Our 5-year old son attends the Montessori section in a school that also offers a regular pre-KG-LKG-UKG program. We chose the Montessori simply because we heard -- and we really didn't know much at that time -- that kids learn stuff by doing stuff, learn from their peers as well as from their teachers, etc. We also heard that Montessori kids get to do a lot of things that regular schools (probably) don't pay attention to; for example, they do specific activities that help develop hand-eye coordination: practice with different kinds of buttons, pouring things -- rice and pulses at first, and water and oil later on -- from one container to another, safe use of scissors, and even cutting vegetables!
When we heard further that (a) our child did not have to carry books, and (b) there would be no homework, we were completely sold on Montessori. Our son's school -- Hymamshu, in Malleswaram -- has lived upto everything that was promised, and his teachers have been absolutely wonderful. We have been very happy -- and sometimes, amazed -- with his progress; needless to say, we whole-heartedly recommend the Montessori program (at least at Hymamshu) to anyone who asks us.
But, still, parents are parents; which is to say, as parents, we are, and will always be, paranoid. We worry if what we chose is the right thing. We worry if Montessori has some (hidden) deficiencies. We worry if Montessori will prepare our child adequately for the next step, which is going to be in a regular school. We worry, ... Well, you get the point.
This morning, I found this Scientific American report about a study done in the US, comparing Montessori kids with those from regular schools. Its contents are quite reassuring; which is to say, it will allow us to worry just a little less!
4 Comments:
As an anecdote, Sergey Brin of google attended montessori school and cites that as a key factor in his education.
Thanks, Abhinav, for that anecdote, which brings our parental worries down by another notch ...
Our kid (about 3 years old) goes to a Montessory (play) school and we plan to keep her in that system because we have living proofs in our realtives that it is a worthwhile effort...
But I guess as you said, we wil always be worrying about our kids and their well being... you can check this post at my wife's blog... ;)
What about the staffs there? I am worried about the different levels in which the idea of an alternative system is comprehended by different people. Children and their creativity depend too much upon the practitioners, their everyday commitment to the system and all. On what basis is they selected?
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