montessori

I posted a thread in General, but am glad Nikki pointed me to this one. I'm also considering a Montessori preschool for Emma Rose (she's 9 months now but as someone else noted, you have to get them on the waiting list REALLY early, hence the insane earliness of this posting). As I said in my other post over in General, the thing that bothers me a bit about the local Montessori is that they require kids to be in for at least two full-day sessions a week (8.45am to 3.15pm), and to me, that sounds like a lot of preschool for a 2.5-year-old to handle (the age Em will be when she starts).

My own mother owns/teaches preschool, but not Montessori, and her 2.5-year-olds go for three 3-hour sessions a week, so that's the experience that I'm coming from.

I'm also a wee bit worried when I read others' comments about Montessori education not promoting imaginative play. Yikes! I DEFINITELY want Em to do imaginative play.

I'd love to hear more experiences with Montessori preschools. Did anyone start their child in one and then pull them out and put them in something different? Or start off in something different and then switch to Montessori?

Thanks, Nikki, that makes sense. Obviously Emma at 2.5 will be vastly different from Emma at 9 months, and it's hard to imagine her almost two years from now! But I can understand what you mean about how it might be more comfortable for them to be in a structured environment for a full day rather than the free-play environment that a lot of preschools and creches have. That said, I am a big fan of free play, and don't want TOO much structure... Can you tell I'm confused about this? LOL. I think it will all become clearer as she gets older... In the meantime, maybe I will go ahead and enrol her in the Montessori preschool and in a regular one as well, and then make the decision down the track. I hate having to get on the waiting lists this early, when we're still working on solids and sleeping through the night! It just feels WEIRD! LOL

Just about the full on days. Andrew was at the beginning of this year in fulltime (8am-5pm) daycare. He was fine and was just about 2 when that happened. Things have changed now and he isn't in everyday and most days I usually don't get him there till after 8.30am.

One thing I personally don't like about Montessori is the imagination play. Andrew loves to use Tigger as his baby and will put him to bed in the little cradle they have at his daycare. I do like the writing and drawing things it does help with development (I have done teaching placements at schools and some 6 years old in one class couldn't hold a pencil at all), but that can also be done at a daycare as well (well usually not till they are 4 and do extention programmes).

Andrew's daycare has an emphisis(sp?) on music and the arts - which I love and so does he, so it is good for him. He can sing you the alphabet (has done since just after he turned 2) and counts to 10 then further on with help. His daycare has a monessori section that is away from where he is, but I am sure one of the teachers he has at the moment has come from the Montessori section so I can ask her a few questions if you like and how she has found teaching montessori to "plain" daycare.

Hey Emma, I'm glad to hear your experience as well. When we come over to visit you, I am going to pick your brain!!! Be warned!!!

 I'm thinking of enrolling my Emma at Howick Montessori Preschool at the All Saints Community Centre in Howick. Since we just moved to this area, I don't know any mums I can ask about the preschool, although I have been putting "feelers" out.

I don't think Maya's stash of toys is all that shocking, personally!!! Emma Rose has HEAPS! And she prefers the boxes they come in to the actual toys... sigh. Just wait 'til Christmas.

P.S. Unrelated, but as for Em's fever from last week -- she has roseola, so the fever is gone but in its place is a nasty-looking rash, which apparently doesn't hurt or itch, just looks terrible. So I'm not getting any work done, as she wants to be held ALL THE TIME, and I'm typing this one-handed!!!