[quote=GreenBug]Trinity,
The concern about the academic shortchanging the social comes from my perception that Montessori education emphasizes independent learning.
Hello Trinity,
I have never posted here before, but I finally felt I had something to add to a discussion, so here goes. I had all three of my pg children in Montessori preschool prior to beginning our homeschooling journey. I spent a lot of time reading about Maria Montessori's philosophy and from it I derived this information. From her observations she deduced that children between the ages of 2-6 want and need independent work time. Their focus is on personal development, not social interaction. Maria Montessori observed that older children wanted and needed social learning situations, so her elementary schools are based upon learning in a group setting. I would not worry so much about social development. I believe it will come about when your son is developmentally ready, not just intellectually ready. You may want to try observing a Montessori elementary school, if you have one in your area, so that you can see the different approaches that are implemented during the periods that Maria Montessori believed they were appropriate.
HTH, Candace
