.
It has been 4 months (actually school just let out for the summer). Everything is going so well I can hardly believe it. DS has grown in so many ways over the last few months, and I attribute much of this growth to his amazing teachers.
Even though I had been up front about his abilities, I could tell they were somewhat skeptical. The lead guide heard him reading the first day, and immediately started introducing him to some higher level works. Within a month, DS was doing reading/math works generally only used by Kindergarten level students & the lead teacher was talking to us about formulating a plan to introduce 1st grade level works in the fall. They've also worked extensively on providing opportunities for social growth. For example, when he was first introduced to the 100 board, DS could only do the work WITH a 5 or 6 year old. Meaning that he had to approach another student and politely ask if they would do the work with him. Not a method they would have used for all kids, but perfect for DS because he was highly motivated to do the work & quickly learned how to politely/effectively approach other students with a little trial and error.
As far as Montessori goes, I'm not sure if you know that ANY school can call themselves Montessori. This doesn't mean that they are actually Montessori in practice! The things I would check on are:
- Uninterrupted 3 hour work period in the mornings. If they try to put in morning classes for art, Spanish, music ,anything then they are interrupting this important aspect of Montessori.
- Mixed age classes
- Montessori schools "follow the child" - meaning they introduce new works when it is clear the child is ready, rather than by age. Ask if they've ever had a child working 2 or 3 grade levels ahead. How have they handled that? Have they ever brought in works from the next class (meaning bringing works to the 3-6 classroom from the 7-9 room)?
Good luck with your decision! I know it can be tough! I lost a lot of sleep when we were going through this, so I feel for you.
Last edited by KathrynH; 06/08/14 06:44 AM.
